Taylor County schools enrolled 1,971 students identified as being gifted and talented during the 2023-24 school year, a 2.1% increase from the previous school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.
This translates to roughly 5% of the 39,603 students enrolled in the county schools that year.
Taylor County enrolled the 36th highest number of gifted and talented students among Texas counties.
A recent study by WalletHub classified Texas as one of the least-educated states in the U.S., ranking it 41st out of 50 in educational quality and student outcomes.
Underfunding is a frequently cited challenge facing the state’s school districts. According to a 2024 report from the Texas Education Agency, per-pupil funding has not increased since 2019, despite inflation rates rising by more than 20% since then.
“As a result, many districts in our very own Central Texas region are being forced to cut back on essential programs, services, consider school closures, and adopt deficit budgets just to provide students with the education that they deserve,” Hutto ISD Trustee James Matlock stated in an interview.
| School | Number of gifted and talented students | Total Number of students |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene High School | 216 | 1,903 |
| Alcorta Elementary School | 48 | 395 |
| Austin Elementary School | 116 | 699 |
| Bassetti Elementary School | 29 | 542 |
| Bonham Elementary School | 40 | 478 |
| Bowie Elementary School | 36 | 478 |
| Buffalo Gap Elementary School | 14 | 256 |
| Clack Middle School | 53 | 740 |
| Cooper High School | 119 | 1,596 |
| Craig Middle School | 97 | 757 |
| Dyess Elementary School | 64 | 592 |
| Eastex-Jensen Classical Academy | 0 | 209 |
| El Paso Classical Academy | 0 | 263 |
| Founders Classical Academy | 0 | 923 |
| Founders Classical Academy – Conroe | 0 | 703 |
| Founders Classical Academy Corinth – Upper School | 0 | 477 |
| Founders Classical Academy of Prosper | 0 | 882 |
| Founders Classical Academy-Bastrop | 0 | 193 |
| Huntsville Classical Academy | 0 | 403 |
| Ignite Community School-Fort Worth | 0 | 363 |
| Ischool High – Atascocita | 0 | 127 |
| Ischool Lewisville (6-12 Campus) | 0 | 183 |
| Ischool Lewisville (K-5 Campus) | 0 | 108 |
| Ischool Virtual Academy of Texas | 0 | 925 |
| Jim Ned High School | 42 | 461 |
| Jim Ned Middle School | 30 | 227 |
| Juvenile Detention Center | 0 | 14 |
| Lawn Elementary School | 19 | 298 |
| Long Early Learning Center | 0 | 751 |
| Madison Middle School | 86 | 778 |
| Mainland Preparatory Academy | 0 | 337 |
| Mann Middle School | 73 | 759 |
| Martinez Elementary School | 14 | 391 |
| Merkel Elementary School | 16 | 589 |
| Merkel High School | 18 | 295 |
| Oceans Behavioral Health | 0 | 7 |
| Ortiz Elementary School | 18 | 447 |
| Purcell Elementary School | 17 | 594 |
| Quest Collegiate Academy – Crockett | 0 | 103 |
| Quest Collegiate Academy – Shenandoah | 0 | 386 |
| Quest Collegiate Academy-McAllen | 0 | 84 |
| Quest Collegiate Academy-Whitewright | 0 | 113 |
| Stafford Elementary School | 36 | 458 |
| Taylor County Learning Center | 0 | 8 |
| Taylor Elementary School | 96 | 640 |
| Thomas Elementary School | 36 | 389 |
| Trent Independent School District | 18 | 146 |
| Vista Academy of Garland | 0 | 297 |
| Ward Elementary School | 45 | 473 |
| Westchase Classical Academy | 0 | 458 |
| Woodson Center for Excellence | 3 | 149 |
| Wylie East Elementary School | 28 | 796 |
| Wylie East Junior High School | 39 | 552 |
| Wylie High School | 135 | 1,517 |
| Wylie West Early Childhood Center | 0 | 184 |
| Wylie West Elementary School | 25 | 623 |
| Wylie West Intermediate School | 54 | 465 |
| Wylie West Junior High School | 102 | 989 |
