These are Texas' best and worst schools, districts for 2026

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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released its annual report cards on public school districts, campuses and charter schools.

What we know:

TEA published its 2026 A-F Accountability Ratings on Friday, comparing 1,202 districts and 9,105 campuses across Texas. Each district and campus was given an A-F letter grade, with grades of C or above considered acceptable academic achievement. 

According to TEA, 585 campuses improved from below A to an A grade. The agency said that 85% of campuses that received an A-F rating statewide received a C or higher.

What they're saying:

"This year’s A-F ratings illustrate the progress Texas public schools are making and acknowledge the hard work of our educators while illuminating areas of needed improvement to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education," Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a news release about the report. "Through our commitment to transparency and accessibility, parents and the public can explore the ratings and associated resources to clearly understand the performance of their schools."

Which Texas public school district is the best?

Patton Springs Independent School District (ISD) in Dickens County received an A and overall score of 100.

Here’s the full list of top five school districts in Texas:

  1. A/100: Patton Springs ISD
  2. A/97: Fayetteville ISD, Whitharral ISD, Grady ISD, Blackwell CISD, Highland ISD
  3. A/96: Claude ISD, Borden County ISD, Huckabay ISD, Loop ISD, Glasscock County ISD, Jayton-Girard ISD, McMullen County ISD, Douglass ISD, Broaddus ISD and Aspermont ISD
  4. A/95: Ft. Sam Houston ISD, South Texas ISD, Nazareth ISD, Highland Park ISD, Turkey-Quitaque ISD, Knox City-O’Brien CISD, North Zulch ISD, Rochelle ISD, and Miles ISD.
  5. A/94: Randolph Field ISD, Lovejoy ISD, Sunnyvale ISD, Klondike ISD, Sands CISD, Roby CISD, Gruver ISD, Hartley ISD, Paint Creek ISD, Abbott ISD, Guthrie CSD, Mumford ISD, Ira ISD, Sterling City IDS, Eanes ISD and Utopia ISD.

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Which Texas public school district is the worst?

Malone ISD in Hill County received the worst grade in the report – an F grade and an overall score of 44. It dropped from a B grade an overall score of 88 in 2024-25 to the F grade it received in the 2025-26 school year.

Here’s the full list of the bottom five school districts in Texas:

  1. F/44: Malone ISD
  2. F/52: Hubbard ISD and Prairie Lea ISD
  3. F/53: Morgan Mill ISD
  4. F/57: Roscoe Collegiate ISD
  5. F/58: Wharton ISD

Which Texas public school is the best?

Four public schools in Texas received a A/100 grade in the report:

  • School for the Talented and Gifted: Dallas ISD, Dallas
  • Patton Springs School: Patton Springs ISD, Afton
  • Spring Branch Academic Institute: Spring Branch ISD, Houston
  • Dovalina Elem: Laredo ISD, Laredo

Which Texas public school is the worst?

The public school campus that received the worst grade in the TEA report was Dr. Mae E. Jones-Clark Elementary School in Beaumont. It received a F/41, dropping from C/74 during the 2024-25 school year.

Which Texas charter school is the best?

Two charter schools received an A/99 grade in the report:

  • Tekoa Academy of Accelerated Studies in Port Arthur
  • Chaparral Star Academy in Austin

Which Texas charter school was the worst?

Celebrate Dyslexia School in San Antonio received the worst grade of any charter school listed in the report – F/41. It was not rated during the 2024-25 school year.

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How do TEA ratings work?

According to the TEA, each rating uses weighted scores for student achievement, school progress and a measurement called "closing the gaps," which looks at progress to goals among racial and ethnic groups, socioeconomic backgrounds and other factors. The total weighted score is then used to determine the overall score.

How can I find a school’s rating?

A searchable list of the data is at TXschools.gov.

The Source: Information in this story came from the Texas Education Agency.

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