Dawson Isd

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Dawson, Texas - 2 schools

An equity score of 57/100 ranks Dawson Isd #409 of 1044 districts in Texas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,593 per pupil, Dawson Isd ranks #320 of 1202 Texas districts by per-pupil spending (Texas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

546
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$14,593
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Dawson Isd operates 2 public schools serving 546 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Navarro County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,593 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1202 Texas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Texas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 29.0% local, 53.1% state, and 18.0% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 57/100, ranked #409 of 1044 in Texas against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 227.3:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 16.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 56.1% White, 32.2% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Dawson H S, enrolling 628 students (69% of the district's total enrollment).

Dawson H S accounts for 69.1% of all Dawson Isd student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Dawson Isd a distant remainder — means Dawson Isd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Dawson Isd has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 63.8% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Dawson Isd student-counselor ratio is 227:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Dawson Isd chronic absenteeism rate is 16.1% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Dawson Isd is typically wider than the Dawson Isd-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

18.0%
Federal
53.1%
State
29.0%
Local

Funding Equity

57
Equity Score
409 / 1044
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Dawson Isd.

White 56.1%
Hispanic or Latino 32.2%
African American 6.5%
Multiracial 4.0%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

227.3:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.1%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Dawson Isd

School Enrollment
Dawson H S
628
Dawson El
281

How Dawson Isd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Texas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Port Aransas Isd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Ropes Isd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Santo Isd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Boles Isd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Cushing Isd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Dawson Isd's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Texas

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Houston Isd
189,934 students · 274 schools · $12,031/pupil
Compare vs Dawson Isd →
Dallas Isd
141,169 students · 240 schools · $12,650/pupil
Compare vs Dawson Isd →
Cypress-Fairbanks Isd
118,010 students · 91 schools · $10,232/pupil
Compare vs Dawson Isd →
Northside Isd
102,719 students · 124 schools · $10,615/pupil
Compare vs Dawson Isd →
Katy Isd
92,667 students · 74 schools · $11,068/pupil
Compare vs Dawson Isd →

Compare Dawson Isd

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Houston Isd →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Dawson Isd?

Dawson Isd has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 546 students.

How much does Dawson Isd spend per student?

Dawson Isd spends $14,593 per student. The district has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #409 in Texas.

What is the demographic composition of Dawson Isd?

Dawson Isd students are 56.1% White, 32.2% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Dawson Isd?

Dawson Isd has an equity score of 57/100, ranking #409 out of 1044 districts in Texas.