Katy Independent
School District
5th Time’s a Charm: Niche Ranks Katy ISD No. 1 District in the Houston Area
5th Time’s a Charm: Niche Ranks Katy ISD No. 1 District in the Houston Area
KATY, TX [September 26, 2025] – The Legacy of Katy Independent School District continues to grow. The District, which serves more than 95,000 students, earned the coveted top spot in the recently released Niche 2026 Best School Districts in the Houston Area ranking, marking this the 5th consecutive year Katy ISD has earned the distinction as the No. 1 destination for public education in the region.
Katy ISD earned an A+ rating, leading the Houston Area in multiple Niche categories. The District Ranked No. 1 in:
- Best Places to Teach
- Districts with the Best Teachers
- Best School Districts for Athletes and
- Best School District in the Houston Area
“These rankings are the direct result of our top tier teachers and staff, who remain committed to delivering the highest quality learning experiences for every single child,” Katy ISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ken Gregorski said. “Five-consecutive years of being number one in Houston, and Top 10 in the state, affirms why Katy ISD remains a destination District for families. Katy ISD represents the standard of excellence in public education.”
The District is also a premier destination for teachers, according to the Niche rankings, nabbing the No. 2 slot for Best Places to Teach in Texas and ranking seventh in Best School Districts for Texas Athletes. The District ranked No. 10 overall statewide in the Best School Districts Category.
Of the nine districts ranked ahead of Katy ISD in the Best School Districts category, none serve more than 22,000 students, and five have fewer than 10,000. Katy ISD continues to lead as the top large school district in Texas.
The District’s strong Niche ratings show up in multiple categories:
- Elementary Schools – Katy ISD has six schools ranked inside of the Top 10 (60 percent), with Griffin Elementary leading the way at No. 3.
- Middle Schools – the District’s middle schools comprise 70 percent of the Top 10 Best Middle Schools in the Houston Area rankings, lead by McMeans Junior High at No. 2.
- High Schools – Seven Lakes ranked as the No. 2 High School in the Houston area, with Tompkins, Cinco Ranch and Taylor ranking in the Top 25.
Niche, a national organization that reviews and ranks K-12 schools and districts, evaluates institutions across the country using parent and student reviews, essential statistics and data from the U.S. Department of Education. This includes state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates and SAT/ACT scores. For more information and to see the full list of Katy ISD rankings, visit niche.com.
Katy ISD is the best school district in the Houston area according to the newly released Niche 2026 Best of Rankings. Shown here, these Seven Lakes Junior High School students attend the No. 4 ranked middle school in Houston.
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