Merkel High School
- High school in Merkel ISD
- Merkel, TX
- 9th grade - 12th grade
Accountability rating (2018-2019)
B
Merkel ISD: B
Total students
317
Avg. teacher experience
14.4 years
Merkel ISD: 11.8 years
Statewide: 11.2 years
Four-year graduation rate
94.2 %
Merkel ISD: 94.2%
Statewide: 90.3%
Merkel High School is a high school in Merkel, TX, in the Merkel ISD school district. As of the 2020-2021 school year, it had 317 students. 60.9% of students were considered at risk of dropping out of school. 1.3% of students were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state waived accountability ratings for the 2020-2021 school year. The school received an accountability rating of B for the 2018-2019 school year.
In the Class of 2020, 94.2% of students received their high school diplomas on time or earlier. The dropout rate for students in grades 9-12 was 0.3% during the 2019-2020 school year.
The average SAT score at Merkel High School was 1025 for 2019-2020 graduates. The average ACT score was 18.5.
As of the 2020-2021 school year, an average teacher's salary was $52,959, which is $4,682 less than the state average. On average, teachers had 14.4 years of experience.
Contact information
Website
Address
P O Box 430Merkel, TX 79536-0430
Office phone number
Principal
- Renee Carey
- rcarey@merkelisd.net
- (325) 928-4667
Higher Ed Outcomes
Students in Merkel High School are part of the Texas Education Agency’s Region 14. Students who started eighth grade in 2008 in this region had a college graduation rate of 25.7 percent. View a more comprehensive breakdown of the higher education outcomes in Region 14.
Demographics
Race and ethnicity
Total students
317
African American
3 (0.9%)
Merkel ISD: 0.7%
Statewide: 12.7%
American Indian
2 (0.6%)
Merkel ISD: 0.6%
Statewide: 0.3%
Asian
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 4.7%
Hispanic
88 (27.8%)
Merkel ISD: 26.1%
Statewide: 52.9%
Pacific Islander
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 0.2%
White
217 (68.5%)
Merkel ISD: 70.2%
Statewide: 26.5%
Two or more races
7 (2.2%)
Merkel ISD: 2.4%
Statewide: 2.7%
Risk factors
A student is identified as being at risk of dropping out of school based on state-defined criteria. A student is defined as "economically disadvantaged" if he or she is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch or other public assistance.
At-risk students
60.9 %
Merkel ISD: 37%
Statewide: 49.2%
Economically disadvantaged
47.3 %
Merkel ISD: 57.2%
Statewide: 60.3%
Limited English proficiency
1.3 %
Merkel ISD: 2.3%
Statewide: 20.7%
Enrollment by program
A look at the percentage of students enrolled in certain programs offered at schools for the 2020-2021 school year. A student can be enrolled in more than one program.
Bilingual/ESL
1.3 %
Merkel ISD: 2.3%
Statewide: 21%
Gifted and Talented
7.9 %
Merkel ISD: 5.2%
Statewide: 8.3%
Special Education
10.1 %
Merkel ISD: 18%
Statewide: 11.1%
Academics
Accountability ratings
Texas assigns ratings to districts and campuses that designate their performance in relation to the state's accountability system.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the state waived accountability ratings for the 2020-2021 school year. All Texas public school districts and campuses received the label “Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster.” Our schools explorer shows the accountability ratings from the 2018-2019 school year when available.
Overall (2018-2019)
B
Merkel ISD: B
Student achievement (2018-2019)
B
Merkel ISD: B
School progress (2018-2019)
B
Merkel ISD: B
Closing the gaps (2018-2019)
C
Merkel ISD: B
The overall grades are based on three categories: student achievement (how well students perform academically), school progress (how well students perform over time and compared to students in similar schools) and closing the gaps (how well schools are boosting performance for subgroups such as students with special needs).
For a detailed explanation of this year’s accountability system, see the 2021 Accountability Manual.
Four-year graduation rates
The percentage of students who started ninth grade in 2016-2017 and received a high school diploma on time — by Aug. 31, 2021. Learn more about how four-year graduation rates are defined.
All students
94.2 %
Merkel ISD: 94.2%
Statewide: 90.3%
African American
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 87%
American Indian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 86.3%
Asian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 96.7%
Hispanic
100 %
Merkel ISD: 100%
Statewide: 88.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 89.2%
White
93.5 %
Merkel ISD: 93.5%
Statewide: 94%
Two or more races
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 91.1%
Dropout rates
The dropout rate for students in grades 9-12 during the 2019-2020 school year. It is calculated by dividing the number of dropouts by the number of students who were in attendance at any time during the school year.
All students
0.3 %
Merkel ISD: 0.3%
Statewide: 1.6%
American Indian
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 2.3%
African American
0 %
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 2.5%
Asian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 0.3%
Hispanic
0 %
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 1.9%
Pacific Islander
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 1.5%
White
0 %
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 0.9%
Two or more races
0 %
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 1.5%
Chronic absenteeism
The chronic absenteeism rate for students during the 2019-2020 school year. It measures the number of students who were absent for at least ten percent of the school year.
All students
13.4 %
Merkel ISD: 8.2%
Statewide: 6.7%
American Indian
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 7.8%
African American
40 %
Merkel ISD: 20%
Statewide: 8.9%
Asian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 1.8%
Hispanic
15.1 %
Merkel ISD: 8.1%
Statewide: 7.4%
Pacific Islander
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 7.2%
White
12.2 %
Merkel ISD: 8%
Statewide: 5.2%
Two or more races
18.2 %
Merkel ISD: 10.3%
Statewide: 6.7%
College readiness
AP/IB participation
The percentage of students in grades 11 and 12 taking at least one Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam in any subject during the 2019-2020 school year.
All students
2.8 %
Merkel ISD: 2.8%
Statewide: 22%
African American
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 13.3%
American Indian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 17.2%
Asian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 59.1%
Hispanic
0 %
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 18.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 19.5%
White
4.4 %
Merkel ISD: 4.4%
Statewide: 25.4%
Two or more races
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 25.8%
AP/IB performance
The percentage of test-taking students in grades 11 and 12 who passed at least one AP or IB exam in the 2019-2020 school year. A passing score on the AP exam is a 3, 4 or 5. On an IB exam, it is a 4, 5, 6 or 7.
All students
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 59%
African American
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 40.4%
American Indian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 57.6%
Asian
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 81.2%
Hispanic
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 47.4%
Pacific Islander
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 58.9%
White
Masked
Merkel ISD: Masked
Statewide: 69%
Two or more races
N/A
Merkel ISD: N/A
Statewide: 69.1%
SAT
The average SAT score for students graduating in 2019-2020, with critical reading, writing and mathematics results combined. The maximum score is 2400. For the small percentage of students who took the redesigned SAT with a maximum score of 1600, their scores were converted to the equivalent scores on the previous SAT using College Board concordance tables.
Avg. SAT score
1025
Merkel ISD: 1025
Statewide: 1019
ACT
The average ACT composite score for students graduating in 2019-2020. The maximum score is 36.
Avg. ACT score
18.5
Merkel ISD: 18.5
Statewide: 20.2
College-ready graduates
A graduate is considered college ready in Reading or Math if he or she has met or exceeded the college-ready criteria on the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA) test, the SAT or the ACT test. These figures are for students graduating in 2019-2020.
Reading
57.7 %
Merkel ISD: 57.7%
Statewide: 59.7%
Math
39.7 %
Merkel ISD: 39.7%
Statewide: 47.9%
Reading + Math
34.6 %
Merkel ISD: 34.6%
Statewide: 43.2%
Staff
Teacher ethnicities
These figures are expressed as a percentage of the total teacher full-time equivalent (FTE) as of the 2020-2021 school year.
Total teacher FTEs
35.2
African American
1 (2.8%)
Merkel ISD: 2%
Statewide: 11.1%
American Indian
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 0.3%
Asian
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 1.8%
Hispanic
3.7 (10.7%)
Merkel ISD: 8%
Statewide: 28.4%
Pacific Islander
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 0.2%
White
30.4 (86.5%)
Merkel ISD: 88%
Statewide: 56.9%
Two or more races
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 2%
Statewide: 1.2%
Highest degree held by teachers
These figures are expressed as a percentage of the total teacher full-time equivalent.
No degree
1 (2.8%)
Merkel ISD: 1%
Statewide: 1.2%
Bachelor's
27.3 (77.6%)
Merkel ISD: 85.9%
Statewide: 73%
Master's
6.9 (19.6%)
Merkel ISD: 13.1%
Statewide: 25%
Doctorate
0 (0%)
Merkel ISD: 0%
Statewide: 0.7%
Students per teacher
The total number of students divided by the total full-time equivalent count of teachers for 2020-2021.
Students per teacher
9
Merkel ISD: 10.9
Statewide: 14.5
Teacher experience
This figure for the 2020-2021 school year refers to tenure — the number of years a teacher has been employed in any district, whether or not there was an interruption in service.
Avg. teacher experience
14.4 years
Merkel ISD: 11.8 years
Statewide: 11.2 years
Teacher salaries
The average salaries listed here are for regular duties only and do not include supplemental pay. For teachers who also have nonteaching roles, only the portion of time and pay dedicated to classroom responsibilities is factored into the calculation.
Base average
$52,959
Merkel ISD: $48,288
Statewide: $57,641
Beginner
$40,001
Merkel ISD: $35,293
Statewide: $50,849
1 to 5 years
$40,225
Merkel ISD: $38,501
Statewide: $53,288
6 to 10 years
$44,281
Merkel ISD: $44,537
Statewide: $56,282
11 to 20 years
$57,349
Merkel ISD: $55,191
Statewide: $59,900
21 to 30 years
$57,032
Merkel ISD: $57,028
Statewide: $64,637
30+ years
$61,831
Merkel ISD: $59,901
Statewide: $69,974