Original Research by School Decision on Devine Learning Academy
Devine Learning Academy is the alternative high school operated by Devine ISD, serving a small group of ninth through twelfth grade students in Devine, Texas. Because it is classified as an alternative school, context matters before reading any of its data: the students who enroll here are typically those navigating circumstances that made a traditional campus setting difficult, whether credit recovery, personal challenges, or other factors that led the district to place or refer them to this program. That context shapes how every metric in the data should be read.
The enrollment is very small, a handful of students spread across four grade levels. About half qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller share of white students, reflecting the demographic makeup of Devine itself. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available.
State assessment results were reported for the most recent school year in math, ELA, and science. Across all subjects combined, roughly a quarter of students reached the approaches-grade-level threshold, which is Texas's lowest passing bar. In ELA, the rate reaching even that floor was quite low, and no students reached the "meets" or "masters" levels in ELA or math. Science showed a somewhat stronger picture at the approaches level, though again no students reached the masters level. Social studies results were suppressed, likely due to the small group size. These numbers are low in absolute terms, and a parent reviewing them should understand that alternative school populations, by design, often include students who are significantly behind on credits or assessments and are working to recover ground. Whether gains are being made over time is not answerable from the data, which captures only a single year.
No graduation rate data was available for positioning this school relative to others in Medina County, and no chronic absenteeism data was provided. Program offerings, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance information were also not included in what was available, so those questions would be best directed to Devine ISD directly.
The school sits within Devine ISD, which serves a traditional sequence of campuses from pre-K through twelfth grade. Publicly reported information indicates the district passed both a bond measure and a voter-approval tax ratification election in late 2023, funding campus safety and security improvements district-wide without raising the overall tax rate above its prior-year level. The district also reduced its adopted tax rate around the same period, which affects property tax costs for families living within the district.
Devine itself is a small, car-dependent town in southeastern Medina County, positioned within the San Antonio metro area but retaining a distinctly rural, agricultural character. Healthcare, the school district, and farm-related businesses anchor local employment. The housing market here sits below both the state and national median home values, and values have edged downward modestly in the past year. Rentals data was not available. The town has grown slowly compared to the faster-developing communities closer to San Antonio, which has kept its small-town character largely intact.
For a family, Devine Learning Academy is not a general-enrollment alternative to Devine High School. It is a specialized setting for students who need a different structure to complete their high school education. Anyone asking whether their child should attend here is really asking a more specific question about what the program offers in terms of individualized support, credit recovery pathways, counseling, and transition planning, and those answers require a direct conversation with the district.
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