History of Sam Rayburn ISD

Sam Rayburn is an independent school district in the community of Ivanhoe, Texas. SRISD serves the educational needs of approximately five hundred students in northeast Fannin County. From prekindergarten through high school, our students are all located on one campus, which helps create the family atmosphere that is unique to our district.

SRISD was formed by the consolidation of the North Fannin and Telephone districts and was named after Mr. Sam Rayburn. Known as “Mr. Sam” by his friends, Sam Rayburn was one of Texas’ best known statemen. Both a powerful and influential politician of the 20^th century, Mr. Sam served in the U.S Congress for 48 years, holding the position of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for 17 years. He still holds the honor of being the longest serving speaker. Throughout his time in Washington, D.C., Sam Rayburn would travel home to his Fannin County house to relax and work on his nearby 900-acre ranch. His home was located a few miles west of Bonham. It has been restored and is open as a museum, the Sam Rayburn House. For more information on the life of Sam Rayburn, please visit the links below.

Mr. Sam’s Biography

The Sam Rayburn House

The Sam Rayburn Museum

Mr. Sam was a remarkable leader with a reputation for fairness and integrity. Sam Rayburn ISD is honored and proud to help instill those same values into the students of our district. 

In 1964, when the North Fannin and Telephone school districts consolidated, Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Steele donated the land for Sam Rayburn ISD. The bell from the original North Fannin school was preserved and is still on display in our high school courtyard. We are very proud of our heritage.

While located in a rural setting, our district is widely known in northeast Texas as a leader in technology, academics, and athletics.  All students are served by a highly motivated faculty and administration that is dedicated to providing the highest quality of education available. In 2016, SRISD became classified as a UIL District 2A school. The district currently has approximately five hundred students.