Port Arthur 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.

Port Arthur, Texas - 13 schools

An equity score of 58/100 ranks Port Arthur Isd #367 of 1047 districts in Texas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,737 per pupil, Port Arthur Isd ranks #400 of 1207 Texas districts by per-pupil spending (Texas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,152
Total Enrollment
13
Schools
$14,737
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Port Arthur Isd operates 13 public schools serving 8,152 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 8 combined, 2 high, 2 middle, 1 elementary schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Jefferson County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,737 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 1207 Texas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Texas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 52.9% local, 26.2% state, and 20.9% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 58/100, ranked #367 of 1047 in Texas against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 13 schools offering Advanced Placement (9 AP courses district-wide), a 459.9:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 33.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 47.9% Hispanic or Latino, 45.3% African American, 2.1% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Port Acres El, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.

Its largest campus is Memorial H S, enrolling 2,140 students (27% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Jefferson Co Youth Acad, at 2 students, a 1070x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Memorial H S accounts for 26.3% of all Port Arthur Isd student enrollment

That concentration means Port Arthur 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

Port Arthur Isd school enrollment varies 1070× across entities

Port Arthur Isd school enrollment ranges from 2 students (lowest) to 2,140 students (highest), a spread of 2,138 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

Port Arthur Isd reports 84.4% 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

Port Arthur Isd student-counselor ratio is 460:1 — 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

Port Arthur Isd chronic absenteeism rate is 33.2% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

20.9%
Federal
26.2%
State
52.9%
Local

Funding Equity

58
Equity Score
367 / 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 13 schools in Port Arthur Isd.

White 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino 47.9%
African American 45.3%
Asian 1.5%
Multiracial 1.6%
Other 1.4%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 46.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Port Arthur Isd's schools, above the Texas average of 44.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Port Acres El 59.7
  2. 2 Lincoln Middle 56.5
  3. 3 Wheatley School of Early Childhood Programs 56.3
  4. 4 Memorial H S 55.9
  5. 5 Washington El 54.1

Programs & Resources

1 / 13
Schools with AP
9 AP courses total
459.9:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Port Arthur Isd

School Enrollment
Memorial H S
2,140
Jefferson Middle
857
Houston El
689
Tyrrell El
670
Staff Sergeant Lucian Adams El
644
Lincoln Middle
619
Travis El
543
Lakeview El
535
Port Acres El
507
Wheatley School of Early Childhood Programs
380
Dequeen El
232
Washington El
223
Jefferson Co Youth Acad
2

How Port Arthur Isd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Texas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Edgewood Isd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Weatherford Isd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Copperas Cove Isd Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Longview Isd Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Granbury Isd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

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

Port Arthur Isd has 13 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 8 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 8,152 students.

How much does Port Arthur Isd spend per student?

Port Arthur Isd spends $14,737 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #367 in Texas.

What is the demographic composition of Port Arthur Isd?

Port Arthur Isd students are 47.9% Hispanic or Latino, 45.3% African American, 2.1% White, 1.5% Asian, averaged across 13 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Port Arthur Isd?

Port Arthur Isd has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #367 out of 1047 districts in Texas.