NCES CCD 2024-25 68 schools TX

Best-Resourced Schools in Garland, TX

68 public K-12 schools in Garland from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.

68
Schools
44,467
Students
40.4/100
Avg Resource Index
17.9:1
Avg Student-Teacher Ratio

National city placement

Large, fragmented school market

According to NCES CCD 2024-25, Garland has more public-school enrollment than 98% of the 4,487 US cities in this directory. Garland is among the largest city school systems in this directory by enrollment, but its campuses are divided among 7 districts. That combination matters: citywide averages blend separate budgets, staffing policies, attendance boundaries, and program rules. For a family comparing schools here, the district column is as important as the city average; two nearby campuses may answer to different boards and draw on different F-33 funding pools.

Combined-grade campuses shape the local portfolio

39 of Garland's 68 listed schools use NCES's combined or “other” grade-level classification. Citywide averages therefore blend campuses serving unusually broad or nonstandard grade spans with conventional elementary, middle, and high schools. Grade configuration is a first-order comparison here, not a minor label.

Campus spread matters more than the city mean

The 85-point gap between Garland Aec and Lyles Middle Collegiate Int shows the range hidden by Garland's average Resource Investment Index. The city figure is useful for national placement, but families ultimately choose among campuses with different grade spans, enrollment, district affiliations, and reported support fields. Start with schools serving the relevant grade level, then compare the index components rather than assuming the city average describes any one classroom.

City enrollment
Top 2%
School count
Top 2%
Resource Index average
47th percentile
Teacher staffing
26th percentile

Garland school enrollment varies 488× across entities

Garland school enrollment ranges from 6 students (lowest) to 2,929 students (highest), a spread of 2,923 students. That ratio is an extreme outlier spread — among the widest gaps observed anywhere in this dataset. Per-school staffing and program breadth can differ sharply at opposite ends of that enrollment range, so the city average should not be treated as a typical campus.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Garland reports 70.0% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share sits between 62.5% and 75%, above a simple majority but below the highest descriptive band used here. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Garland operates 7 school districts — among the most fragmented governance structures in the country

Each school district has independent budgeting, hiring, and service delivery authority. The fragmentation reflects historical patterns of inter-municipal boundary lines that pre-date modern city growth, students in different parts of the same city can attend different districts with different per-pupil spending, calendars, and graduation requirements. Per-region variation is largest in fragmented systems because each school district sets its own budget, contracts, and priorities without higher-level coordination above the regulatory floor.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Garland student-teacher ratio is 17.9:1 — near the typical range (US average ~15.7) — citywide staffing is neither unusually lean nor unusually crowded by this measure

student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Variation between sub-units within Garland is typically wider than the Garland-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, Public School Universe

7 of Garland's 68 listed schools are charters

10% of the city's listed public-school campuses are reported as charter schools in NCES CCD. Charter status identifies a different governance arrangement; it does not establish admissions availability, academic quality, or the share of city students enrolled in those campuses. Open each school record to compare enrollment and staffing directly.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

# School Score
1. Garland Aec 85
2. Texans Can Academy - Garland 75
3. Walnut Glen Acad for Excel 55
4. Austin Acad for Excell 54
5. Montclair El 53
6. Jackson Technology Center 52
7. Harmony School of Innovation - Garland 51
8. Iltexas Garland H S 51
9. Big Springs El 51
10. Price El 51
11. Heather Glen El 51
12. O Henry El 50
13. S Garland H S 49
14. Roach El 49
15. Classical Center at Brandenburg Middle 48
16. Luna El 48
17. Hillside Acad for Excel 48
18. Caldwell El 48
19. Kimberlin Acad for Excel 47
20. Handley El 47
21. Shorehaven El 46
22. Centerville El 46
23. Williams El 46
24. Beaver Technology Center 45
25. Iltexas Garland El 43
26. O'banion Middle 43
27. Sam Houston Middle 43
28. Daugherty El 43
29. Davis El 43
30. Cooper El 43
31. Club Hill El 43
32. Southgate El 43
33. Webb Middle 42
34. Bussey Middle 42
35. N Garland H S 41
36. Vernal Lister El 41
37. Northlake El 41
38. Iltexas Garland Middle 41
39. Ethridge El 40
40. Classical Center at Vial El 40
41. Lyles Middle 40
42. Watson Technology Center 40
43. Bradfield El 40
44. Hickman El 40
45. Lakeview Centennial H S 39
46. Sellers Middle 39
47. Spring Creek El 39
48. Naaman Forest H S 38
49. Harmony Science Academy - Garland 38
50. Golden Meadows El 38

Showing top 50 of 68 schools.

Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Garland

Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.

  1. 1 Luna El 76.5/100
  2. 2 Harmony Science Academy - Garland 75.9/100
  3. 3 Harmony School of Innovation - Garland 75.5/100
  4. 4 Kimberlin Acad for Excel 74.6/100
  5. 5 Big Springs El 74.4/100

What do families ask about schools in Garland?

Which Garland school has the highest Resource Investment Index?

Garland Aec has the highest Resource Investment Index among the Garland schools in this federal-data comparison at 85/100. The index summarizes reported staffing, counseling, gifted-program, and attendance inputs; it is not an academic rating.

How many schools are in Garland, TX?

Garland has 68 public schools with a total enrollment of 44,467 students. 7 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 17.9:1.

Other Cities in Texas

Side-by-side: Compare any two schools or districts in Texas →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. The Resource Investment Index uses reported student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance; it is not an academic rating. Cities must include at least five schools to be listed. This public-data comparison is for informational purposes: verify current enrollment, attendance boundaries, and programs with the school district before acting. See the guide to understanding NCES data.