The Top School Districts in Houston 

In a city as vast and diverse as Houston, abundant educational opportunities are available to families. Within Houston’s nine counties, there are over sixty school districts and a variety of private and charter schools to choose from. 

This makes even choosing a public school for your child difficult, let alone an entire school district. So if you are moving to Houston and you have children who still attend school, it is wise to be aware of the top school districts in Houston. 

To make your search for a great school district easier, here are the top school districts in Houston for you to consider.

Note: The school districts below were selected based off of recent state accountability reports. These reports evaluate whether all students within the specific school district are reaching their educational goals.

Friendswood Independent School District 

Friendswood Independent School District might be a good choice for parents who prefer smaller school districts. Approximately six thousand students attend the six schools in Friendswood ISD. 

Friendswood ISD instills the importance of giving back to the community, which is demonstrated by their schools’ core values to enhance the student curriculum.

Accountability Report 

*All statistics come from the Texas 2022 Accountability Reports 

Tomball Independent School District

Thirty miles from Downtown Houston, Tomball Independent School District is known for investing in its evolving educational projects and instilling core values in staff and students. 

Their reputation in the community comes from their curriculum and equal opportunities for all students. 

Accountability Report 

Barbers Hill Independent School District

Nine schools make up Barber Hills Independent School District. Barber Hills ISD’s rich involvement in the community makes a name for the district among parents.

Parents in the community also recognize Barber Hills ISD for its extracurricular activities for students from Kindergarten and up. 

Accountability Report

Pearland Independent School District

Pearland ISD has 23 schools and over 21,000 students. Pearland ISD offers elite schooling that fosters each kid’s talents. 

Their educational programs challenge and prepare students from a young age for future achievement. 

Moreover, their vocation and specialized training programs, double credit/double degrees through neighborhood universities, are what they are known for among their community.

Accountability Report

Needville Independent School District

Needville ISD is a small school with only four schools and over 3,300 students. Their bilingual language learning programs attract many parents from the community to enroll their children in schools in this district. 

Additionally, the smaller campuses of Needville ISD allows their PTO programs to be heavily involved with the community and create field trips to keep students motivated throughout the year. 

Accountability Report

Montgomery Independent School District

Montgomery ISD is known for its commitment to keeping a safe school environment and helping students reach their goals. Additionally, the PTO programs within Montgomery ISD maintain contact between parents regarding academic events and more to keep children socially involved. 

Accountability Report

Angleton Independent School District 

The Angleton Independent School District is known for its high-quality curriculum and technology programs starting in middle school. Their interactions with universities and nonprofit organizations also are recognized by the community.

Accountability Report

Magnolia Independent School District 

Magnolia Independent School District is recognized among its community for its traditional values and innovative programs. Parents also take note of their full-day kindergarten program, technical certifications, and college credits. 

They are also the only school district in the county to administer the IB program in its high schools.

Accountability Report

Katy Independent School District

Katy ISD is sixteen miles from Downtown Houston. This school district is known for working together with parents to create a student-success plan tailored to each student’s individual needs. 

The PTO programs in Katy ISD furthermore plan events within the community to help students have unique learning experiences. 

Accountability Report

Galena Park Independent School District 

Galena Park ISD is known amongst parents for its open enrollment program. Galena Park ISD also works with the community to help create learning opportunities for students in their schools. 

Accountability Report

Lamar CISD 

Working with the community is what Lamar CISD is all about. Their athletic and volunteer programs make it possible for those in the community to participate in shaping students who attend the schools as part of Lamar CISD. 

What also makes Lamar CISD stand in their community is its sixth-grade-only schools that focus on providing a smooth transition to their next school. Parents in the community note the easier adaptation for their children when adapting this method before facing seventh grade.

Accountability Report

Cypress Fairbanks ISD 

Accountability Report

The community recognizes Cypress Fairbanks ISD for its passion for providing differentiated learning experiences. Such as field trips to the space center and fostering a hands-on learning environment. 

Cypress Fairbanks ISD is also known for its focus on advanced curriculum, extracurricular activities, and special education programs and learning opportunities. 

Deer Park ISD 

Deer Park ISD, twenty miles south of Downtown Houston, has 15 schools in its school district. In Houston, Deer Park ISD is well-known for its high-quality curriculum, excellent facilities, and outstanding teaching and support staff. 

The community also recognizes the schools at Deer Park ISD for their arts, career, and technical education programs. 

Accountability Report

FAQs

Why are Houston school districts independent?

Houston school districts are independent because it is easier for communities within Houston to authorize their own taxes and adapt to various financial circumstances. 

Additionally, it’s not easy to gain tax revenue efficiently if school districts in Houston are not independent.

What do I need to enroll my child in school in Houston?

To enroll your child in a school in Houston, you need to bring your driver’s license, your child’s birth certificate, your child’s immunization records, and proof of address. If your child was previously in school, bring a copy of their student record. 

How old do kids have to be to start school in Houston? 

Generally, to start school in Houston, kids must be at least five years old before September 1st to enroll in Kindergarten. 

How do I transfer my child to a school in a new district? 

To transfer your child to a school in a new district, you must inform your current school that you’ll be changing schools. Afterward, the principal of your child’s school will give you the necessary documentation. 

Don’t forget to contact the new school district of your choice for information about registering your child.