b'PORT A SCHOOLS AMONG THE BESTTheres no question that a school district population of 503 is easier to operate than that of 5,000 or 35,000, but the Port Aransas ISD has managed to consistently outperform what would be expected of such a small district. While most folks who are familiar with Port A schools, their teachers and their students, instinctively perceive that the district stacks up well compared to others in the Coastal Bend, it seems that statistics and reviews more than match the perception.Specifically, Niche is a Pittsburgh-based research agency that provides genuinely objective analysis of performance statistics and reviews of public and private K-12 schools and colleges. According to its 2021 report, the Port Aransas ISD is rated at the top of the following categories: Best Place to Teach#1 in the Coastal Bend, #16 in Texas, #627 in the U. S.; District with the Best Teachers#1 in the Coastal Bend, #33 in Texas, #728 in the U. S.; Best School District#1in the Coastal Bend, #46 in Texas, #772 in the U. S.; as well as the second-saf-est among 25 Coastal Bend school districts.While athletic options are somewhat limited as a 2A district, Port A educators place special emphasis on academic and skills competitions in which its students thrive. Growing up in a small town with a small school population is not for everyone, but families have dis-covered the advantage of community at Port A schools.90 THE COASTAL BEND GUIDE TheCoastalBend.com'