Texas

Admitted to the Union in 1845, Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in terms of both land area (261,231 square miles) and population (25,145,561). Located in the southwestern United States, Texas is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the south, New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas also shares an international border with Mexico to the southwest. Texas comprises 254 counties, each with its own governmental structure. The oil and gas industry, agriculture, aerospace, technology, healthcare, and tourism are some of the more noteworthy sectors of Texas' widely diversified economy.

Texas's educational system is a reflection of the vast diversity among the communities it serves. Home to three of the 10 largest cities ...