Ferris 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Ferris, Texas - 6 schools

An equity score of 45/100 ranks Ferris Isd #618 of 1047 districts in Texas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,668 per pupil, Ferris Isd ranks #934 of 1207 Texas districts by per-pupil spending (Texas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,716
Total Enrollment
6
Schools
$11,668
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Ferris Isd operates 6 public schools serving 2,716 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle, 1 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 Ellis County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,668 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 1207 Texas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Texas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.2% local, 62.5% state, and 14.4% 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 45/100, ranked #618 of 1047 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.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 6 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 397.9:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 16.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 75.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% White, 8.5% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Ferris J H, with a diversity index of 46.1/100.

Its largest campus is Ferris H S, enrolling 940 students (31% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Ellis County Jjaep, at 3 students, a 313x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Ferris H S accounts for 31.2% of all Ferris Isd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Ferris Isd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ferris Isd school enrollment varies 313× across entities

Ferris Isd school enrollment ranges from 3 students (lowest) to 940 students (highest), a spread of 937 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ferris Isd reports 77.8% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is at least 75%, indicating a high concentration of measured economic need. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Ferris Isd student-counselor ratio is 398:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Ferris Isd chronic absenteeism rate is 16.5% — 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 Ferris Isd is typically wider than the Ferris Isd-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

14.4%
Federal
62.5%
State
23.2%
Local

Funding Equity

45
Equity Score
618 / 1047
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 6 schools in Ferris Isd.

White 14.5%
Hispanic or Latino 75.0%
African American 8.5%
Multiracial 1.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 40.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Ferris Isd's schools, below the Texas average of 44.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Ferris J H 46.1
  2. 2 Lucy Mae Mcdonald El 43.6
  3. 3 Ferris H S 42.4
  4. 4 Lee Longino El 39.7
  5. 5 Hazel Ingram El 31.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 6
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
397.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
16.5%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Ferris Isd

School Enrollment
Ferris H S
940
Ferris J H
658
Lucy Mae Mcdonald El
641
Lee Longino El
436
Hazel Ingram El
335
Ellis County Jjaep
3

How Ferris Isd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Texas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Gatesville Isd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Compass Rose Public Schools Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Wimberley Isd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Hardin-Jefferson Isd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Kingsville Isd Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Ferris 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 · $13,072/pupil
Compare vs Ferris Isd →
Dallas Isd
141,169 students · 240 schools · $14,470/pupil
Compare vs Ferris Isd →
Cypress-Fairbanks Isd
118,010 students · 91 schools · $10,693/pupil
Compare vs Ferris Isd →
Northside Isd
102,719 students · 124 schools · $10,632/pupil
Compare vs Ferris Isd →
Katy Isd
92,667 students · 74 schools · $11,284/pupil
Compare vs Ferris Isd →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Ferris 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 Ferris Isd?

Ferris Isd has 6 schools, including 2 high, 1 middle, 2 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 2,716 students.

How much does Ferris Isd spend per student?

Ferris Isd spends $11,668 per student. The district has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #618 in Texas.

What is the demographic composition of Ferris Isd?

Ferris Isd students are 75.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% White, 8.5% African American, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 6 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Ferris Isd?

Ferris Isd has an equity score of 45/100, ranking #618 out of 1047 districts in Texas.