Can I use Hays County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Hays County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Hays County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Hays County?

Start with the 59 listed public schools and 9 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Hays County Schools & Education

Name: Hays County, Texas Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Hays County, Texas

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

School Score

33/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

88.9%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

88.9%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 91.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,356

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,498

School Score

33/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 56/100

State Score Position

#234

of 253 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Hays County

Measured School Summary

Hays County faces educational challenges with a school score of 33/100 and a graduation rate of 88.9%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,356 per pupil, Hays County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 41% below the Texas average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 2.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 15% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Hays 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

59 public schools and 9 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

33/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #234 of 253 Texas counties with school score data.

Completion

88.9%

2.7 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,356

$1,142 below the state average

School coverage

9 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Hays County has 59 public schools across 9 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Hays 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.

Large multi-district county

Hays County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#234

of 253 Texas counties with school score data. The county score is 23 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.

HAYS CISD

Elementary to high school visible

22,297 students

Elementary 15Middle 6High 5Other 0

26 listed schools in this county slice.

SAN MARCOS CISD

Elementary to high school visible

8,447 students

Elementary 7Middle 2High 1Other 1

11 listed schools in this county slice.

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

Elementary to high school visible

8,375 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 1Other 0

8 listed schools in this county slice.

WIMBERLEY ISD

Elementary to high school visible

2,700 students

Elementary 2Middle 1High 1Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

HAYS CISD is the largest listed district slice, with 26 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 Hays County?

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

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

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in Hays 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 Growing Infrastructure for 44,000 Students

Hays County manages a robust network of 59 public schools across nine districts, serving 44,362 students. The landscape includes 33 elementary schools and 9 high schools to accommodate the area's rapid growth.

Hays CISD Leads the Local Network

Hays CISD is the largest provider with 22,297 students, while San Marcos and Dripping Springs ISDs each serve over 8,000. Charter schools are a significant factor here, accounting for nearly 17% of all campuses.

Suburban Reach with Rural Roots

While 32 schools are in rural locales, the average school size remains large at 752 students. Moe and Gene Johnson High School leads the county in size, hosting 2,692 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Hays County

Reported Enrollment

44,362

59 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

17% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary33

Middle14

High9

Other3

9 School Districts in Hays County

HAYS CISD

SAN MARCOS CISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

WIMBERLEY ISD

4 schools

2,700 students

INSPIRE ACADEMIES

6 schools

735 students

KI CHARTER ACADEMY

6 schools

429 students

DORAL ACADEMY OF TEXAS

1 school

370 students

KATHERINE ANNE PORTER SCHOOL

1 school

86 students

TEXAS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

2 schools

73 students

59 Public Schools in Hays County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 10 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

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

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 59 matching schools

Public schools in Hays County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
MOE AND GENE JOHNSON H S	Profile	HAYS CISD	BUDA, 78610Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,692
SAN MARCOS H S	Profile	SAN MARCOS CISD	SAN MARCOS, 78667Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,536
DRIPPING SPRINGS H S	Profile	DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD	DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620Rural: Distant	9–12	High	2,433
LEHMAN H S	Profile	HAYS CISD	KYLE, 78640Suburb: Large	9–12	High	2,120
JACK C HAYS H S	Profile	HAYS CISD	BUDA, 78610Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	2,062
DR T C MCCORMICK JR MIDDLE	Profile	HAYS CISD	KYLE, 78640Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	1,047
SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE	Profile	DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD	DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	1,019
LAURA B NEGLEY EL	Profile	HAYS CISD	KYLE, 78640Suburb: Large	PK–5	Primary	1,007
DRIPPING SPRINGS EL	Profile	DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD	DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	1,006
MILLER MIDDLE	Profile	SAN MARCOS CISD	SAN MARCOS, 78667City: Small	6–8	Middle	986
ERIC DAHLSTROM MIDDLE	Record	HAYS CISD	BUDA, 78610Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	902
WALNUT SPRINGS EL	Record	DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD	DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	887
DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE	Record	DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD	DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620Rural: Distant	6–8	Middle	882
GOODNIGHT MIDDLE	Record	SAN MARCOS CISD	SAN MARCOS, 78667City: Small	6–8	Middle	866
ROOSTER SPRINGS EL	Record	DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD	DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	827
WIMBERLEY H S	Record	WIMBERLEY ISD	WIMBERLEY, 78676Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	822
R C BARTON MIDDLE	Record	HAYS CISD	BUDA, 78610Rural: Fringe	6–8	Middle	816
LAURA B WALLACE MIDDLE	Record	HAYS CISD	KYLE, 78640Suburb: Large	6–8	Middle	789
UHLAND EL	Record	HAYS CISD	KYLE, 78640Rural: Fringe	KG–5	Primary	786
CAMINO REAL EL	Record	HAYS CISD	NIEDERWALD, 78640Rural: Fringe	PK–5	Primary	782

MOE AND GENE JOHNSON H S

HAYS CISD

BUDA, 78610 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,692 students

SAN MARCOS H S

SAN MARCOS CISD

SAN MARCOS, 78667 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,536 students

DRIPPING SPRINGS H S

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620 / Rural: Distant

Profile9–12High2,433 students

LEHMAN H S

HAYS CISD

KYLE, 78640 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,120 students

JACK C HAYS H S

HAYS CISD

BUDA, 78610 / Rural: Fringe

Profile9–12High2,062 students

DR T C MCCORMICK JR MIDDLE

HAYS CISD

KYLE, 78640 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,047 students

SYCAMORE SPRINGS MIDDLE

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620 / Rural: Fringe

Profile6–8Middle1,019 students

LAURA B NEGLEY EL

HAYS CISD

KYLE, 78640 / Suburb: Large

ProfilePK–5Primary1,007 students

DRIPPING SPRINGS EL

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620 / Rural: Distant

ProfilePK–5Primary1,006 students

MILLER MIDDLE

SAN MARCOS CISD

SAN MARCOS, 78667 / City: Small

Profile6–8Middle986 students

ERIC DAHLSTROM MIDDLE

HAYS CISD

BUDA, 78610 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle902 students

WALNUT SPRINGS EL

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary887 students

DRIPPING SPRINGS MIDDLE

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle882 students

GOODNIGHT MIDDLE

SAN MARCOS CISD

SAN MARCOS, 78667 / City: Small

Record6–8Middle866 students

ROOSTER SPRINGS EL

DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD

DRIPPING SPRINGS, 78620 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary827 students

WIMBERLEY H S

WIMBERLEY ISD

WIMBERLEY, 78676 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High822 students

R C BARTON MIDDLE

HAYS CISD

BUDA, 78610 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle816 students

LAURA B WALLACE MIDDLE

HAYS CISD

KYLE, 78640 / Suburb: Large

Record6–8Middle789 students

UHLAND EL

HAYS CISD

KYLE, 78640 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–5Primary786 students

CAMINO REAL EL

HAYS CISD

NIEDERWALD, 78640 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary782 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,356

State avg $7,498

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Hays 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 Hays County?

Hays County has a school score of 33/100, which is a lower 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 Hays County?

The high school graduation rate in Hays County is 88.9%, 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 Hays County spend per student?

Hays County spends $6,356 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 Hays County, Texas — FAQ

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

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

What is the school experience like in Hays County?

While 32 schools are in rural locales, the average school size remains large at 752 students. Moe and Gene Johnson High School leads the county in size, hosting 2,692 students.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Bell County

Texas

-0 pts

33/100

School score

Denton County

Texas

+0 pts

33/100

School score

Zavala County

Texas

+0 pts

33/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed 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.

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