Taylor County Schools & Education
Taylor County, Texas
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
45/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
92.2%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.2%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,196
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,498
School Score
45/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 56/100
State Score Position
#203
of 253 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Taylor County
Measured School Summary
Taylor County performs at an average level with a school score of 45/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.2%.
Funding Context
At $6,196 per pupil, Taylor County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 20% below the Texas average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 17% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Taylor 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
47 public schools and 5 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
45/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #203 of 253 Texas counties with school score data.
Completion
92.2%
0.6 pts above the state average
Funding context
$6,196
$1,302 below the state average
School coverage
47
5 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
Taylor County has 47 public schools across 5 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.
What Taylor 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
Taylor 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
#203
of 253 Texas counties with school score data. The county score is 11 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.
ABILENE ISD
Elementary to high school visible
15,253 students
28 listed schools in this county slice.
WYLIE ISD
Elementary to high school visible
5,419 students
8 listed schools in this county slice.
JIM NED CISD
Elementary to high school visible
1,624 students
4 listed schools in this county slice.
MERKEL ISD
Elementary to high school visible
1,140 students
3 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
ABILENE ISD is the largest listed district slice, with 28 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 Taylor County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Taylor 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 Taylor 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.
Abilene’s Robust Education Hub
Taylor County hosts 47 public schools and 5 districts, supporting a total student population of 24,454. The system is well-balanced, featuring 21 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 10 high schools.
High Success on a Lean Budget
Students here excel with a 92.2% graduation rate, surpassing both state and national averages. This performance is notable given the lean $6,196 per-pupil expenditure, which is significantly lower than the national average of $13,000.
The Dominance of Abilene and Wylie ISDs
Abilene ISD is the regional leader, serving 15,253 students across 28 different schools. Wylie ISD provides a significant suburban alternative, educating 5,419 students across its 8 campuses.
City Classrooms Meet Rural High Schools
Thirty-two schools are located in the city of Abilene, while 15 serve the outlying rural areas. Abilene HS is the largest campus with 1,966 students, nearly four times the county average school size of 532.
School Overview
Total Schools
47
in Taylor County
Reported Enrollment
24,454
47 schools reporting
School Districts
5
districts
Charter Schools
2
4% of total
School Level Breakdown
5 School Districts in Taylor County
ABILENE ISD
GuideWYLIE ISD
GuideJIM NED CISD
MERKEL ISD
TRENT ISD
47 Public Schools in Taylor County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 4 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 47 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABILENE H S | Profile | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79603City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,966 |
| COOPER H S | Profile | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79605City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,716 |
| WYLIE H S | Profile | WYLIE ISD | ABILENE, 79606City: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,467 |
| WYLIE WEST J H | Profile | WYLIE ISD | ABILENE, 79606City: Midsize | 5–8 | Middle | 972 |
| MANN MIDDLE | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79603City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 879 |
| LONG EARLY LEARNING CENTER | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79603City: Midsize | PK | Other | 809 |
| WYLIE EAST EL | Record | WYLIE ISD | ABILENE, 79606Rural: Fringe | KG–3 | Primary | 789 |
| MADISON MIDDLE | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79605City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 785 |
| CRAIG MIDDLE | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79601City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 783 |
| TEXAS LEADERSHIP OF ABILENE | Record | TEXAS LEADERSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS | SAN ANGELO, 76906City: Midsize | KG–12 | Charter | 727 |
| AUSTIN EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79605City: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 724 |
| CLACK MIDDLE | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79605City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 707 |
| TAYLOR EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79601Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 658 |
| PURCELL EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79603City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 635 |
| DYESS EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79606Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 617 |
| MERKEL EL | Record | MERKEL ISD | MERKEL, 79536Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 565 |
| BASSETTI EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79606City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 553 |
| WYLIE EAST J H | Record | WYLIE ISD | ABILENE, 79606City: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 524 |
| WARD EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79606City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 494 |
| ORTIZ EL | Record | ABILENE ISD | ABILENE, 79603City: Midsize | KG–5 | Primary | 484 |
ABILENE H S
ABILENE ISD
ABILENE, 79603 / City: Midsize
COOPER H S
ABILENE ISD
ABILENE, 79605 / City: Midsize
WYLIE H S
WYLIE ISD
ABILENE, 79606 / City: Midsize
WYLIE WEST J H
WYLIE ISD
ABILENE, 79606 / City: Midsize
TEXAS LEADERSHIP OF ABILENE
TEXAS LEADERSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SAN ANGELO, 76906 / City: Midsize
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,196
State avg $7,498
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Taylor County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Texas counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Texas?
How should I read the school score in Taylor County?
What is the graduation rate in Taylor County?
How much does Taylor County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Taylor County, Texas — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Taylor County, Texas?
Taylor County hosts 47 public schools and 5 districts, supporting a total student population of 24,454. The system is well-balanced, featuring 21 elementary schools, 8 middle schools, and 10 high schools.
How do schools in Taylor County perform academically?
Students here excel with a 92.2% graduation rate, surpassing both state and national averages. This performance is notable given the lean $6,196 per-pupil expenditure, which is significantly lower than the national average of $13,000.
What are the major school districts in Taylor County, Texas?
Abilene ISD is the regional leader, serving 15,253 students across 28 different schools. Wylie ISD provides a significant suburban alternative, educating 5,419 students across its 8 campuses.
What is the school experience like in Taylor County?
Thirty-two schools are located in the city of Abilene, while 15 serve the outlying rural areas. Abilene HS is the largest campus with 1,966 students, nearly four times the county average school size of 532.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.