About Our District

​Why Choose Ore City ISD?

An ideal combination of academic learning and strong values makes Ore City ISD the right choice for your family.

• Faculty and staff are talented and creative. Professional development is encouraged. Our teachers are experienced in their fields, and care that each and every one of their students succeed to best of their ability.

• We are committed to providing the best education we can to each of our students.Class sizes averaging from 16 to 20 students, with a teacher/student ratio of 1:18. Support services, staff, and classroom teachers work with children of diverse learning styles and strengths by fostering an environment that meets a wide range of needs. The social development and growing self-esteem of each child is as important as academic growth, teamwork, and cooperation are valued and modeled at each grade level.

• The visual and performing arts are a vital component of our educational program.Music, art, and drama are integrated into class activities and showcased at milestone events.

• Great facilities: A growing campus, complete with indoor and outdoor playing areas, science, computer labs, libraries, and spaces for both whole grade activities and small learning groups.

• Our athletic program includes football, basketball, baseball/softball, golf, volleyball, track, tennis, and powerlifting.

• Your child will be surrounded by a caring community that demonstrates concern for its members as well as people throughout the world. Your child and your family will have many opportunities to model strong values of helping others.

• There is so much more! Come for a visit. Talk to our families. Our children are engaged in learning, our teachers delight in teaching, and our families take pride in the growth and achievements of their children. Choose our school for your child and join our learning community!

Texas Accountability Ratings: 2021-2022

• Ore City High School: B (89 out of 100)
• Ore City Middle School:  C (74 out of 100)
• Ore City Elementary School:  C (75 out of 100)
• Ore City ISD:  B (88 out of 100)

The TEA listing of school district ratings can be found at www.txschools.gov.

TEA-Approved Teacher Incentive Allotment District

Ore City ISD is approved by the Texas Education Agency for the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) Program. OCISD has received TIA designations for 20 teachers: five at Ore City High School; three at Ore City Middle School, and 12 at Ore City Elementary.

Under the TIA system, there are three designations for teachers: Recognized, Exemplary, and Master. Teachers earning a "Recognized" designation may earn an additional $3,000-$9,000 annually based on the state's funding formula with additional multipliers for rural schools such as Ore City.

Teachers earning an "Exemplary" designation may earn an additional $6,000-$18,000 per year, and teachers who earn a "Master" designation representing approximately the top five percent of teachers in the state and may earn an additional $12,000-$32,000 annually through the TIA. Of the 20 designations awarded to Ore City, three were Master, and nine were Exemplary.

To earn full system approval under the Texas Incentive Allotment, a district must first submit an application with details of their local designation plan followed by at least the submission of appraisal and student growth data required through the system. The systems must undergo a data-validation process conducted by Texas Tech University.

The TEA  then reviews the results of Texas Tech's data validation process and the system application to determine a district's final approval status for the Teacher Incentive Allotment. For approved districts such as Ore City ISD, TEA notifies districts of the allotment for that school year, teacher designations are awarded, and designations are placed on the teachers' certificates for five years.

To learn more about Ore City ISD's TIA designation, contact Madeline Anderson, Director of Curriculum and Assessment, at andersonm@ocisd.net.

Our History

Ore City was organized as Murray League in about 1846. The first school was built in about 1848 and was described as a large building made of logs with folding doors on the inside to form rooms. The school was called Murray League Institute, a private institution that required tuition. Courses included mathematics, English, vocational studies, surveying, and physical education. Greek and Latin were also taught.

In 1857 the enrollment had increased to 250 students. In 1861 many of the students and faculty joined the Confederate army and the private school was dissolved, continuing as a public school. By 1906 the population again decreased and the school closed. Students attended Coffeeville and Boxwood schools.

In 1910 a common school system was initiated with a two-room shotgun building; former Murray League students returned to Ore City. On August 12, 1911, the people voted to incorporate the Ore City Independent School District. The vote was twenty-eight for and none against.

In 1912 a two-story, eight room building was constructed. In 1937, again due to a decrease in population, the high school students were transferred to New Diana and later to Gilmer. Grades one through nine remained in Ore City. In 1949 the building was renovated, enrolling 118 students.

Ore City constructed a new building in 1955 on twenty-four acres in the northwest part of town. The two-story building was destroyed. The Coffeeville School consolidated with Ore City in 1956.

In 1961 the Ore City Board of Trustees began the process of adding a high school program. In 1962 the vote was taken to add a high school. Students began enrolling for the 1962 – 1963 school year. The first graduation was held in 1964.

The first school for black students was built by Edd Moon and was known as Moon Chapel. In 1934 New Mountain School consolidated with Ore City. In 1955 a brick building was constructed across from Moon Chapel and named Duncan Junior High, in honor of the longtime principal. In 1968 the schools were integrated.

The present Ore City Independent School District is the result of consolidations through the years of eight school districts, in addition to the black school. These districts stretched into three counties, Upshur, Harrison and Marion. The district is bordered by Gilmer, New Diana, Pittsburg, Harleton, Daingerfield-Lone Star, and Jefferson schools.