Sweetwater ISD is a community school district in West-Central Texas in Nolan County. As of the most recent enrollment data released by the state, its student population was 54.7% Hispanic and 70.6% economically disadvantaged.
Explore more below to learn about its enrollment and demographic trends over time, the classroom experience, student outcomes and its school funding and political environment.
Official classifications
TEA Type
Non-metropolitan Stable
NCES Type
Town-Distant
ESC Region
Abilene
Classifications are used to compare and support schools. Learn more
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Per-student spending reflects how much money a
school spends to educate each child — though
different sources may calculate it differently.
Our figure divides total local, state and federal
general fund spending by enrollment. The general
fund is a school’s operating fund, and where leaders
have the most spending discretion.
How to read this chart
The per-student spending calculation shown here excludes recapture, intergovernmental charges and interfund transfers.
District spending was
$12,181
per student
in
2025,
up
14.8%
since
2015
(inflation-adjusted)
How Sweetwater ISD compares on per-student
spending
We offer three
comparison points: statewide ranking, regional ranking, and peer
ranking (schools operating in similar environments). Schools in
a peer group may not be close to each other geographically.
Regions and peer groups are defined by the state.
State
663rd
among
1,019
districts statewide
Sweetwater ISD
LowerSweetwater ISDHigher
Region
35th
among
42
districts in its region
Sweetwater ISD
LowerSweetwater ISDHigher
Peers
110th
among
181
districts in its peer group
Sweetwater ISD
LowerSweetwater ISDHigher
How to read this chart
These figures reflect general fund expenditures across five spending categories, and exclude recapture, intergovernmental charges and interfund transfers. The total for these categories matches with "Grand Total: Operating and Non-Operating Expenditures" field in the Texas Education Agency’s District Financial Actuals Reports.
Teaching and instruction
was the largest spending category at
47.6% of the
budget
in 2025
General Fund Expenditures by Category
Category
Expenditures
Pct. of Total
Teaching and instructionDirect classroom teaching, library and media resources, curriculum development, and staff training.
$10,470,617
47.6%of total
Operations and maintenanceBuilding maintenance, utilities, security, technology infrastructure, and capital improvements
$4,137,060
18.8%of total
AdministrationDistrict leadership, human resources, finance, legal services, and organizational support
$3,128,467
14.2%of total
Student support servicesStudent support services, Counseling, special education services, transportation, food services, and health programs
$3,026,446
13.8%of total
Debt service and capital outlayDebt payments and capital purchases allocated from the general fund.
$1,236,258
5.6%of total
Total spending
$21,998,848
Category
Pct. of Total
Teaching and instruction
Expenditures$10,470,617
Pct. of total47.6%
Operations and maintenance
Expenditures$4,137,060
Pct. of total18.8%
Administration
Expenditures$3,128,467
Pct. of total14.2%
Student support services
Expenditures$3,026,446
Pct. of total13.8%
Debt service and capital outlay
Expenditures$1,236,258
Pct. of total5.6%
Total spending
Expenditures$21,998,848
A deeper dive
School advocates have called attention to hard choices districts across Texas have had to make — from adopting budgets with anticipated shortfalls and hiring uncertified teachers to closing schools — as evidence that the state has not invested enough in an education system serving more than 5.5 million children. A Tribune analysis shows the state's baseline commitment to funding per student (known as the basic allotment) has not kept pace with inflation, even after 2025 legislation increased other forms of state funding.
Learn more about how schools are funded and how the math adds
up.