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5.9 avg / 10

Denton ISD School District

School District · Denton, Texas

Students: 32,866
Teachers (FTE): 2,498
Estimated Scores: 7%

Avg Rating

5.9

out of 10

Schools

44

25 elem, 8 mid, 8 high

Per-Pupil Spending

$11,484

Student-Teacher Ratio

13.2:1

District shortlistschools + peers

Evaluating Denton ISD?

A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Denton ISD as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.

Shortlist starter

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

Harpool Middle

9.0/10

Lantana · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

Ep Rayzor EL

8.8/10

Lantana · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

Ryan EL

8.6/10

Denton · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.

How this district compares

Texas rank

#612 of 899

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.3

below Texas avg

Per-pupil spending

$11,484

$1,484 vs Texas median

District size

32,866 students

Much larger than Texas median

The short answer

Denton ISD ranks #612 of 899 Texas districts by overall school rating. Denton ISD's schools with real test data average 6.0/10 across 39 schools. Its top-rated schools are Harpool Middle (9.0/10), Ep Rayzor EL (8.8/10), and Ryan EL (8.6/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Ryan EL

Rates 8.6/10 despite 44% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.1 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 Denton ISD schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Blanton EL

STAAR proficiency rose +11.0 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Denton ISD schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Denton ISD

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (39 of 44). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

# School Rating
1 Harpool Middle 9.0 / 10
2 Ep Rayzor EL 8.8 / 10
3 Ryan EL 8.6 / 10
4 Blanton EL 8.5 / 10
5 Hawk EL 8.4 / 10
6 Guyer H S 8.3 / 10
7 Union Park EL 8.0 / 10
8 Nette Shultz 7.9 / 10
9 Dorothy P Adkins EL 7.9 / 10
10 Crownover Middle 7.5 / 10

See all 44 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Denton ISD

Denton ISD serves 32,866 students across 46 schools in Denton, Texas, making it one of the larger districts in the North Texas region. Of those 46 schools, 43 carry a published ranking, averaging a score of 6.1 out of 10 — a solid baseline that reflects consistent performance across a district of this scale. For parents doing side-by-side comparisons, that district-wide average is a useful anchor when evaluating individual campuses.

The standout at the elementary level is EP Rayzor Elementary, the district's top-rated school with a 9.0 out of 10 — well above the district average and a strong signal for families zoned to that campus. Ryan Elementary follows at 8.5, and Nette Shultz Elementary rounds out the top elementary tier at 8.1. All three score meaningfully above the district mean, giving parents in those attendance zones a clear academic advantage at the foundational years.

On the secondary side, Denton High School earns an 8.6 out of 10, placing it among the district's strongest performers overall. Guyer High School scores an 8.3, making Denton ISD's two main high school options genuinely competitive with each other. Parents evaluating high school placements will find both campuses performing well above the district average, which is notable in a district with 46 total schools where scores naturally spread across a wide range.

The bigger picture: a 46-school district averaging 6.1 out of 10 will always show variation, but Denton ISD's top five schools cluster between 8.1 and 9.0 — a tight, high-performing group relative to what you'd expect at this enrollment size. Parents should confirm current attendance boundaries directly with the district, as rezoning can shift campus assignments in fast-growing areas. Comparing individual school scores against the 6.1 district average is a practical first filter when narrowing down neighborhoods or open-enrollment options within Denton ISD.

District Map

Schools in Denton ISD, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency 62.8%
School
State
N/A
ELA Proficiency 65.8%
School
State
N/A

Average proficiency across all schools in Denton ISD with test data.

District Details

State
Texas
City
Denton
Total Enrollment
32,866
Teachers (FTE)
2,498
Child Poverty Rate
0.1%
Data Year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Denton ISD?

Denton ISD has 44 schools in total — 25 elementary, 8 middle, and 8 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Denton ISD?

The average composite rating for Denton ISD is 5.9/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the per-pupil spending in Denton ISD?

Denton ISD spends $11,484 per student per year.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Denton ISD?

The average student-teacher ratio in Denton ISD is 13.2:1.

What is the top-rated school in Denton ISD?

Harpool Middle is the highest-rated school in Denton ISD with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What are the test scores in Denton ISD?

Across schools in Denton ISD with test data, the average math proficiency is 62.8% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 65.8%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Denton ISD compare to other districts in Texas?

Denton ISD has an average school rating of 5.9/10 across 44 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Texas by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
5.9/10
Math Proficiency
62.8%
ELA Proficiency
65.8%

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

Other School Districts in TX

Compare Denton ISD with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in TX →

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.

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