Longview Times

The majority of students in Upshur County districts were white in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Of the 9,606 students attending Upshur County schools, 64.1% were white. Hispanic students comprised the second-largest ethnic group in the county, making up 19.4% of the student body.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most represented group in Upshur County districts, comprising 65.4% of the student body.

Gilmer ISD, Gladewater ISD and Union Grove ISD had the most diverse student body in the county, including white, American Indian, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and multiracial.

In the 2022-23 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county increased 1.2% compared to the previous year.

The main offices of all districts mentioned in the story are located in cities associated with Upshur County.

Texas is found to be one of the least educated states in the U.S. A study from WalletHub ranked Texas 41st out of 50 states in terms of the quality of the educational system and how successful students were.

More than 5.4 million students are enrolled in public schools across Texas. Nearly one million of them live in rural areas where options for local public schools are few and far between.

The Texas education system is currently torn between public schools and taxpayer-funded private schools.

Critics argue that private schools use funds that should go to the public school system, while private school advocates claim they’re offering better education for more Texas students.

District	Most prevalent ethnic group	Percent of Total Student Body	Total enrollment
Big Sandy ISD	White	68.3%	671
Gilmer ISD	White	57.3%	2,825
Gladewater ISD	White	52.9%	1,755
Harmony ISD	White	75.3%	1,009
New Diana ISD	White	75.1%	1,186
Ore City ISD	White	66.4%	825
Trinity Charter School	White	40.9%	320
Union Grove ISD	White	83%	761
Union Hill ISD	White	74.4%	254