While top school districts like Katy, Friendswood and Tomball are being celebrated for their academic excellence, a new report from Niche highlights a stark contrast: several Houston-area school districts struggling at the bottom of the list—including Houston ISD, which failed to break into the top half of the metro’s rankings.
The 2026 Best School Districts in the Houston Area, published by Niche, ranks 60 public school districts based on multiple data points, including state test scores, graduation rates, college readiness, teacher quality, and parent/student reviews.
Niche’s top 5 school districts in Houston-area
- Katy ISD
- Friendswood ISD
- Tomball ISD
- Pearland ISD
- Harmony Public Schools-Houston West
Bottom-ranked districts in the Houston metro area
Among the lowest-performing districts in the rankings:
- North Forest Independent School District: NFISD was closed by the state of Texas on July 1, 2013, and absorbed into the Houston Independent School District (HISD) due to consistent poor academic performance and financial mismanagement.
- Sheldon Independent School District
- Galena Park Independent School District
- La Marque Independent School District
- Aldine Independent School District
These districts scored consistently low on academic metrics, with underwhelming ratings for college prep, teacher satisfaction, and overall student experience. Several also struggle with resource gaps, aging infrastructure, and high percentages of economically disadvantaged students—issues that drive inequities across the Houston metro.
Where does Houston ISD fall?
Houston Independent School District (HISD)—the largest public school district in Texas—ranks below the midpoint in the 2026 list, landing in the bottom third of Houston-area districts at No. 32. While HISD still boasts a handful of standout magnet and specialty campuses, the overall district grade was dragged down by systemic issues: inconsistent academic performance, high teacher turnover, and declining public trust after a controversial state takeover in 2023…