Zapata County Schools & Education
Zapata County, Texas
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
41/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 91.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,994
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,498
School Score
41/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 56/100
State Score Position
#217
of 253 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Zapata County
Measured School Summary
Zapata County performs at an average level with a school score of 41/100 and a solid graduation rate of 92.0%.
Funding Context
At $5,994 per pupil, Zapata County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 27% below the Texas average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.4 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 20% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Zapata 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
6 public schools and 1 district 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
41/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #217 of 253 Texas counties with school score data.
Completion
92.0%
0.4 pts above the state average
Funding context
$5,994
$1,504 below the state average
School coverage
6
1 district 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
Zapata County has 6 public schools across 1 district, 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 Zapata 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.
Small-system county
Zapata County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.
State position
#217
of 253 Texas counties with school score data. The county score is 15 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.
ZAPATA COUNTY ISD
Elementary to high school visible
3,376 students
6 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
ZAPATA COUNTY ISD is the largest listed district slice, with 6 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 Zapata County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
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?
Data Story
Zapata County Spending Trails State and National Averages
Education data brief for Zapata County, Texas.
Public education spending in Zapata County is $5,994 per pupil, a figure that is significantly lower than the Texas state average of $7,498 and less than half of the national average of $13,000. All 3,376 students in the county are served by a single district, Zapata County ISD, which operates six schools. This consolidated district structure manages an average school size of 563 students, with Zapata High School being the largest facility at 1,034 students. The county’s composite school score is 40.6, falling below the state average of 56.3 and the national median of 50.0. However, the county graduation rate of 92.0 percent remains above the Texas average of 91.6 percent and the national average of 87.0 percent. The local school mix is evenly split between town and rural locales, with no charter schools present in the county. Compare district boundaries before drawing conclusions.
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS
School Overview
Total Schools
6
in Zapata County
Reported Enrollment
3,376
6 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
0
0% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Zapata County
6 Public Schools in Zapata County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 6 of 6 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZAPATA H S | Profile | ZAPATA COUNTY ISD | ZAPATA, 78076Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,034 |
| ZAPATA MIDDLE | Record | ZAPATA COUNTY ISD | ZAPATA, 78076Town: Remote | 6–8 | Middle | 784 |
| ZAPATA NORTH EL | Record | ZAPATA COUNTY ISD | ZAPATA, 78076Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 581 |
| ZAPATA SOUTH EL | Record | ZAPATA COUNTY ISD | ZAPATA, 78076Town: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 467 |
| FIDEL AND ANDREA R VILLARREAL EL | Record | ZAPATA COUNTY ISD | ZAPATA, 78076Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 449 |
| BENAVIDES EL | Record | ZAPATA COUNTY ISD | ZAPATA, 78076Rural: Remote | PK–5 | Primary | 61 |
ZAPATA H S
ZAPATA COUNTY ISD
ZAPATA, 78076 / Rural: Fringe
FIDEL AND ANDREA R VILLARREAL EL
ZAPATA COUNTY ISD
ZAPATA, 78076 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,994
State avg $7,498
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Zapata 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
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What is the graduation rate in Zapata County?
How much does Zapata County spend per student?
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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.