schoolsbycounty

Cooke County Schools & Education

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

93.8%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

93.8%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 91.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,543

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,498

School Score

54/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 56/100

State Score Position

#146

of 253 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Cooke County

Measured School Summary

Cooke County performs at an average level with a school score of 54/100 and a solid graduation rate of 93.8%.

Funding Context

At $6,543 per pupil, Cooke County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 4% below the Texas average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Cooke County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

20 public schools and 8 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

54/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #146 of 253 Texas counties with school score data.

Completion

93.8%

2.2 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,543

$955 below the state average

School coverage

20

8 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Cooke County has 20 public schools across 8 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Cooke County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Mixed school landscape

Cooke County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#146

of 253 Texas counties with school score data. The county score is 2 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

GAINESVILLE ISD

Elementary to high school visible

3,096 students

Elementary 2Middle 2High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

CALLISBURG ISD

Elementary to high school visible

1,166 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 1

4 listed schools in this county slice.

VALLEY VIEW ISD

Elementary to high school visible

920 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

MUENSTER ISD

Elementary and high visible

563 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

GAINESVILLE ISD is the largest listed district slice, with 5 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Cooke County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Cooke County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Cooke County, Texas

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Robust Rural Education Network

Cooke County manages a comprehensive network of 20 public schools, including eight elementary, four middle, and six high schools. Eight distinct school districts serve a total enrollment of 7,005 students across the region. This infrastructure provides a stable foundation for the county's growing student population.

Gainesville ISD Leads the Region

Gainesville ISD stands as the county's largest district, overseeing five schools and 3,096 students. Other major contributors include Callisburg ISD with 1,166 students and Valley View ISD with 920. Notably, there are no charter schools in the county, with all 20 campuses operating as traditional public schools.

Vast Rural Settings and Intimate Campuses

The educational experience here is primarily rural, with 17 schools in rural locales and three in town settings. Schools maintain an intimate feel with an average enrollment of 350 students. Gainesville High School is the largest campus with 863 students, while Era School offers a unique PK-12 environment for 542 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

20

in Cooke County

Reported Enrollment

7,005

20 schools reporting

School Districts

8

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8
Middle4
High6
Other2

8 School Districts in Cooke County

GAINESVILLE ISD

5 schools
3,096 students

CALLISBURG ISD

4 schools
1,166 students

VALLEY VIEW ISD

3 schools
920 students

MUENSTER ISD

2 schools
563 students

ERA ISD

1 school
542 students

LINDSAY ISD

2 schools
486 students

SIVELLS BEND ISD

1 school
70 students

WALNUT BEND ISD

1 school
54 students

20 Public Schools in Cooke County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 20 matching schools

GAINESVILLE H S

GAINESVILLE ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High863 students

W E CHALMERS EL

GAINESVILLE ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Fringe

Record2–4Primary716 students

EDISON EL

GAINESVILLE ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–1Primary683 students

CALLISBURG EL

CALLISBURG ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary549 students

ERA SCHOOL

ERA ISD

ERA, 76238 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–12Other542 students

GAINESVILLE J H

GAINESVILLE ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Town: Distant

Record7–8Middle426 students

GAINESVILLE INT

GAINESVILLE ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–6Middle408 students

VALLEY VIEW EL

VALLEY VIEW ISD

VALLEY VIEW, 76272 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary373 students

CALLISBURG H S

CALLISBURG ISD

CALLISBURG, 76240 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High355 students

MUENSTER EL

MUENSTER ISD

MUENSTER, 76252 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–6Primary307 students

VALLEY VIEW MIDDLE

VALLEY VIEW ISD

VALLEY VIEW, 76272 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle281 students

VALLEY VIEW H S

VALLEY VIEW ISD

VALLEY VIEW, 76272 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High266 students

LINDSAY EL

LINDSAY ISD

LINDSAY, 76250 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary257 students

CALLISBURG MIDDLE

CALLISBURG ISD

CALLISBURG, 76240 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle256 students

MUENSTER H S

MUENSTER ISD

MUENSTER, 76252 / Rural: Remote

Record7–12High256 students

LINDSAY H S

LINDSAY ISD

LINDSAY, 76250 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High229 students

LONE STAR H S NORTH

TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Town: Distant

Record8–12High108 students

SIVELLS BEND EL

SIVELLS BEND ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Remote

RecordPK–8Primary70 students

WALNUT BEND EL

WALNUT BEND ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary54 students

DAEP

CALLISBURG ISD

GAINESVILLE, 76240 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–10Alternative6 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,543

State avg $7,498

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Cooke County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Texas counties have the highest graduation rates?
Moore County (98.5%), Rockwall County (98.5%), and Titus County (97.8%) currently lead Texas among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Texas?
Across Texas counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,498. The highest current county values are Glasscock County ($12,819), Borden County ($12,654), and King County ($12,630). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Cooke County?
Cooke County has a school score of 54/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Cooke County?
The high school graduation rate in Cooke County is 93.8%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Cooke County spend per student?
Cooke County spends $6,543 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Cooke County, Texas — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Cooke County, Texas?

Cooke County manages a comprehensive network of 20 public schools, including eight elementary, four middle, and six high schools. Eight distinct school districts serve a total enrollment of 7,005 students across the region. This infrastructure provides a stable foundation for the county's growing student population.

What are the major school districts in Cooke County, Texas?

Gainesville ISD stands as the county's largest district, overseeing five schools and 3,096 students. Other major contributors include Callisburg ISD with 1,166 students and Valley View ISD with 920. Notably, there are no charter schools in the county, with all 20 campuses operating as traditional public schools.

What is the school experience like in Cooke County?

The educational experience here is primarily rural, with 17 schools in rural locales and three in town settings. Schools maintain an intimate feel with an average enrollment of 350 students. Gainesville High School is the largest campus with 863 students, while Era School offers a unique PK-12 environment for 542 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.