Best public high schools in Texas
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
Best public high schools in Texas
Child’s shoes with a backpack leaning against their legs.
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: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, 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 30 best public high schools in Texas using 2023 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. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
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#30. Waxahachie Global High School
A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.
– Location: Waxahachie Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 391 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Achira22 // Shutterstock
#29. Memorial High School
A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.
– Location: Spring Branch Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,531 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#28. Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet School
A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 468 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
#27. Flower Mound High School
A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.
– Location: Lewisville Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,602 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Mircea Moira // Shutterstock
#26. Alief Early College High School
Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.
– Location: Alief Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 412 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
#25. Cypress Woods High School
A high school student doing a chemical experiment.
– Location: Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,185 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
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#24. Cypress Ranch High School
A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.
– Location: Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,549 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#23. Highland Park High School
A student raising their hand in class.
– Location: Highland Park Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,260 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
#22. Cinco Ranch High School
An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,475 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
#21. Uplift North Hills Preparatory – High School
A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.
– Location: Uplift Education, TX
– Enrollment: 494 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
#20. Kerr High School
A row of empty desks with notebooks and pencils on them.
– Location: Alief Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 790 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock
#19. Clear Horizons Early College High School
A hallway lined with green lockers.
– Location: Clear Creek Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 416 (30:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
sirtravelalot // Shutterstock
#18. Meridian World School
A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.
– Location: Round Rock, TX
– Enrollment: 1,679 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
maroke // Shutterstock
#17. Clements High School
An empty classroom as viewed from the back.
– Location: Fort Bend Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,488 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Studio KIWI // Shutterstock
#16. Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts
A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 781 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
GagliardiPhotography // Shutterstock
#15. Liberty High School
A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.
– Location: Frisco Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,936 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock
#14. BASIS San Antonio – Shavano Campus
An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.
– Location: BASIS Texas Charter Schools, TX
– Enrollment: 976 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
#13. Coppell High School
Students using microscopes in science class.
– Location: Coppell Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,839 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Joyseulay // Shutterstock
#12. Obra D. Tompkins High School
High school students studying and reading together in their school library.
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,254 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
#11. Vandegrift High School
Students raising their hands for class participation.
– Location: Leander Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,723 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#10. Seven Lakes High School
A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.
– Location: Katy Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 3,582 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#9. Debakey H.S. for Health Prof
Two students sharing a book.
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 891 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#8. Westwood High IB World School
A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.
– Location: Round Rock Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,781 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Roman Kosolapov // Shutterstock
#7. Carroll Senior High School
A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.
– Location: Carroll Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,394 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
LBeddoe // Shutterstock
#6. Westlake High School
Students’ backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.
– Location: Eanes Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 2,823 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#5. South Texas ISD Science Academy
Bookshelves at a high school’s library.
– Location: South Texas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 764 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
DenisProduction.com // Shutterstock
#4. Carnegie Vanguard High School
A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.
– Location: Houston Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 823 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#3. Liberal Arts & Science Academy
Two rows of red lockers.
– Location: Austin Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 1,309 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Anna Jurkovska // Shutterstock
#2. School of Science & Engineering
Empty desks in a high school classroom.
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 501 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
Canva
#1. School for the Talented & Gifted
A closeup of a student taking notes in class.
– Location: Dallas Independent School District, TX
– Enrollment: 502 (19:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Niche grade: Grade A+
This story features data reporting and writing by Emma Rubin and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
