Best High Schools in Zip Code 79107

Zip code 79107 in Amarillo, Texas, is home to two high schools within the Amarillo Independent School District (Isd): the large comprehensive Palo Duro High School and the small alternative North Heights Alter. These schools serve vastly different educational missions, making direct comparisons misleading. Palo Duro, with nearly 2,000 students, faces the challenge of an 87% economically disadvantaged population yet shows academic resilience, performing at or above the state average in Algebra I and U.S. History. In contrast, North Heights Alter serves just 137 students with a highly individualized approach, reflected in its very low student-teacher ratio of 3.7:1 and per-student spending of $50,111—nearly five times that of Palo Duro.

Key metrics highlight their distinct roles. Palo Duro ranks in the 49th percentile statewide (2 stars) and has a 90% graduation rate, while North Heights Alter ranks in the 10th percentile (1 star) but achieves a slightly higher 92.9% graduation rate. However, North Heights Alter also has a higher dropout rate of 2.3% compared to Palo Duro’s 1.2%. The spending gap is not a sign of inefficiency; it reflects the intensive resources needed for alternative education, including more counselors and specialized staff to help at-risk students earn diplomas. Palo Duro’s lower spending must cover a larger facility, diverse electives, and extracurriculars for its much larger student body.

For parents, the takeaway is clear: these schools serve different purposes. Palo Duro is a traditional high school that effectively supports students despite high poverty, with strong math and history outcomes. North Heights Alter is a specialized intervention school focused on recovering students who have struggled elsewhere, prioritizing graduation over test scores. Both are part of the same district, which ranks in the 50th percentile statewide. Understanding this “tale of two missions” is crucial when evaluating which environment best fits a student’s needs.