Abilene Times

White students made up the largest ethnic group in Taylor County schools in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Of the 23,949 students attending Taylor County schools, 46% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 38.2% of the total enrollment.

In the previous school year, white students also made up the largest ethnic group in Taylor County, comprising 46.6% of the student body.

Bassetti Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, which included 36.9% white students, 36.7% Hispanic students, 15% Black students, 7.6% multiracial students, 2.4% Asian students, 0.9% American Indian students, and 0.5% Pacific Islander students.

In the 2022-23 school year, total public school enrollment in the county increased by 0.1% when compared to the previous year.

Texas is found to be one of the least educated states in the U.S. A study from WalletHub ranked Texas 41st out of 50 states in terms of the quality of the educational system and how successful students were.

Underfunding is a frequently cited challenge facing the state's school district. Per-pupil funding has not increased since 2019, despite inflation rates rising by more than 20% since then.

School name	Most prevalent ethnic group	Percent of Total Student Body	Total enrollment
Abilene High School	Hispanic	51.3%	1,966
Academy for Technology Engineering Math & Science	White	60.8%	372
Alcorta Elementary School	White	46.3%	451
Austin Elementary School	White	54.4%	724
Bassetti Elementary School	White	36.9%	553
Bonham Elementary School	Hispanic	43.4%	482
Bowie Elementary School	Hispanic	51.9%	476
Buffalo Gap Elementary School	White	82%	394
Clack Middle School	Hispanic	41.6%	707
Cooper High School	Hispanic	43.2%	1,716
Craig Middle School	Hispanic	47.8%	783
DAEP	Hispanic	47%	100
Dyess Elementary School	White	44.6%	617
Jim Ned High School	White	84.9%	457
Jim Ned Middle School	White	81.5%	373
Juvenile Detention Center	Hispanic	54.5%	11
Lawn Elementary School	White	76.8%	400
Long Early Learning Center	Hispanic	50.4%	809
Madison Middle School	Hispanic	44.8%	785
Mann Middle School	Hispanic	52.8%	879
Martinez Elementary School	Hispanic	74.8%	412
Merkel Elementary School	White	69.2%	565
Merkel High School	White	73.7%	327
Merkel Middle School	White	64.5%	248
Oceans Behavioral Health	White	66.7%	3
Ortiz Elementary School	Hispanic	74.8%	484
Premier High School of Abilene	White	58.2%	146
Purcell Elementary School	Hispanic	59.5%	635
Stafford Elementary School	Hispanic	49%	447
Taylor County Learning Center	Hispanic	50%	4
Taylor Elementary School	White	41.9%	658
Texas Leadership of Abilene	Hispanic	49%	727
Thomas Elementary School	Hispanic	42%	414
Trent Independent School District	White	72.5%	131
Ward Elementary School	White	46%	494
Woodson Center for Excellence	Hispanic	59%	139
Wylie East Elementary School	White	62.7%	789
Wylie East Junior High School	White	64.1%	524
Wylie High School	White	67.6%	1,467
Wylie West Early Childhood Center	White	53.2%	421
Wylie West Elementary School	White	62.6%	428
Wylie West Intermediate School	White	61.4%	459
Wylie West Junior High School	White	62.9%	972