Itasca High School

Itasca High School sits in a small Hill County town along I-35 between Waco and the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone and Friday night football still anchors the community. The school shows more strength in English than in math and science, so families with strong STEM priorities may want to factor that in, though the close-knit rural environment can offer a very different — and genuinely supportive — high school experience than what you'd find in a larger district. It's a good fit for families who value community ties and small-school culture over the breadth of offerings you'd find at a bigger campus down the highway.