5.9avg / 10

Best Schools in Houston, Texas

899 schools · 548 Elementary · 146 Middle · 141 High · 64 Other

Last updated: August 2026

Public: 742

Private: 157

Districts: 55

Avg Rating: 5.9/10

Estimated Scores: 4%

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Houston?

Use this page to compare every school in Houston by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map Compare districts How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Middle · Aldine ISD. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Middle · Spring Branch ISD. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Elementary · Houston ISD. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.

Build your shortlist

Save schools in Houston to My Move

Save promising schools here, then use My Move to compare evidence and see what still needs verification. Schools that do not serve your saved grades are marked before you click.

Young Womens Leadership Academy

Grades 6th–9th · 9.6/10

Cornerstone Academy

Grades 6th–8th · 9.6/10

Mandarin Immersion Magnet School

Grades Pre-K–8th · 9.2/10

Project Chrysalis Middle

Grades 6th–8th · 9.2/10

Kinder H S for Performing and Visual Arts

Grades 9th–12th · 9.1/10

Valley Oaks EL

Grades Pre-K–5th · 9.1/10

Westchester Academy for International Studies

Grades 6th–12th · 9.1/10

Edward Roberson Middle

Grades 6th–8th · 9.1/10

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Houston for 2026 are Young Womens Leadership Academy (9.6/10), Cornerstone Academy (9.6/10), and Mandarin Immersion Magnet School (9.2/10), 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

899

742 public · 157 private

Avg Score

5.9

out of 10

Median Home

$298,360

home value · ACS

Districts

serving the city

Schools

899

742 public · 157 private

Avg Score

5.9

out of 10

Median Home

$298,360

home value · ACS

Districts

serving the city

Best value · beats the odds

Young Womens Leadership Academy

Rates 9.6/10 despite 84% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.7 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 Houston schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024

Phoenix School at Southwest Schools

STAAR proficiency rose +34.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Houston schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Houston

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (50 of 899). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Young Womens Leadership Academy	9.6 / 10	Middle	+3.7	100th
2	Cornerstone Academy	9.6 / 10	Middle	+1.2	100th
3	Mandarin Immersion Magnet School	9.2 / 10	Elementary	+1.1	98th
4	Project Chrysalis Middle	9.2 / 10	Middle	+3.1	98th
5	Kinder H S for Performing and Visual Arts	9.1 / 10	High	+0.8	98th
6	Valley Oaks EL	9.1 / 10	Elementary	+0.4	97th
7	Westchester Academy for International Studies	9.1 / 10	High	+2.1	97th
8	Edward Roberson Middle	9.1 / 10	Middle	+3.1	97th
9	Neff Ecc	9.0 / 10	Elementary	+3.6	97th
10	Energy Institute H S	9.0 / 10	High	+2.3	97th

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: 5.9/10
Median household income: $70,146
Median home value: $298,360
Bachelor's degree or higher: 32%
Avg commute: 28 min
Owner-occupied homes: 50%

How Houston compares

Texas rank

#457 of 654

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-0.4

below Texas avg (6.3)

Median household income

$70k

94% of Texas median

Schools in this city

827

Compare districts

Best School Districts in Houston →

Ranked by real test data, with best-value and most-improved cuts

Featured

Best Elementary Schools in Houston, TX

Top 25 ranked with interactive map, score breakdowns, and school spotlights

Education Snapshot

Houston, Texas

Houston's school landscape spans 899 schools across 55 districts, enrolling approximately 564,332 students. The level mix includes 548 elementary, 146 middle, and 141 high schools, plus 149 charter schools — about 17% of all Houston schools. The average MySchoolScout composite rating of 5.9/10 across 827 scored schools trails the Texas state average of 6.3/10 by nearly half a point, a below-state result that tracks with the city's economic profile: a median household income of $67,856 runs 15% below the Texas statewide median of $79,932. Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher reach 31% citywide. With 55 distinct district boundaries covering a sprawling metro, the city-level composite masks a wide spread of individual school scores — parents will find that neighborhood-level filtering matters far more here than in smaller, single-district Texas cities.

About Schools in Houston, Texas

Houston runs one of the largest public school systems in the country, with 723 ranked public schools spread across the metro area. The average school scores 5.6 out of 10 — a middling baseline that masks real variation at both ends of the spectrum. That range matters: 139 schools, or 19% of the total, score 7 or higher, giving families who research carefully a solid set of high-performing options to target.

At the top of the performance band, Energy Institute High School leads all Houston public schools with a 9.4 out of 10 — the highest score in the city. Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts follows at 9.3, drawing students citywide through its arts-focused admissions. Memorial Drive Elementary (9.0) stands out as a top-ranked elementary campus, while KIPP East End High School (8.9) and Memorial High School (8.8) round out the top five. The mix tells a story: Houston's highest scores cluster around schools with focused academic or arts missions — a STEM magnet, a performing arts magnet, a charter — rather than a single neighborhood or zip code.

The city's scale cuts both ways. Seven hundred twenty-three ranked schools means a family's neighborhood assignment can land anywhere on a wide performance band, often far from the 7-plus tier. Parents zoned to schools near the citywide average of 5.6 should research magnet and choice programs that operate outside standard attendance boundaries. Houston ISD runs one of the largest magnet networks in Texas, and several of the top-performing campuses pull from across the district. Application windows, lottery deadlines, and transportation logistics vary by program — confirm those details directly with each school.

For parents starting their search, the most practical frame is this: roughly one in five Houston public schools clears the 7-out-of-10 threshold, and a handful push close to a perfect score. Use school ratings as a first filter to build a shortlist, then layer in grade band, program type, and commute distance to narrow the field. In a city this size, the gap between an assigned school and the best available option can be wide — but the options exist.

Filter by Level:All Levels (899)Elementary (548)Middle (146)High (141)

Filter by Type:All Types (899)Public (742)Private (157)

Filter by Rating:All Ratings (899)Academics (728)Growth (675)Diversity (692)Resources (728)

Filter by ZIP:77081(23)77099(22)77049(20)77083(20)77084(19)77004(17)77077(17)77017(16)77024(16)77044(16)77074(16)77096(16)

Elementary Schools

548 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Mandarin Immersion Magnet School 792 students · Pre-K–8th	792	Pre-K–8th	9.2
2	Valley Oaks EL 882 students · Pre-K–5th	882	Pre-K–5th	9.1
3	Houston Classical 285 students · Pre-K–4th	285	Pre-K–4th	9.0
4	Neff Ecc 586 students · Pre-K–1st	586	Pre-K–1st	9.0
5	Frostwood EL 836 students · Pre-K–5th	836	Pre-K–5th	9.0
6	Memorial Drive EL 362 students · Pre-K–5th	362	Pre-K–5th	9.0
7	Brookline EL 663 students · Pre-K–5th	663	Pre-K–5th	8.9
8	West University EL 1,131 students · Pre-K–5th	1,131	Pre-K–5th	8.9
9	Roberts EL 730 students · Pre-K–5th	730	Pre-K–5th	8.8
10	Wilchester EL 862 students · Pre-K–5th	862	Pre-K–5th	8.8

Show all 548 elementary schools in Houston

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Middle Schools

146 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Young Womens Leadership Academy 310 students · 6th–9th	310	6th–9th	9.6
2	Cornerstone Academy 382 students · 6th–8th	382	6th–8th	9.6
3	Project Chrysalis Middle 252 students · 6th–8th	252	6th–8th	9.2
4	Edward Roberson Middle 816 students · 6th–8th	816	6th–8th	9.1
5	Spring Leadership Academy 405 students · 6th–8th	405	6th–8th	9.0
6	Harmony School of Innovation - Houston 493 students · 6th–8th	493	6th–8th	8.7
7	Memorial Middle 1,247 students · 6th–8th	1,247	6th–8th	8.7
8	Spring Branch Middle 1,102 students · 6th–8th	1,102	6th–8th	8.3
9	Friends for Life Middle 210 students · 6th–8th	210	6th–8th	8.2
10	Hogg Middle 1,120 students · 6th–8th	1,120	6th–8th	8.2

Show all 146 middle schools in Houston

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Kipp Sharpstown College Prep Lanier Middle Salyards Middle Melillo Middle Springwoods Village Middle Yes Prep - Hobby Baylor College of Medicine Biotech Academy at Rusk Morris Middle Kipp Academy Middle Beverly Hills Int North Shore Middle Woodland Acres Middle A+ Unlimited Potential - University Yellowstone College Preparatory Aragon Middle Iltexas Westpark Middle Rowe Middle Black Middle Burbank Middle Kipp Spirit College Prep Garcia Middle Idea Lake Houston College Preparatory Kipp 3d Academy Albright Middle Forest Brook Middle Spring Forest Middle Miller Int Edison Middle Kipp Prime College Preparatory O'donnell Middle Cunningham Middle Sugar Grove Academy Secondary Daep Kipp Polaris Academy for Boys Kipp Mosaic Academy School Cobb 6th Grade Campus Mayde Creek J H Cook Middle Lawson Middle Hamilton Middle Meyerland Middle Woodcreek Middle Thompson Int Spring Oaks Middle Mead Middle Labay Middle Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan Idea Spears College Preparatory Idea Hardy College Preparatory Harmony School of Technology-houston Pershing Middle Fred Roberts Middle Watkins Middle Northbrook Middle Early College Stem Academy Kipp Nexus Middle Killough Middle Truitt Middle Attucks Middle Stevenson Middle Iltexas Houston Orem Middle Kipp Liberation College Preparatory Youngblood Int Bleyl Middle Earnesteen Milstead Middle Kipp Intrepid Preparatory Holub Middle Aguirre J H Campbell Middle Kahla Middle Iltexas Houston Windmill Lakes Middle Hartman Middle Key Middle West Briar Middle Alief Middle Mata Int Dean Middle Rick Schneider Middle Henry Middle Las Americas Queens Int Kipp Voyage Academy for Girls Olle Middle Fonville Middle Holland Middle Houston Academy Mcreynolds Middle H S Ahead Academy Fleming Middle Spring Woods Middle Ser-ninos Charter Middle Budewig Int Space Center Int Tanglewood Middle Discovery Middle Landrum Middle Clear Lake Int Deady Middle Ortiz Middle Shotwell Middle Hodges Bend Middle Fondren Middle Energized for Stem Academy Middle Marshall Middle Edwin M Wells Middle Pro-vision Middle Owens Int Energized for Excellence Academy Inc Middle Stelle Claughton Middle Hambrick Middle Welch Middle C E King Middle Klentzman Int Hoffman Middle Drew Academy Revere Middle Stovall Middle Michael R Null Middle Navarro Middle North East Stem Academy Cullen Middle Williams Middle Ripley House Middle Campus Aldine Middle Grantham Academy Clifton Middle Christa Mcauliffe Middle Thomas Middle Plummer Middle Bammel Middle Lewis Middle Accelerated Int Charter School Alief ISD J J a E P EL Daep Village Middle SchoolPrivate Congregation Beth IsraelPrivate

High Schools

141 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Kinder H S for Performing and Visual Arts 769 students · 9th–12th	769	9th–12th	9.1
2	Westchester Academy for International Studies 864 students · 6th–12th	864	6th–12th	9.1
3	Energy Institute H S 663 students · 9th–12th	663	9th–12th	9.0
4	Debakey H S for Health Prof 922 students · 9th–12th	922	9th–12th	8.9
5	Eastwood Academy 383 students · 9th–12th	383	9th–12th	8.9
6	Spring Early College Academy 365 students · 9th–12th	365	9th–12th	8.9
7	Middle College H S at Hcc Fraga 134 students · 9th–12th	134	9th–12th	8.8
8	Harmony Science Academy-houston 708 students · 9th–12th	708	9th–12th	8.6
9	H S for Law and Justice 435 students · 9th–12th	435	9th–12th	8.6
10	Avalos P-tech School 421 students · 9th–12th	421	9th–12th	8.5

Show all 141 high schools in Houston

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Carnegie Vanguard H S North Houston Early College H S Challenge Early College H S East Early College H S Alief Early College H S South Early College H S Memorial H S Kipp Houston H S Houston Academy for International Studies Harmony School of Discovery - Houston Kerr H S Clear Horizons Early College H S Sharpstown International School Kipp Generations Collegiate Energized for Stem Academy H S Jones Futures Academy Mount Carmel Academy Young Women's College Prep Academy Harmony School of Advancement-houston Blanson Cte H S Yes Prep - North Central Langham Creek H S Victory Early College H S Clear Lake H S Stratford H S Early College T-stem Academy Kipp Sunnyside H S Kipp Northeast College Preparatory Jersey Village H S Yes Prep - Southwest Yes Prep - Brays Oaks Harmony School of Ingenuity-houston Cypress Ridge H S Yes Prep - 5th Ward Cypress Falls H S Cypress Creek H S North Shore Senior High Mayde Creek H S Dobie H S Kase Academy Empowerment H S Lamar H S Yes Prep - Southeast Yes Prep - East End Iltexas Houston Windmill Lakes Orem H S Heights H S Westside H S Spring Woods H S Summer Creek H S Harris County Juvenile Detention Center Yes Prep - Gulfton Yes Prep - Northline Kipp East End H S Houston Heights Charter School Beta Academy Galena Park ISD Career & Technical Echs Yes Prep - Northside Yes Prep North Forest Alief Learning Ctr (6-12)Mickey Leland College Prep Acad for Young Men North Forest H S Yes Prep - Southside Westbury H S Wheatley H S Worthing H S Harper Daep Northbrook H S Yes Prep - West The Pro-vision Academy Yes Prep - White Oak Long Academy Chavez H S Milby H S Northside H S Waltrip H S Hcc Life Skills Program C E King H S Carver H S for Applied Tech/engineering/arts Elsik H S Middle College H S at Hcc Gulfton Taylor H S Willowridge H S Furr H S Kashmere H S Scarborough H S Madison H S Sterling H S Kipp Connect Preparatory Eisenhower H S Hall Success Academy Hastings H S Washington B T H S Davis H S Aldine Yates H S Liberty H S Texans Can Academy - Houston Southwest Richard Milburn Academy Houston (suburban)Austin H S Richey Academy Wisdom H S Houston Math Science and Technology Center Aldine H S Sharpstown H S Nimitz H S Texans Can Academy - Houston North Macarthur H S Westfield H S Andy Dekaney H S Highpoint Highpoint School East (crosby)Highpoint School East (daep)Excel Academy (murworth)Excel Academy (jjaep)Momentum H S Lutheran High NorthPrivate Incarnate Word AcademyPrivate The Gateway AcademyPrivate Xavier Educational AcademyPrivate Houston Christian High SchoolPrivate The Tenney SchoolPrivate Torah Girls Academy of TexasPrivate The Emery/weiner Center for Jewish EducationPrivate Strake Jesuit College Prep SchoolPrivate The Emery/weiner SchoolPrivate St Agnes Academy College PreparatoryPrivate St Pius X High SchoolPrivate Fusion Academy Hs1: Houston GalleriaPrivate Memorial Hall SchoolPrivate Our Redeemer Lutheran North SchoolPrivate Marian High School (nti Career Institute)Private The Hub Houston Inc.Private

Other Schools

64 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Houston Gateway Academy - Coral Campus 926 students · Pre-K–12th	926	Pre-K–12th	8.0
2	Phoenix School at Southwest Schools 137 students · 3rd–12th	137	3rd–12th	7.5
3	Spring Branch Academic Institute 148 students · Kindergarten–12th	148	Kindergarten–12th	7.2
4	T H Rogers School 1,058 students · Kindergarten–12th	1,058	Kindergarten–12th	7.1
5	Dr Kirk Lewis Career and Technical H S 1,463 students · Pre-K–12th	1,463	Pre-K–12th	6.5
6	La Promesa 340 students · 9th–11th	340	9th–11th	6.0
7	Yes Prep - Northwest 575 students · 6th–11th	575	6th–11th	5.9
8	Excel Academy Education Transition Center 49 students · 9th–11th	49	9th–11th	5.6
9	George I Sanchez Charter 670 students · Pre-K–12th	670	Pre-K–12th	4.7
10	Texas Connections Academy at Houston 8,332 students · 3rd–12th	8,332	3rd–12th	4.5

Show all 64 other schools in Houston

Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.

Soar Ctr George I Sanchez North The Lion Lane School The Panda Path School New Neighbor Campus The Bear Blvd School The Tiger Trail School The Wildcat Way School Two Dimensions at Corsicana Nci Charter School Without Walls Energized for Excellence Academy Ecc R D S P D Lane School Community Services-sec Ser-ninos Charter High Harmony Virtual Academy Aldine J J a E P Maria Del Carmen Martinez Early Learning Center Dedre' & Ella Jefferson Early Learning Center Cypress-fairbanks J J a E P Harris Co J J a E P High Point East School for Accelerated Lrn Lycee International De HoustonPrivate King's AcademyPrivate Westbury Christian SchoolPrivate Memorial Lutheran SchoolPrivate The Saint Constantine SchoolPrivate Duchesne Academy of the Sacred HeartPrivate River Oaks AcademyPrivate Houston Quran AcademyPrivate Grace Christian AcademyPrivate St Catherine's MontessoriPrivate The Banff SchoolPrivate The Village SchoolPrivate The Parish SchoolPrivate Al-hadi School of Accelerative LearningPrivate Shady Acres Christian SchoolPrivate The Village SchoolPrivate The Kinkaid School - Head of School OfficePrivate Second Baptist SchoolPrivate St Francis Episcopal SchoolPrivate The School for Young ChildrenPrivate Cypress Christian SchoolPrivate School of the WoodsPrivate Central Christian AcademyPrivate Genesis Christian SchoolPrivate Hua Xia Chinese SchoolPrivate Van Houston AcademyPrivate Japanese Educational InstitutePrivate Bonne Vie SchoolPrivate Elim Christian SchoolPrivate Caroline School/easter Seals Childrens TherapyPrivate A & B Nursery SchoolPrivate

Schools in Houston

Houston, Texas · 899 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 96 ZIP codes

Median Income

$70,146

Median Home Value

$298,360

Median Rent

$1,342/mo

Population

3,315,629

College Educated

32%

Homeownership

50%

Avg Commute

28 min

Poverty Rate

19.2%

Community Profile

Houston has a median household income of $70,146. It is an area where 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $298,360, with a median rent of $1,342/month. The area has a poverty rate of 19.2%. The average commute for residents is 28 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Texas
Elementary: 548
Middle: 146
High: 141
Other: 64

Resources

🔍Google "Houston schools"🏫GreatSchools Houston 📊Niche Houston Rankings 📍Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (55)

TEXANS CAN ACADEMIES

13 schools · 3,608 students

SER-NINOS CHARTER SCHOOL

4 schools · 1,154 students

GEORGE I SANCHEZ CHARTER

2 schools · 1,125 students

RAUL YZAGUIRRE SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESS

7 schools · 1,888 students

ACADEMY OF ACCELERATED LEARNING INC

1 school · 830 students

ALIEF MONTESSORI COMMUNITY SCHOOL

1 school · 384 students

EXCEL ACADEMY

4 schools · 234 students

TWO DIMENSIONS PREPARATORY ACADEMY

3 schools · 435 students

THE VARNETT PUBLIC SCHOOL

3 schools · 1,142 students

RICHARD MILBURN ALTER HIGH SCHOOL (KILLEEN)

9 schools · 1,450 students

AMIGOS POR VIDA-FRIENDS FOR LIFE PUB CHTR SCH

2 schools · 694 students

HOUSTON HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL

1 school · 179 students

HOUSTON GATEWAY ACADEMY INC

3 schools · 2,157 students

SOUTHWEST PUBLIC SCHOOLS

5 schools · 1,625 students

BEATRICE MAYES INSTITUTE CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 458 students

ACCELERATED INTERMEDIATE ACADEMY

3 schools · 192 students

YES PREP PUBLIC SCHOOLS INC

21 schools · 17,622 students

HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - HOUSTON SOUTH

6 schools · 3,646 students

IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

123 schools · 76,819 students

BAKERRIPLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

5 schools · 1,824 students

MEYERPARK CHARTER

1 school · 293 students

DRAW ACADEMY

1 school · 677 students

KIPP TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

56 schools · 34,111 students

HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - SOUTH TEXAS

9 schools · 4,855 students

HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS - HOUSTON NORTH

10 schools · 7,107 students

STEP CHARTER SCHOOL

2 schools · 598 students

THE RHODES SCHOOL FOR PERFORMING ARTS

2 schools · 575 students

ARROW ACADEMY

4 schools · 594 students

THE LAWSON ACADEMY

1 school · 195 students

THE PRO-VISION ACADEMY

2 schools · 395 students

INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP OF TEXAS (ILTEXAS)

44 schools · 22,780 students

BETA ACADEMY

2 schools · 1,486 students

A+ UNLIMITED POTENTIAL

1 school · 150 students

ETOILE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

2 schools · 806 students

YELLOWSTONE COLLEGE PREPARATORY

1 school · 272 students

REVE PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 218 students

BLOOM ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 400 students

HOUSTON CLASSICAL CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 285 students

ELEVATE COLLEGIATE CHARTER SCHOOL

1 school · 174 students

ALDINE ISD

80 schools · 57,844 students

ALIEF ISD

47 schools · 39,474 students

CHANNELVIEW ISD

12 schools · 9,434 students

CLEAR CREEK ISD

47 schools · 40,132 students

CROSBY ISD

9 schools · 6,868 students

CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD

93 schools · 118,470 students

FORT BEND ISD

83 schools · 80,206 students

GALENA PARK ISD

24 schools · 21,105 students

GOOSE CREEK CISD

34 schools · 24,108 students

HOUSTON ISD

274 schools · 184,109 students

HUMBLE ISD

50 schools · 48,552 students

KATY ISD

78 schools · 94,785 students

PASADENA ISD

67 schools · 47,486 students

SHELDON ISD

13 schools · 11,028 students

SPRING BRANCH ISD

47 schools · 33,407 students

SPRING ISD

43 schools · 33,935 students

Neighborhoods

Greater Heights(0 schools)

Bellaire(0 schools)

West University(0 schools)

Rice Village(0 schools)

Uptown(0 schools)

Midtown(0 schools)

The Woodlands(0 schools)

Sugar Land(0 schools)

Pearland(0 schools)

Katy(0 schools)

Nearby Cities

Lewisville(17 schools)

10 mi

San Antonio(5 schools)

12 mi

Galena Park(4 schools)

12 mi

Meadows Place(2 schools)

South Houston(1 school)

So Houston(5 schools)

15 mi

Missouri City(36 schools)

Other Major Cities in Texas

Top metros statewide by school count.

Austin339 schools Fort Worth288 schools EL Paso239 schools Arlington115 schools Katy107 schools

Featured Rankings

See our in-depth rankings with interactive maps, score breakdowns, and school spotlights.

Best Elementary Schools in Houston Best Middle Schools in Houston Best High Schools in Houston

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 rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Houston, Texas

How many schools are in Houston, Texas?

Houston has 899 schools, including 742 public and 157 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Houston, Texas?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Houston is 5.9 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 Houston, Texas?

The top-ranked school in Houston on MySchoolScout is Young Womens Leadership Academy with a composite score of 9.6/10.

What is the best elementary school in Houston, Texas?

The top-ranked elementary school in Houston on MySchoolScout is Mandarin Immersion Magnet School with a composite score of 9.2/10.

What is the best middle school in Houston, Texas?

The top-ranked middle school in Houston on MySchoolScout is Young Womens Leadership Academy with a composite score of 9.6/10.

What is the best high school in Houston, Texas?

The top-ranked high school in Houston on MySchoolScout is Kinder H S for Performing and Visual Arts with a composite score of 9.1/10.

How many school districts serve Houston, Texas?

Houston is served by 55 school districts: Texans Can Academies, Ser-ninos Charter School, George I Sanchez Charter, Raul Yzaguirre Schools for Success, Academy of Accelerated Learning Inc, Alief Montessori Community School, Excel Academy, Two Dimensions Preparatory Academy, The Varnett Public School, Richard Milburn Alter High School (killeen), Amigos Por Vida-friends for Life Pub Chtr Sch, Houston Heights High School, Houston Gateway Academy Inc, Southwest Public Schools, Beatrice Mayes Institute Charter School, Accelerated Intermediate Academy, Yes Prep Public Schools Inc, Harmony Public Schools - Houston South, Idea Public Schools, Bakerripley Community Schools, Meyerpark Charter, Draw Academy, Kipp Texas Public Schools, Harmony Public Schools - South Texas, Harmony Public Schools - Houston North, Step Charter School, The Rhodes School for Performing Arts, Arrow Academy, The Lawson Academy, The Pro-vision Academy, International Leadership of Texas (iltexas), Beta Academy, A+ Unlimited Potential, Etoile Academy Charter School, Yellowstone College Preparatory, Reve Preparatory Charter School, Bloom Academy Charter School, Houston Classical Charter School, Elevate Collegiate Charter School, Aldine ISD, Alief ISD, Channelview ISD, Clear Creek ISD, Crosby ISD, Cypress-fairbanks ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Galena Park ISD, Goose Creek CISD, Houston ISD, Humble ISD, Katy ISD, Pasadena ISD, Sheldon ISD, Spring Branch ISD, Spring ISD.

What is the education level in Houston, Texas?

According to Census data, 32% of adults in Houston have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Houston, Texas?

The median household income in Houston is approximately $70,146 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Houston, Texas?

Yes, Houston has 157 private schools alongside 742 public schools. The top-rated private school is Lutheran High North with a score of 8.8/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Houston, Texas?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Houston is 14.5:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Houston, 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.

Best Schools in Houston, Texas

Choosing a school in Houston?

Young Womens Leadership Academy

Cornerstone Academy

Mandarin Immersion Magnet School

Save schools in Houston to My Move

The short answer

Top-Rated Schools in Houston

Family Snapshot

How Houston compares

Best Elementary Schools in Houston, TX

Education Snapshot

About Schools in Houston, Texas

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

Other Schools

Schools in Houston

Community Demographics

Community Profile

Schools by Level

Resources

Neighborhoods

Nearby Cities

Other Major Cities in Texas

Featured Rankings

How we rate schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Related reading

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