San Marcos Cisd

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.

San Marcos, Texas - 11 schools

An equity score of 36/100 ranks San Marcos Cisd #744 of 1044 districts in Texas (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,826 per pupil, San Marcos Cisd ranks #817 of 1202 Texas districts by per-pupil spending (Texas districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

8,447
Total Enrollment
11
Schools
$11,826
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

San Marcos Cisd operates 11 public schools serving 8,447 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Texas. The school portfolio breaks down into 7 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high, 1 combined 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 Hays County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,826 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 1202 Texas districts by per-pupil spending. See how Texas compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 71.5% local, 9.2% state, and 19.3% 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 36/100, ranked #744 of 1044 in Texas against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 11 schools offering Advanced Placement (25 AP courses district-wide), a 438.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 28.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 73.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% White, 4.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Crockett El, with a diversity index of 58.3/100.

Its largest campus is San Marcos H S, enrolling 2,371 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Bonham Pre-K School, at 380 students, a 6x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

San Marcos H S accounts for 28.1% of all San Marcos Cisd student enrollment

That dominant concentration means San Marcos Cisd-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. 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

San Marcos Cisd school enrollment varies 6.2× across entities

San Marcos Cisd school enrollment ranges from 380 students (lowest) to 2,371 students (highest), a spread of 1,991 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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 NCES Common Core of Data

San Marcos Cisd has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 77.6% 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). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. 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

San Marcos Cisd student-counselor ratio is 439:1 — 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 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

San Marcos Cisd chronic absenteeism rate is 28.7% — 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 San Marcos Cisd is typically wider than the San Marcos Cisd-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

19.3%
Federal
9.2%
State
71.5%
Local

Funding Equity

36
Equity Score
744 / 1044
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 11 schools in San Marcos Cisd.

White 18.1%
Hispanic or Latino 73.9%
African American 4.2%
Asian 1.1%
Multiracial 2.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 40.0/100

Average Simpson diversity index across San Marcos Cisd's schools, below the Texas average of 44.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Crockett El 58.3
  2. 2 Miller Middle 51.7
  3. 3 Hernandez El 49.0
  4. 4 Travis El 45.7
  5. 5 San Marcos H S 43.9

Programs & Resources

1 / 11
Schools with AP
25 AP courses total
438.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
28.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in San Marcos Cisd

School Enrollment
San Marcos H S
2,371
Miller Middle
896
Goodnight Middle
884
Dezavala El
584
Bowie El
580
Hernandez El
577
Mendez El
533
Crockett El
477
Rodriguez El
445
Travis El
440
Bonham Pre-K School
380

How San Marcos Cisd Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Texas districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Carroll Isd Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Dripping Springs Isd Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Royse City Isd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Little Elm Isd Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Temple Isd Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to San Marcos Cisd'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 San Marcos Cisd →
Dallas Isd
141,169 students · 240 schools · $12,650/pupil
Compare vs San Marcos Cisd →
Cypress-Fairbanks Isd
118,010 students · 91 schools · $10,232/pupil
Compare vs San Marcos Cisd →
Northside Isd
102,719 students · 124 schools · $10,615/pupil
Compare vs San Marcos Cisd →
Katy Isd
92,667 students · 74 schools · $11,068/pupil
Compare vs San Marcos Cisd →

Compare San Marcos Cisd

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 San Marcos Cisd?

San Marcos Cisd has 11 schools, including 1 high, 2 middle, 7 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 8,447 students.

How much does San Marcos Cisd spend per student?

San Marcos Cisd spends $11,826 per student. The district has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #744 in Texas.

What is the demographic composition of San Marcos Cisd?

San Marcos Cisd students are 73.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% White, 4.2% African American, 1.1% Asian, averaged across 11 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for San Marcos Cisd?

San Marcos Cisd has an equity score of 36/100, ranking #744 out of 1044 districts in Texas.