Best public high schools in Texas
By Stacker
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.6 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in Texas using 2027 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. You can read more about Niche’s methodology here.
#24. Cinco Ranch High School
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,740 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#23. Meridian World School
– Location: Round Rock, TX
– Enrollment: 1,745 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#22. Allen High School
– Location: Allen Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 5,206 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#21. Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet School
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 494 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#20. Waxahachie Global High School
– Location: Waxahachie Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 369 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#19. Clear Horizons Early College High School
– Location: Clear Creek Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 459 (31:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#18. Clements High School
– Location: Fort Bend Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,641 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#17. Obra D. Tompkins High School
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,155 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#16. Coppell High School
– Location: Coppell Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 4,068 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#15. South Texas ISD Science Academy
– Location: South Texas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 840 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#14. Alief Early College High School
– Location: Alief Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 402 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#13. Carroll Senior High School
– Location: Carroll Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,422 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#12. Vandegrift High School
– Location: Leander Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,437 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#11. Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 782 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#10. Kerr High School
– Location: Alief Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 807 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#9. Debakey H.S. for Health Prof
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 929 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#8. Westwood High IB World School
– Location: Round Rock Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,858 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#7. Seven Lakes High School
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,773 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#6. Westlake High School
– Location: Eanes Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,854 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#5. Liberal Arts & Science Academy
– Location: Austin Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,616 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#4. Carnegie Vanguard High School
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 855 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#3. Spring Branch Academic Institute
– Location: Spring Branch Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 174 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#2. School of Science & Engineering
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 505 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#1. School for the Talented & Gifted
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 555 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
Best public high schools in Texas
As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a ’96 commencement address at Wellesley College, “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” If that’s the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It’s a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.6 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2022, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the best public high schools in Texas using 2027 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. You can read more about Niche’s methodology here.
#24. Cinco Ranch High School
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,740 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#23. Meridian World School
– Location: Round Rock, TX
– Enrollment: 1,745 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#22. Allen High School
– Location: Allen Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 5,206 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#21. Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet School
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 494 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#20. Waxahachie Global High School
– Location: Waxahachie Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 369 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#19. Clear Horizons Early College High School
– Location: Clear Creek Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 459 (31:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#18. Clements High School
– Location: Fort Bend Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,641 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#17. Obra D. Tompkins High School
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,155 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#16. Coppell High School
– Location: Coppell Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 4,068 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#15. South Texas ISD Science Academy
– Location: South Texas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 840 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#14. Alief Early College High School
– Location: Alief Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 402 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#13. Carroll Senior High School
– Location: Carroll Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,422 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#12. Vandegrift High School
– Location: Leander Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,437 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#11. Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 782 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#10. Kerr High School
– Location: Alief Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 807 (21:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#9. Debakey H.S. for Health Prof
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 929 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#8. Westwood High IB World School
– Location: Round Rock Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,858 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#7. Seven Lakes High School
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,773 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#6. Westlake High School
– Location: Eanes Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,854 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#5. Liberal Arts & Science Academy
– Location: Austin Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,616 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#4. Carnegie Vanguard High School
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 855 (23:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#3. Spring Branch Academic Institute
– Location: Spring Branch Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 174 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#2. School of Science & Engineering
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 505 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
#1. School for the Talented & Gifted
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 555 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: A+
