Abilene Times

White students comprised the most prevalent ethnic group in Taylor County schools in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Of the 23,204 students attending Taylor County schools, 44.3% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 39% of the total enrollment.

In the previous school year, white students also made up the largest ethnic group in Taylor County, comprising 46% of the student body.

Bassetti Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the schools in the county, which included 38.4% Hispanic students, 35.2% white students, 15.5% Black students, 7.4% multiracial students, 2.2% Asian students, 0.7% American Indian students, and 0.6% Pacific Islander students.

When compared to the previous school year, total public school enrollment in the county dropped 3.1%.

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	50.5%	1,903
Academy for Technology Engineering Math & Science	White	60.4%	386
Alcorta Elementary School	White	43.5%	395
Austin Elementary School	White	54.6%	699
Bassetti Elementary School	Hispanic	38.4%	542
Bonham Elementary School	Hispanic	46.7%	478
Bowie Elementary School	Hispanic	52.5%	478
Buffalo Gap Elementary School	White	78.1%	256
Clack Middle School	Hispanic	43.6%	740
Cooper High School	Hispanic	42.3%	1,596
Craig Middle School	Hispanic	48.3%	757
DAEP	Hispanic	37.5%	96
Dyess Elementary School	White	41.9%	592
Jim Ned High School	White	84.2%	461
Jim Ned Middle School	White	81.5%	227
Juvenile Detention Center	Hispanic	42.9%	14
Lawn Elementary School	White	73.5%	298
Long Early Learning Center	Hispanic	52.6%	751
Madison Middle School	Hispanic	45.8%	778
Mann Middle School	Hispanic	54.5%	759
Martinez Elementary School	Hispanic	74.4%	391
Merkel Elementary School	White	69.3%	589
Merkel High School	White	73.6%	295
Merkel Middle School	White	64.9%	242
Oceans Behavioral Health	White	57.1%	7
Ortiz Elementary School	Hispanic	79.9%	447
Premier High School of Abilene	White	57.5%	174
Purcell Elementary School	Hispanic	60.4%	594
Stafford Elementary School	Hispanic	50%	458
Taylor County Learning Center	Hispanic	50%	8
Taylor Elementary School	White	41.9%	640
Texas Leadership of Abilene	Hispanic	49.8%	870
Thomas Elementary School	Hispanic	41.6%	389
Trent Independent School District	White	67.8%	146
Ward Elementary School	White	44.8%	473
Woodson Center for Excellence	Hispanic	52.3%	149
Wylie East Elementary School	White	59.4%	796
Wylie East Junior High School	White	60.5%	552
Wylie High School	White	64.7%	1,517
Wylie West Early Childhood Center	White	51.1%	184
Wylie West Elementary School	White	58.7%	623
Wylie West Intermediate School	White	61.7%	465
Wylie West Junior High School	White	61%	989