Tyler Reporter

The majority of students in Van Zandt County school districts were white in the 2023-24 school year, according to the Texas Education Agency.

Of the 10,767 students attending Van Zandt County schools, 67.5% were white. Hispanic students comprised the second-largest ethnic group in the county, making up 25% of the student body.

In the previous school year, white students were also the most represented group in Van Zandt County school districts, comprising 69% of the student body.

Canton ISD, Edgewood ISD and Wills Point ISD had the most diverse student body in the county, including white, American Indian, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and multiracial students.

In the 2023-24 school year, the total number of students enrolled in the county increased 0.5% compared to the previous year.

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

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.

District	Most prevalent ethnic group	Percent of Total Student Body	Total enrollment
Canton ISD	White	75.2%	2,367
Edgewood ISD	White	78.4%	1,050
Fruitvale ISD	White	78.6%	401
Grand Saline ISD	White	68.4%	1,176
Martins Mill ISD	White	74.2%	485
Ranch Academy	White	68.9%	74
Van ISD	White	66.2%	2,351
Wills Point ISD	White	55.2%	2,863