The top-rated middle schools in Houston are Cornerstone Academy (9.6/10), Young Womens Leadership Academy (9.6/10), and Project Chrysalis Middle (9.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 141 middle public schools meeting this ranking's coverage rules. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Houston, Texas has 146 middle school directory listings spanning 55 school districts. Of 146 middle schools in Houston, 141 are public schools with a comparable public-model composite score. This ranking includes 141 middle public schools meeting this ranking's coverage rules. 31 (22%) public schools included in this ranking are 7.0 or above. Across all 141 public schools included in this ranking, the average is 5.8/10. Houston has a notable charter school presence, with 33 charter middle schools (23% of all middle schools) offering alternatives to traditional public schools. Among 141 middle public schools included in this ranking and a reported student-teacher ratio, the average is 15.0:1. Our rankings identify Cornerstone Academy as the top-rated middle school in Houston, followed by Young Womens Leadership Academy and Project Chrysalis Middle. Schools with enough data are scored on student growth, poverty-adjusted academics, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — using data from the NCES and state education sources.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
This list shows 25 of the 141 middle public schools meeting this ranking's coverage rules in Houston. Learn about our methodology.
Spring Branch ISD
382 students · 14.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 1% in Texas · charter
Aldine ISD
310 students · 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–9th
Top 1% in Texas
Houston ISD
252 students · 11.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 2% in Texas
Spring ISD
816 students · 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 3% in Texas
Spring ISD
405 students · 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 3% in Texas
Harmony Public Schools - Houston South
493 students · 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 6% in Texas · charter
Spring Branch ISD
1,247 students · 18.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 7% in Texas
Spring Branch ISD
1,102 students · 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 13% in Texas
Amigos Por Vida-Friends For Life Pub Chtr Sch
210 students · 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 13% in Texas · charter
Houston ISD
1,120 students · 17.0:1 student-teacher ratio · grades 6th–8th
Top 14% in Texas
In the current MySchoolScout comparison, Cornerstone Academy is the top-rated middle school in Houston with a composite score of 9.6/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
Houston has 146 middle schools, including 33 charter schools. 141 public schools have a comparable public-model composite score.
Among 141 Houston middle public schools included in this ranking, the average is 5.8/10.
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Texas, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Texas, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Houston has 33 charter middle schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
This listicle is one spoke of Houston school rankings. Start from the Houston city hub or the Texas state hub, then return here for this school level.
Houston has a separate ranking listicle for each school level. Open the sibling rankings for the other two levels.
Houston also has a district ranking listicle for metro district comparison. Open the Houston school-district rankings.
Schools with enough data receive a 1–10 composite from growth, poverty-adjusted academics, and environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Scores are computed within Texas. See the methodology page and the Houston city hub for context.
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Best schools
Houston's 899 schools average 4.9 out of 10 and the strongest cluster in a handful of corridors, so the district line your address falls on is worth checking before you settle on a neighborhood.