North Coastal News

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

Of the 7,084 students attending Matagorda County schools, 61% were Hispanic. White students were the second largest ethnicity, making up 26.2% of the total enrollment.

In the previous school year, Hispanic students also made up the largest ethnic group in Matagorda County, comprising 60.1% of the student body.

Van Vleck High School had the most diverse student body in Matagorda County, including white, American Indian, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and multiracial.

In the 2022-23 school year, total public school enrollment in the county increased by 0.9% 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
Bay City High School	Hispanic	67.1%	1,031
Bay City Junior High School	Hispanic	65.4%	789
Blessing Elementary School	Hispanic	63.4%	284
Central Elementary School	Hispanic	75.1%	349
Cherry Elementary School	Hispanic	65%	466
East Side Intermediate School	Hispanic	73.5%	275
Markham Elementary School	Hispanic	52.4%	254
Matagorda School	White	59.6%	89
Palacios High School	Hispanic	72.1%	383
Palacios Junior High School	Hispanic	69.6%	293
Roberts Elementary School	Hispanic	65.9%	513
Tenie Holmes Elementary School	Hispanic	67.1%	780
Tidehaven High School	Hispanic	53.6%	274
Tidehaven Intermediate School	Hispanic	53.2%	233
Van Vleck Elementary School	White	50.5%	303
Van Vleck High School	White	50.4%	355
Van Vleck Intermediate School	White	51.8%	170
Van Vleck Junior High School	White	53.5%	243