Longview Times

White students made up the largest ethnic group in Rusk County schools in the 2022-23 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Of the 10,774 students attending Rusk County schools, 46.2% were white. Hispanic students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 34.2% of the total enrollment.

In the previous school year, white students also made up the largest ethnic group in Rusk County, comprising 46.9% of the student body.

Northside Elementary School had the most even distribution of races among the county schools, which included 38.2% white students, 34.1% Hispanic students, 21.1% Black students, 5.4% multiracial students, 0.6% Asian students, 0.4% American Indian students, and 0.2% Pacific Islander students.

In the 2022-23 school year, total public school enrollment in the county dropped 0.1% when compared to the previous year.

Education in Texas is often a hot button issue, especially as test scores lag behind other states.

“The problems commonly cited are flaws in the school financing system, relatively low teacher salary, poor test performance by students…dropouts from traditional schools in favor of charter schools…gun violence, and mental health issues,” claimed the Texas Almanac.

School name	Most prevalent ethnic group	Percent of Total Student Body	Total enrollment
Arp Coop Alternative School	White	100%	2
Billy Moore	Hispanic	53.6%	196
Carlisle School	Hispanic	54.4%	623
Chandler Elementary School	White	42.8%	526
Henderson High School	White	46.2%	1,042
Henderson Middle School	White	43.2%	785
Kilgore Intermediate School	White	42.1%	582
Kilgore Middle School	White	43.4%	885
Kilgore Primary School	White	42%	664
Laneville School	Black	34%	150
Leveretts Chapel Elementary School	White	51.7%	120
Leveretts Chapel High School	Hispanic	50.7%	69
Leveretts Chapel Junior High School	Hispanic	57.8%	45
Monnie Meyer Wylie Primary School	Hispanic	38.5%	418
Mt. Enterprise Elementary School	White	72.8%	257
Mt. Enterprise High School	White	72.4%	239
Northside Elementary School	White	38.2%	484
Overton Elementary School	White	68.8%	237
Overton High School	White	73.5%	257
Tatum Elementary School	White	48.6%	325
Tatum High School	White	51.1%	464
Tatum Middle School	White	44.1%	338
Tatum Primary School	White	41.8%	349
West Rusk Elementary School	White	52%	223
West Rusk High School	White	58%	369
West Rusk Intermediate School	White	53.4%	208
West Rusk Middle School	White	52.8%	246
William E. Wylie Elementary School	White	41.6%	671