Best Schools in Garland, Texas
76 schools · 51 Elementary · 11 Middle · 9 High · 5 Other
Choosing a school in Garland?
Use this page to compare every school in Garland by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Kimberlin Acad for Excel
Elementary · Garland ISD. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Walnut Glen Acad for Excel
Elementary · Garland ISD. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Hillside Acad for Excel
Elementary · Garland ISD. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Garland for 2026 are Kimberlin Acad for Excel (9.2/10), Walnut Glen Acad for Excel (9.2/10), and Hillside Acad for Excel (8.9/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 50 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
76
67 public · 9 private
Avg Score
5.7
out of 10
Median Home
$248,060
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Schools
76
67 public · 9 private
Avg Score
5.7
out of 10
Median Home
$248,060
home value · ACS
Districts
6
serving the city
Rates 7.6/10 despite 93% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.0 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Garland schools.
STAAR proficiency rose +15.8 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Garland schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.
Top-Rated Schools in Garland
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 76). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimberlin Acad for Excel | 9.2 / 10 |
| 2 | Walnut Glen Acad for Excel | 9.2 / 10 |
| 3 | Hillside Acad for Excel | 8.9 / 10 |
| 4 | New Century Montessori Academy | 8.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Austin Acad for Excell | 8.6 / 10 |
| 6 | Watson Technology Center | 8.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Classical Center at Vial EL | 8.3 / 10 |
| 8 | Beaver Technology Center | 8.2 / 10 |
| 9 | Luna EL | 8.1 / 10 |
| 10 | Jackson Technology Center | 8.0 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.7/10
- Median household income
- $74,169
- Median home value
- $248,060
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 24%
- Avg commute
- 30 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 61%
25% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Garland compares
Texas rank
#488 of 654
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.5
below Texas avg (6.3)
Median household income
$74k
100% of Texas median
Schools in this city
73
Education Snapshot
Garland, TexasGarland fields 76 schools across 6 districts, enrolling approximately 43,086 students in a system that tilts heavily toward early education — 51 elementary campuses compared to just 9 high schools and 11 middle schools. Six charter schools operate alongside traditional district options, adding to the school-choice landscape. The average MySchoolScout composite rating of 5.7/10 across 73 scored schools runs 0.6 points below the Texas state average of 6.3/10, placing Garland below the statewide benchmark on this measure. The median household income of $75,777 trails the Texas state median of $79,932 by 5%, and 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Individual campus ratings across those 73 scored schools vary considerably, so school-level scores give a sharper picture than the city composite for families researching specific neighborhoods or grade levels.
About Schools in Garland, Texas
Garland's public school system spans 67 ranked campuses — a substantial city-wide pool that gives families a real range of options to compare. The system-wide average sits at 5.4 out of 10, a useful baseline that signals most schools land in the middle tier. Performance varies meaningfully from one campus to the next, and only 6 schools — roughly 9% of ranked campuses — score 7 or higher. Top performers are a distinct minority within a larger field.
The highest-rated campus in the city is Lakeview Centennial High School, scoring 7.8 out of 10 — a mark matched by Price Elementary. Kimberlin Academy for Excellence, an elementary campus, follows at 7.7. North Garland High School (7.4) and Caldwell Elementary (7.2) round out the top five. Two of the top three campuses serve elementary grades, which makes this an especially competitive search window for parents with younger children.
At the secondary level, Lakeview Centennial and North Garland both clear the top tier, offering above-average options for families in those attendance zones. The gap between these campuses and the city average is nearly 2 full points — a wide spread that makes attendance zone one of the highest-leverage decisions a Garland parent can make. Parents researching middle grades will find fewer standout names in the top-rated group; the field skews toward elementary and high school campuses.
With 67 schools across all grade levels, Garland offers enough volume to make meaningful comparisons — but the 9% top-scorer rate means strong campuses are spread thin. Start with your assigned attendance zone, then cross-reference school scores to gauge whether a zone transfer or magnet application changes the picture. Kimberlin Academy for Excellence is the clearest example of a specialized campus worth researching early, before enrollment windows close.
Elementary Schools
51 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 501 students · Kindergarten–5th | 9.2 |
| 2 | 409 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.2 |
| 3 | 463 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.9 |
| 4 | 553 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.6 |
| 5 | 553 students · Kindergarten–5th | 8.3 |
| 6 | 541 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.2 |
| 7 | 533 students · Pre-K–5th | 8.1 |
| 8 | 401 students · Pre-K–6th | 7.8 |
| 9 | 492 students · Pre-K–5th | 7.6 |
| 10 | 274 students · Pre-K–2nd | 7.3 |
Show all 51 elementary schools in Garland
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
11 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 962 students · 6th–8th | 8.6 |
| 2 | 1,143 students · 6th–8th | 8.0 |
| 3 | 1,052 students · 6th–8th | 7.1 |
| 4 | 837 students · 6th–8th | 5.6 |
| 5 | 822 students · 6th–8th | 5.1 |
| 6 | 816 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
| 7 | 295 students · 8th–8th | 4.8 |
| 8 | 934 students · 6th–8th | 4.7 |
| 9 | 578 students · 6th–7th | 4.1 |
| 10 | 467 students · 6th–8th | 3.7 |
Show all 11 middle schools in Garland
High Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,785 students · 9th–12th | 7.7 |
| 2 | 2,142 students · 9th–12th | 7.5 |
| 3 | 609 students · 7th–12th | 6.8 |
| 4 | 2,481 students · 9th–12th | 6.7 |
| 5 | 600 students · 9th–12th | 6.4 |
| 6 | 2,079 students · 9th–12th | 5.2 |
| 7 | 124 students · 5th–12th | 5.0 |
| 8 | 1,979 students · 9th–12th | 4.4 |
| 9 | 130 students · 9th–12th | 4.0 |
Other Schools
5 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 320 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 4.0 | ||
| 2 | 355 students · Pre-K–Pre-K | 3.9 | ||
Private Schools3 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 121 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 170 students · 3rd–11th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | Garland Christian AcademyPrivate 246 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Garland
Garland, Texas · 76 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 5 ZIP codes
Median Income
$74,169
Median Home Value
$248,060
Median Rent
$1,511/mo
Population
244,806
College Educated
24%
Homeownership
61%
Avg Commute
30 min
Poverty Rate
12.9%
Community Profile
Garland has a median household income of $74,169. It is a community where 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $248,060, with a median rent of $1,511/month. The area has a poverty rate of 12.9%. The average commute for residents is 30 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Texas
- Elementary
- 51
- Middle
- 11
- High
- 9
- Other
- 5
School Districts (6)
TEXANS CAN ACADEMIES
13 schools · 3,608 students
HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - NORTH TEXAS
16 schools · 10,272 students
INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF TEXAS (ILTEXAS)
44 schools · 22,780 students
GARLAND ISD
78 schools · 51,659 students
MESQUITE ISD
51 schools · 38,265 students
RICHARDSON ISD
55 schools · 37,085 students
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Texas
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Garland, Texas
How many schools are in Garland, Texas?
Garland has 76 schools, including 67 public and 9 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Garland, Texas?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Garland is 5.7 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Garland, Texas?
The top-ranked school in Garland on MySchoolScout is Kimberlin Acad for Excel with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best elementary school in Garland, Texas?
The top-ranked elementary school in Garland on MySchoolScout is Kimberlin Acad for Excel with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What is the best middle school in Garland, Texas?
The top-ranked middle school in Garland on MySchoolScout is Austin Acad for Excell with a composite score of 8.6/10.
What is the best high school in Garland, Texas?
The top-ranked high school in Garland on MySchoolScout is N Garland H S with a composite score of 7.7/10.
How many school districts serve Garland, Texas?
Garland is served by 6 school districts: Texans Can Academies, Harmony Public Schools - North Texas, International Leadership of Texas (iltexas), Garland ISD, Mesquite ISD, Richardson ISD.
What is the education level in Garland, Texas?
According to Census data, 24% of adults in Garland have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Garland, Texas?
The median household income in Garland is approximately $74,169 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Garland, Texas?
Yes, Garland has 9 private schools alongside 67 public schools. The top-rated private school is New Century Montessori Academy with a score of 8.8/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Garland, Texas?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Garland is 13.9:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Garland, Texas?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
Related reading
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Texas Education Agency, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.