Schertz-cibolo-u City Isd, TX

Original Research by School Decision on Schertz-cibolo-u City Isd

Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD serves a portion of Guadalupe County and nearby areas between San Antonio and Austin. The district encompasses several communities—Schertz, Cibolo, Universal City, and others—with a student body that reflects the demographic diversity of the Texas Hill Country corridor. The enrollment spans prekindergarten through grade twelve across fifteen open campuses, including elementary schools, intermediate schools, junior highs, and two high schools.

The academic picture is mixed. In English language arts, the district shows stronger performance in the middle grades and above. Third-grade proficiency lags, but by fifth grade it rises meaningfully, and sixth through eighth grades hold proficiency rates above the midpoint. Math proficiency tells a more uneven story: early elementary grades are weak, sixth grade strengthens substantially, but seventh grade drops sharply before recovering in eighth grade, suggesting either a transition issue or particular instructional gaps in that grade. Science results at eighth grade are solid, though the tested fifth-grade sample in that subject is very small. Social studies proficiency at the tested grade is below half. When placed against other districts in Guadalupe County, SCUC ISD sits below the median in overall tested proficiency and in chronic absenteeism rates, while its per-pupil spending falls in the lower range among county peers.

The student composition is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black student population and a smaller but meaningful white and multiracial enrollment. Asian enrollment is present and measurable. Free-and-reduced-price lunch data and special education enrollment figures are not available in the data provided.

The community itself reflects typical suburban and exurban Texas development. Housing values in the district's service area—calculated from multiple zip codes including Schertz, Cibolo, Saint Hedwig, and surrounding areas—are moderate for the metro region, with home values and rental prices both slightly below state benchmarks. The area has seen modest recent housing value declines. Mortgage affordability and rent-to-income ratios reflect broader regional patterns. Employment conditions locally track national trends, with a moderate unemployment rate.

The district faces immediate operational pressures. In November 2025, voters rejected a tax rate increase that would have generated ongoing operating revenue. That failure left the district with a significant operating shortfall, with real implications for staffing, pay, programs, and resources—outcomes that ripple directly into classrooms. In response, the district has made cuts, including a notable one beginning fall 2026: all fifteen campus libraries will be staffed by hourly paraprofessionals rather than certified librarians, and book-purchasing decisions will be made centrally by an administrator without library certification. This represents a measurable change to library and instructional support that a parent evaluating educational depth would want to understand fully.

On the positive side, voters in May 2026 approved a bond package for facility upgrades, technology replacement, stadium renovations, HVAC work, and campus security enhancements—the district's first bond in roughly a decade. District officials stated the bond would not raise the tax rate, meaning it represents genuine capital investment in aging buildings and infrastructure across campuses. This multi-year refresh is underway but will take time to mature.

The district has also approved a limited out-of-district transfer program beginning in 2026-27, initially open to kindergarten through sixth grade at five under-capacity elementary schools. This policy change addresses enrollment imbalances and may affect which schools draw students from outside their immediate attendance zones.

A parent considering SCUC ISD should weigh this against the broader picture: a district managing through a tight operating budget while maintaining reasonable infrastructure investment, with academic results that are adequate in some subjects and grades but soft in others, particularly early math and secondary social studies. The uneven grade-to-grade performance, especially the seventh-grade math dip, warrants conversation with the district about what drives those patterns and how the school addresses students who fall behind. The library staffing shift is a real trade-off that affects instructional support, and a parent might want to ask directly what the district's vision is for library services in this new model. The rejection of the tax increase is fresh context that shapes what kinds of staff expansion or program depth families should expect in the near term.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

15,146

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 47%

Black 12%

White 31%

Asian 2%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

12%

60%

Gr 4

22%

—

Gr 5

—

Gr 6

45%

70%

Gr 7

41%

57%

Gr 8

40%

62%

Math

Gr 3

23%

42%

Gr 4

42%

Gr 5

31%

53%

Gr 6

34%

62%

Gr 7

20%

30%

Gr 8

51%

66%

Science

Gr 5

33%

Gr 8

43%

65%

Social studies

Gr 8

22%

43%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

45%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

18%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

42%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

17%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

44%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

17%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

58%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

30%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

52%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

20%

—

Schools in this District

17 schools are officially reported under this district.

LAURA INGALLS WILDER INT

BYRON P STEELE II H S

ELAINE S SCHLATHER INT

JOHN A SIPPEL EL

CIBOLO VALLEY EL

JJAEP

ALLISON L STEELE E L C

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

34%

Grade 3

37%

Grade 4

45%

Grade 5

52%

Grade 6

26%

Grade 7

61%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

48%

Grade 3

20%

Grade 4

56%

Grade 5

61%

Grade 6

51%

Grade 7

55%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

57%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

36%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$317,400

Year-over-year change-1.4%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$247K to $342K

vs. state typical1.05x

vs. national typical0.86x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
78108	Cibolo	$331K	-0.9%	45.3%
78154	Schertz	$309K	-2.3%	36.3%
78124	Marion	$342K	+0.7%	8.8%
78152	Saint Hedwig	$275K	-1.5%	3.9%
78109	Converse	$247K	-3.7%	2.9%
78148	Universal City	$267K	-3.4%	2.7%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,605/mo

Year-over-year change-0.5%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,127 to $1,780/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
78108	Cibolo	$1,747	+1.9%	45.3%
78154	Schertz	$1,438	-3.6%	36.3%
78152	Saint Hedwig	$1,780	+2.1%	3.9%
78109	Converse	$1,711	-1.2%	2.9%
78148	Universal City	$1,127	-0.4%	2.7%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,602/mo

Home price / national median income3.8x

Annual rent / national median income23.0%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$4/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$302,187 (-2.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.