Public schools in Texas

The NCES directory lists 9,192 public schools operating in Texas in 2024-25; 8,846 of them reported 5,427,000 students, averaging 14.5 students per teacher, the 19th highest of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Houston ISD, with 176,727 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools8,8464,615 elementary, 1,691 middle, 2,039 high, 501 other
Students5,427,00011.2% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher14.5U.S. 15.3

Texas has fewer students per teacher than the U.S. average

Texas ranks 19th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. Oklahoma15.4
  2. Indiana15.2
  3. Delaware14.6
  4. Texas14.5
  5. Minnesota14.2
  6. Wisconsin14.2
  7. Iowa14.1

Eight in ten larger Texas districts spent between $10,322 and $14,560 per student

Among the 577 Texas districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $10,322 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $14,560; the median was $12,244. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Texas districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23577 values from $8,905 to $30,654; ; state median $12,244.$10,322$14,560the middle eight in ten5 more above $17,500 →← 1 below $7,500$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $12,244
Current spending per student, Texas districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23577 values from $8,905 to $30,654; ; state median $12,244.$10,322$14,560the middle eight in ten5 more above $17,500 →← 1 below $7,500$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $12,244
Current spending per student, Texas districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23577 values from $8,905 to $30,654; ; state median $12,244.$10,322$14,560the middle eight in ten5 more above $17,500 →← 1 below $7,500$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $12,244
Current spending per student, Texas districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-23577 values from $8,905 to $30,654; ; state median $12,244.$10,322$14,560the middle eight in ten5 more above $17,500 →← 1 below $7,500$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $12,244

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 51.7% of the Texas students tested met the state's reading standard and 43.7% its math standard. Texas writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Texas's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 90.3% of 403,301 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Texas almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Texas Virtual Academy at Hallsville, 19,731 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Alief Learning Ctr (6-12), 3.3 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD, $30,654 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Huntington ISD, $96,219 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Arabic Immersion Magnet School, 0.2% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Spring Branch Academic Institute, 79 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Early ISD, 72 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Texas

  1. Houston ISD176,727
  2. Dallas ISD138,630
  3. Cypress-Fairbanks ISD114,199
  4. Northside ISD98,894
  5. Katy ISD91,978
  6. Idea Public Schools78,798
  7. Fort Bend ISD76,133
  8. Austin ISD71,850

Every Texas school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Houston535,389 students759 schools
  2. San Antonio327,393 students521 schools
  3. Dallas203,063 students352 schools
  4. Austin159,461 students258 schools
  5. Fort Worth148,309 students257 schools
  6. El Paso149,154 students213 schools
  7. Arlington69,797 students102 schools
  8. Corpus Christi53,088 students90 schools
  9. Katy101,465 students86 schools
  10. Laredo61,843 students84 schools
  11. Amarillo39,956 students79 schools
  12. Lubbock41,162 students78 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Texas's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Texas?
    The NCES directory lists 9,192 operating in 2024-25; 8,846 of them reported students: 4,615 elementary, 1,691 middle, 2,039 high and 501 other, enrolling 5,427,000 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Texas?
    14.5 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Texas?
    Houston ISD, with 176,727 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Texas spend per public-school student?
    $12,148 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .