Skip to main content
5.6 avg / 10

Houston ISD School District

School District · Houston, Texas

Students: 184,109
Teachers (FTE): 11,785
Estimated Scores: 4%

Avg Rating

5.6

out of 10

Schools

274

178 elem, 43 mid, 46 high

Per-Pupil Spending

$13,072

Student-Teacher Ratio

15.6:1

How this district compares

Texas rank

#737 of 898

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.6

below Texas avg

Per-pupil spending

$13,072

+$104 vs Texas median

District size

184,109 students

Much larger than Texas median

About Houston ISD

Houston ISD is one of the largest urban school districts in the United States, serving 184,109 students across 274 schools in Texas. The district's scale means parents have a wide range of options, from neighborhood elementary schools to specialized magnet programs at the secondary level. Families researching the district should note that 272 of those schools carry ranked scores, with the district averaging 5.6 out of 10 — a useful baseline when weighing individual campuses against the broader pool.

High school options are where Houston ISD most clearly separates itself from peer districts. Energy Institute High School earns the district's top score at 9.0 out of 10, placing it among the strongest campuses in Texas. Kinder High School for Performing and Visual Arts follows at 8.7, offering a rigorous arts-integrated curriculum for students with focused creative ambitions. DeBakey High School for Health Professions rounds out the top-tier high schools with a score of 8.2, drawing students committed to careers in medicine and science. All three operate as selective programs, so parents should research application timelines and eligibility requirements early.

Strong options exist at the elementary level as well. Martinez R Elementary scores 8.4 out of 10, and Askew Elementary earns an 8.1 — both standing well above the district's 5.6 average. Parents zoned to these campuses have a measurable academic advantage heading into middle school, and both schools are worth cross-referencing against your home address during the enrollment process.

For families moving to Houston or reassessing school options, the gap between the district average and its top performers is significant. The 5.6 district-wide average reflects the challenge of serving a large, diverse urban population, but the ceiling is genuinely high. Energy Institute's 9.0 score, Kinder's arts focus, and DeBakey's health professions pipeline give motivated students access to programming that competes with any district in Texas. The key for parents is identifying which programs match their child's interests and starting the application process well ahead of district deadlines.

District Map

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

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency 35.2%
School
State
N/A
ELA Proficiency 37.2%
School
State
N/A

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

Schools in Houston ISD

274 schools
Elementary Schools 178
Martinez R EL
8.4
Askew EL
8.1
Blackshear EL
8.1
Gregg EL
8.1
Twain EL
8.1
Cook JR EL
8.1
Horn EL
8.0
River Oaks EL
8.0
West University EL
7.9
Hartsfield EL
7.8
Kolter EL
7.8
Lovett EL
7.8
Poe EL
7.8
Gross EL
7.8
Alcott EL
7.7
Henderson J EL
7.7
Travis EL
7.7
Tijerina EL
7.7
Robinson EL
7.7
Highland Hts EL
7.6
Roberts EL
7.6
Seguin EL
7.6
Wesley EL
7.5
Ross EL
7.4
Ashford EL
7.3
Harvard EL
7.3
Martinez C EL
7.3
Bush EL
7.1
Love EL
7.1
Arabic Immersion Magnet School
7.1
Garcia EL
7.0
Memorial EL
7.0
Whidby EL
7.0
Woodson School
6.9
Valley West EL
6.9
Oak Forest EL
6.8
Sinclair EL
6.8
Burrus EL
6.7
Mandarin Immersion Magnet School
6.7
Smith EL
6.6
Berry EL
6.5
Macgregor EL
6.5
Port Houston EL
6.5
Pugh EL
6.5
Young EL
6.5
Peck EL
6.3
Stevens EL
6.3
Brookline EL
6.2
Looscan EL
6.2
Parker EL
6.2
Sherman EL
6.2
Wainwright EL
6.2
Ella J Baker Montessori School
6.2
Halpin Early Childhood Ctr
6.2
Benbrook EL
6.1
Dogan EL
6.1
Law EL
6.1
Northline EL
6.1
Gregory-lincoln Ed Ctr
6.1
Bonham EL
6.0
Bruce EL
6.0
Isaacs EL
6.0
Thompson EL
6.0
Shadowbriar EL
6.0
Ray Daily EL
6.0
Hilliard EL
6.0
Herrera EL
5.9
Davila EL
5.9
Briarmeadow Charter
5.9
Cornelius EL
5.8
Cunningham EL
5.8
Golfcrest EL
5.8
Gallegos EL
5.7
Durkee EL
5.7
Kennedy EL
5.7
Crespo EL
5.6
Harris J R EL
5.6
Kelso EL
5.6
Windsor Village EL
5.6
Browning EL
5.5
Garden Villas EL
5.5
Roosevelt EL
5.5
Reagan K-8 Educational Ctr
5.5
Condit EL
5.4
Eliot EL
5.4
Foerster EL
5.4
Lockhart EL
5.4
Petersen EL
5.4
Mark White EL
5.4
Mading EL
5.3
Patterson EL
5.3
Field EL
5.2
Franklin EL
5.2
Mitchell EL
5.2
Neff Ecc
5.2
Red EL
5.2
Wharton K-8 Dual Language Academy
5.2
Rice Sch /la Escuela Rice
5.2
Herod EL
5.1
Montgomery EL
5.1
Piney Point EL
5.1
Rucker EL
5.1
Briargrove EL
5.0
Elrod EL
5.0
Emerson EL
5.0
Garden Oaks Montessori
5.0
Helms EL
5.0
Lewis EL
5.0
Tinsley EL
5.0
School at St George Place
5.0
Moreno EL
4.9
Deanda EL
4.9
Elmore EL
4.9
Scroggins EL
4.8
Walnut Bend EL
4.8
Marshall EL
4.8
Burbank EL
4.7
Mcgowen EL
4.7
Bellfort Early Childhood Center
4.7
Park Place EL
4.6
Benavidez EL
4.5
Almeda EL
4.5
Barrick EL
4.5
Harris R P EL
4.5
Osborne EL
4.5
White E EL
4.5
Roderick R Paige EL
4.4
Henderson N EL
4.4
Carrillo EL
4.4
Mistral Center for Early Childhood
4.4
Fonwood Early Childhood Ctr
4.4
Bonner EL
4.3
Janowski EL
4.3
Lantrip EL
4.3
Rodriguez EL
4.3
King Early Childhood Ctr
4.3
Milne EL
4.3
Coop EL
4.2
Grissom EL
4.2
Scarborough EL
4.2
Sutton EL
4.2
Farias Early Childhood Center
4.2
Bastian EL
4.1
Burnet EL
4.1
Codwell EL
4.1
De Chaumes EL
4.1
De Zavala EL
4.1
Reynolds EL
4.1
Cage EL
4.1
Hines-caldwell
4.1
Anderson EL
4.0
Durham EL
4.0
Fondren EL
4.0
Oates EL
3.9
Southmayd EL
3.9
Laurenzo Early Childhood Ctr
3.9
Neff EL
3.9
Bell EL
3.8
Longfellow EL
3.8
Braeburn EL
3.7
Hobby EL
3.7
Jefferson EL
3.7
Energized for Excellence Academy EL
3.7
Pilgrim Academy
3.6
Sanchez EL
3.6
Shadydale EL
3.6
Crockett EL
3.5
Foster EL
3.5
Kashmere Gardens EL
3.5
Shearn EL
3.5
Lyons EL
3.4
Briscoe EL
3.3
Atherton EL
3.2
Ketelsen EL
3.2
Pleasantville EL
3.0
Mcnamara EL
3.0
Whittier EL
2.9
Frost EL
2.4
Middle Schools 43
Lanier Middle
7.3
Baylor College of Medicine Biotech Academy at Rusk
7.1
Attucks Middle
6.9
Lawson Middle
6.9
Hogg Middle
6.6
Project Chrysalis Middle
6.5
Sugar Grove Academy
6.4
Las Americas
6.4
Pershing Middle
6.3
Key Middle
6.2
Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan
6.2
Pin Oak Middle
6.1
H S Ahead Academy
6.1
Black Middle
6.0
Deady Middle
5.9
Hamilton Middle
5.8
Burbank Middle
5.7
Fleming Middle
5.6
Fondren Middle
5.6
Hartman Middle
5.4
Williams Middle
5.4
Clifton Middle
5.4
Cullen Middle
5.3
Thomas Middle
5.3
Edison Middle
5.2
Ortiz Middle
5.2
Forest Brook Middle
5.2
Henry Middle
5.0
Mcreynolds Middle
5.0
West Briar Middle
5.0
Secondary Daep
5.0
Revere Middle
4.8
Tanglewood Middle
4.6
Fonville Middle
4.6
Marshall Middle
4.4
Meyerland Middle
4.3
Welch Middle
4.3
Stevenson Middle
4.2
Holland Middle
4.2
Navarro Middle
4.0
Energized for Excellence Academy Inc Middle
3.3
Energized for Stem Academy Middle
2.7
EL Daep
—
High Schools 46
Energy Institute H S
9.0
Kinder H S for Performing and Visual Arts
8.7
Debakey H S for Health Prof
8.2
Bellaire H S
8.1
Mount Carmel Academy
8.0
Chavez H S
7.8
Heights H S
7.6
Carnegie Vanguard H S
7.6
Lamar H S
7.5
Yates H S
7.5
Westside H S
7.5
Worthing H S
7.4
Jones Futures Academy
7.3
Hcc Life Skills Program
7.0
Washington B T H S
6.9
Middle College H S at Hcc Fraga
6.9
Furr H S
6.8
South Early College H S
6.8
H S for Law and Justice
6.7
Eastwood Academy
6.7
East Early College H S
6.7
Houston Academy for International Studies
6.7
Harper Daep
6.7
Young Women's College Prep Academy
6.7
Northside H S
6.6
Westbury H S
6.6
North Houston Early College H S
6.6
Challenge Early College H S
6.5
Mickey Leland College Prep Acad for Young Men
6.5
Middle College H S at Hcc Gulfton
6.4
Sterling H S
6.2
Waltrip H S
6.2
Sharpstown International School
6.1
Milby H S
5.9
Sharpstown H S
5.9
Wheatley H S
5.8
Kashmere H S
5.6
Scarborough H S
5.5
North Forest H S
5.5
Houston Math Science and Technology Center
4.9
Energized for Stem Academy H S
4.9
Austin H S
4.8
Wisdom H S
4.6
Madison H S
4.2
Long Academy
4.0
Liberty H S
2.9
Other Schools 7
T H Rogers School
7.0
Community Services-sec
6.6
Soar Ctr
5.2
Texas Connections Academy at Houston
5.0
Energized for Excellence Academy Ecc
4.9
R D S P D
4.8
Harris Co J J a E P
—

District Details

State
Texas
City
Houston
Total Enrollment
184,109
Teachers (FTE)
11,785
Child Poverty Rate
0.3%
Data Year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Houston ISD?

Houston ISD has 274 schools in total — 178 elementary, 43 middle, and 46 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Houston ISD?

The average composite rating for Houston ISD is 5.6/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the per-pupil spending in Houston ISD?

Houston ISD spends $13,072 per student per year.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Houston ISD?

The average student-teacher ratio in Houston ISD is 15.6:1.

What is the top-rated school in Houston ISD?

Energy Institute H S is the highest-rated school in Houston ISD with a composite score of 9.0/10.

What are the test scores in Houston ISD?

Across schools in Houston ISD with test data, the average math proficiency is 35.2% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 37.2%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Houston ISD compare to other districts in Texas?

Houston ISD has an average school rating of 5.6/10 across 274 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 are based on a comprehensive methodology that weighs Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
5.6/10
Math Proficiency
35.2%
ELA Proficiency
37.2%

Resources

🔍 Search for District Website 📄 Official NCES Data 🏫 GreatSchools Profile 📍 View on Google Maps

How We Rate Schools

Every school receives a composite score from 1 to 10 based on four pillars: Academic Performance (50%), Student Growth (20%), Equity (15%), and Learning Environment (15%). Scores are built from publicly available data including standardized test results, enrollment figures, and school climate indicators.

Read our full methodology

Other School Districts in TX

Compare Houston 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.

Related reading

Get school insights in your inbox

New rankings, best-schools lists, and parent guides — delivered free. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.