What Ferris School District does

Ferris Independent School District is a public K-12 school district headquartered in Ferris, Texas, serving approximately 2,700 students across five campuses spanning Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. The district's geographic footprint covers more than 80 square miles across ten communities in northern Ellis County, positioned between the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and more rural areas to the south. Instructional programming includes standard core academics alongside Career and Technical Education pathways, athletics, special education services, gifted and talented programs, and emerging extracurricular offerings such as esports. The district's technology stack includes a 1:1 device program and the ParentSquare family communication platform, indicating investment in instructional and stakeholder-engagement infrastructure.

Ferris ISD's core product is compulsory and elective public education delivered to resident students, with no commercial pricing model — enrollment is determined by residency within district boundaries rather than purchase decisions. The district's revenue mechanics derive from three primary sources: local property taxes (Maintenance and Operations plus Interest and Sinking), state funding allocated through the Texas Foundation School Program administered by the Texas Education Agency, and federal categorical grants. Capital expansion is funded separately through voter-approved bond elections, with Bond 2025 representing the current cycle of facility investment proposals.

The district operates under standard Texas public education governance, supplemented by a District of Innovation designation (2022-2027) that grants flexibility from certain state mandates. Operational scale includes approximately 500 staff across instructional, administrative, and support roles, with senior leadership headed by a superintendent and supported by cabinet including the Assistant Superintendent. The district has pursued workforce alignment via a partnership with the North Texas Workforce Development Area, signaling responsiveness to regional labor market demand through its CTE curriculum.

Name

Ferris School District

Legal name

Ferris Independent School District

Website

https://ferrisisd.org

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ferris Independent School District is a public K-12 school district in northern Ellis County, Texas, serving approximately 2,700 students across five campuses from Pre-K through 12th grade, funded through property taxes, state aid, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Career technical education
• Special education programs
• Student athletics programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ferris, TX

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Local Property Tax Revenue: Public school districts in Texas receive significant funding from local property taxes collected within the district boundaries. The district sets a tax rate annually which generates revenue for operational costs.
2. State Foundation School Program Funding: State funding based on average daily attendance and other metrics through the Texas Education Agency. Funding is tied to accountability ratings and student performance measures.
3. Federal Grants and Programs: Federal funding through programs including Title I, IDEA (Special Education), Perkins V (Career & Technical Education), and ESSA. Additional funding from National School Lunch Program and other federal initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ferris Independent School District provides public K-12 education services to approximately 2,700 students across five campuses spanning Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade in northern Ellis County, Texas. The district delivers academic instruction, Career and Technical Education pathways, special education services, athletics, fine arts, and student support services. Educational services are provided at no cost to district residents, with all students receiving free breakfast and lunch through the Community Eligibility Provision.

Product overview

Ferris Independent School District is a public school district serving approximately 2,700 students across five schools spanning pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district operates as a unified educational system consisting of Ferris High School (9-12), Ferris Junior High School (6-8), Lee Longino Elementary (4-5), Lucy Mae McDonald Elementary (1-3), and Hazel Ingram Elementary (PK-K). Beyond core academics, the district offers a comprehensive portfolio of programs including Career and Technical Education pathways (Agriculture, Health Science, Business, IT/Cybersecurity), a 1:1 Technology Program, Gifted and Talented services, Special Education, and Athletics. Student organizations including FFA, SkillsUSA, TAFE, and Esports complement CTE programs. The district serves northern Ellis County across 80+ square miles, supported by a dedicated staff of approximately 500.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ferris High School (9th-12th)
• Ferris Junior High School (6th-8th)
• Lee Longino Elementary School (4th-5th)
• Lucy Mae McDonald Elementary School (1st-3rd)
• Hazel Ingram Elementary School (PK-K)
• Career and Technical Education (CTE)
• 1:1 Technology Program
• Gifted and Talented Program
• Special Education Services
• Athletics Program (Jacket Nation)
• CTE Student Organizations
• Food Services (Community Eligibility Provision)

Quantifiable outcome

• District accountability rating of B (80 out of 100) from Texas Education Agency

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Texas Workforce Development Area (WDA) / Workforce SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFerris ISD CTE programs partner with North Texas Workforce Development Area covering 11 counties to align career and technical education with regional workforce needs. The partnership provides in-demand industry and occupation data to inform CTE program development and connects students with workforce opportunities.
• Texas Education Agency (TEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState education agency that oversees public education in Texas. Ferris ISD receives state funding through TEA and is subject to TEA accountability ratings and reporting requirements including STAAR testing, Federal Report Cards, and Texas Academic Performance Reports.
• Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency administering the National School Lunch Program and child nutrition programs in Texas. Ferris ISD participates in the Community Eligibility Provision through TDA, enabling free meals for all students.
• TexSEF (Texas Scholastic Esports Federation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState organization providing structured platform for scholastic esports in Texas schools. Ferris ISD participates through its esports student organization, providing competitive gaming opportunities for students.
• CTE Advisory CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict advisory council inviting community members to provide guidance on CTE program direction and growth. Connects industry expertise with educational programming to meet evolving workforce demands.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Red Oak Independent School District: Adjacent Texas public K-12 district covering southeast Dallas/northeast Ellis County with comparable size (~6,000 students) and suburban enrollment model. Directly competes with Ferris ISD for residential families within the same geographic corridor.
• Palmer Independent School District: Small Ellis County district geographically proximate to Ferris ISD. Comparable in size, demographic profile, and rural-suburban mix; one of the listed cities within Ferris ISD's service area.
• Waxahachie Independent School District: Larger Ellis County district (~9,000 students) operating in the same county and overlapping community service area. Competes for open-enrollment transfers and adjacent housing developments.
• Ennis Independent School District: Ellis County peer district serving Ennis and surrounding areas. Comparable suburban-rural Texas ISD profile with overlapping feeder communities and similar accountability-rating dynamics.
• Midlothian Independent School District: Growing Ellis County district south of Dallas with strong CTE and athletics emphasis. Directly competes for new residential enrollment and has historically outpaced Ferris on academic ratings.
• Crandall Independent School District: Kaufman County district in the same Dallas-Fort Worth growth corridor. Operates a similar traditional ISD model with 1:1 technology, comprehensive CTE pathways, and District of Innovation-style program flexibility.
• Lancaster Independent School District: Dallas County district serving communities adjacent to Ferris ISD's northern border. Comparable district-level operational model with similar urban-fringe dynamics and student demographics.

Others

• Texas Education Agency: State regulatory and funding body that oversees all Texas public school districts including Ferris ISD. Not a competitor but the primary accountability, funding, and policy counterpart shaping Ferris ISD's operating environment.

Regional players

• Maypearl Independent School District: Small Ellis County district with comparable enrollment size (~1,000 students). Operates within the same county and provides a reference point for rural Texas ISD financial and operational benchmarks.

Broad incumbents

• Forney Independent School District: Larger, high-growth Kaufman County district east of Dallas. Comparable suburban growth model, comprehensive CTE program, and similar 'community-anchored' branding — but at materially larger scale and with a stronger accountability rating.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FerrisISD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7C1k6AyeHTMgtAz-rhbpWw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ferris.isd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ferris-school-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ferris School District