For Magnolia ISD families, the district’s September 14 Board of Trustees meeting offered a broad look at where the school system stands today and where it is headed next.

Student performance is climbing as Magnolia continues to grow. Major projects from the voter-approved 2026 bond are moving deeper into the construction process. The district also reviewed its state financial accountability requirements, school safety findings and several administrative matters, while taking time to recognize a local family whose connection to Magnolia schools stretches across generations.

Together, the discussions reflected a school district managing two realities at once: celebrating stronger academic results while preparing classrooms, campuses and programs for the students still coming.

Magnolia ISD posts its highest score under the current accountability system

One of the meeting’s most detailed presentations focused on Magnolia ISD’s 2026 Texas Education Agency accountability results, which gave the district an overall score of 87, up from an 86 for 2025 and the highest score Magnolia ISD has earned under the state’s revised A-F accountability system.

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brandon Garza walked trustees through how the Texas school accountability system measures student achievement, academic growth, performance among different student populations, graduation and college, career and military readiness. His presentation also gave trustees a closer look at how individual campus scores ultimately contribute to the districtwide rating.

“We had eight A campuses, the most we ever had,” Garza told trustees during the presentation.

Those A-rated campuses are Audubon Elementary, Bear Branch Elementary, Ellisor Elementary, Lyon Elementary, Magnolia Parkway Elementary, Smith Elementary, Magnolia High School and Magnolia West High School. Seven additional campuses earned B ratings, while Bear Branch Intermediate and Magnolia Elementary each received a 79, placing them one point below the B range.

The result marked another step forward from the previous accountability cycle. Magnolia ISD earned an 86 in 2025, when seven campuses received A ratings.

STAAR gains, college readiness and 47 distinctions stand out

District leaders pointed to gains in science and Algebra I as important contributors to the stronger results.

Garza told the board Magnolia ISD saw significant increases in science performance at multiple grade levels, including fifth grade, eighth grade and high school biology. Algebra I results also improved at both high schools.

“Our score was 87. The average district in the state of Texas was an 81,” Garza said.

Magnolia West High School received particular attention during the presentation. The campus earned a 93 overall rating, and 531 of its 536 graduates in the Class of 2025 met at least one College, Career and Military Readiness, or CCMR, indicator, according to the district presentation.

Magnolia High School’s CCMR rate was also high, with district officials saying only about 30 graduates between the district’s two traditional high schools did not meet a CCMR indicator.

Those indicators can include qualifying scores on Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, SAT, ACT or Texas Success Initiative assessments, earning dual credit, completing certain industry-based certifications or entering the military.

The district is also expanding access to dual-credit coursework. Garza said roughly 500 Magnolia ISD seniors are enrolled in a dual-credit course this year, a number district leaders expect to significantly increase the share of students leaving high school with college credit.

Another notable figure was the district’s 47 distinction designations, awarded when campuses rank among the top performers in comparison groups with similar student populations. Magnolia ISD earned 26 distinctions the previous year.

“We earned 47 distinctions last year. The year before we had 26,” Garza said.

For parents trying to understand what those state ratings mean, the district emphasized that accountability is not based on one number alone. Elementary and middle school ratings rely heavily on STAAR achievement and academic growth, while high school ratings also factor in graduation and college, career and military readiness. Performance among individual student groups can also affect a campus rating.

Teachers remain at the center of the academic gains

While much of the presentation involved formulas, percentages and state accountability rules, the discussion eventually came back to something much more familiar to families: teachers.

Garza credited collaborative instructional teams with helping drive gains in Algebra I, biology and elementary science.

“We have strong teachers,” he said.

He also cautioned trustees that staffing changes can affect performance from year to year. Some successful teaching teams have changed because of retirements or departures, meaning campuses now face the work of helping new educators settle into those roles.

The district is also preparing for additional changes to Texas testing and accountability rules. Garza told trustees that changes are coming to CCMR calculations, while the state is also working toward replacing the current STAAR structure with multiple shorter assessments during the school year. Details of that future system are still developing.

2026 bond projects move further into construction planning

Academic performance was only part of the night’s discussion.

Trustees also considered contracts connected to Magnolia ISD’s $465.69 million 2026 bond, which voters approved in May with 63% support. The bond was designed largely around enrollment growth and new instructional space, with 92% of the package devoted to facilities.

The September agenda included contracts with B&C Constructors, Inc. for construction of Elementary School No. 10 and Elementary School No. 11, along with contracts with Stewart Builders, Inc. for High School No. 3 and additions at Magnolia High School and Magnolia West High School. 

The three new campuses represent some of the most visible pieces of Magnolia ISD’s response to residential growth across the district.

Elementary School No. 10 is planned for the Kresston development and is scheduled to open in August 2028. Elementary School No. 11 is expected to open in August 2029, with its location to be determined based on growth patterns. High School No. 3 is planned along FM 1486 near the State Highway 249 Tollway and is projected to open in August 2030. 

The bond also includes funding for safety and security improvements, land acquisition for future campuses, buses and capital improvements to aging district systems.

For families watching development spread across Magnolia and western Montgomery County, those construction timelines are becoming increasingly relevant. The district has previously said growth projections placed multiple elementary campuses near 90% capacity and projected Magnolia West High School to move beyond capacity without additional space.

Magnolia ISD honors Tony and Dolly Gullo

The meeting also included a moment rooted less in growth projections and more in Magnolia history.

Trustees approved naming the district’s livestock show barn the Tony & Dolly Gullo Magnolia ISD Livestock Show Barn, honoring the late couple’s decades of support for Magnolia students, particularly those involved in FFA and agricultural programs.

Dolly Gullo moved to Magnolia as a child, graduated as Magnolia High School’s valedictorian in 1948 and later taught at Magnolia Elementary for 10 years. She and her husband Tony became longtime supporters of the Magnolia ISD agricultural community and regularly contributed to students participating in the annual livestock show and auction.

Tony Gullo died in 2024 at age 90, and Dolly Gullo died in 2025 at age 94. Their family has continued its involvement in the community.

For generations of Magnolia families connected to FFA, livestock projects and agricultural education, placing their names on the show barn creates a permanent connection between that history and the students who will use the facility in the years ahead.

Financial accountability, school safety and other board business

The September 14 meeting also served as a public hearing on Magnolia ISD’s Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas, commonly known as FIRST, the state system used to evaluate the financial management practices of public school districts. The district’s financial transparency materials confirm the September meeting included the required discussion of its state financial accountability rating.

Trustees also considered preliminary end-of-fiscal-year budget amendments.

Several other items appeared on the consent agenda, including the August check register and investment report, out-of-district student transfers, 2026-27 off-campus physical education providers and findings from the district’s school safety audit.

The board also approved moving its regularly scheduled October 12 meeting to October 26, 2026. Magnolia ISD’s current calendar lists the October 26 board meeting for 6:30 p.m. at the Magnolia Event Center.

Trustees also considered creating a designated three-member Board Grievance Committee under Texas Education Code to hear certain Level 3 employee, student, parent and public grievances.

Another portion of the agenda addressed Magnolia ISD’s annual certification of compliance required by the Texas Education Agency under Texas Education Code 39.008 and Senate Bill 12, along with a related public hearing. 

Before adjourning, the board entered executive session to discuss findings from recent security-related detection audits, consult with legal counsel, discuss real property matters and address personnel issues, as permitted under the Texas Open Meetings Act.

What Magnolia families should watch next

For residents, the September meeting provided several markers worth following during the 2026-27 school year.

The district enters the year with its strongest accountability rating under the current state system and more A-rated campuses than it has previously recorded. At the same time, Magnolia ISD is beginning the substantial work of turning its 2026 bond package into actual schools, additions and infrastructure for a growing student population.

That means academic performance and physical growth will continue moving alongside one another.

Families can expect future board discussions to include construction progress on Elementary Schools No. 10 and 11 and High School No. 3, continued monitoring of campus performance, changes to Texas accountability and STAAR testing, and planning for the next stages of enrollment growth.

The Magnolia ISD Board of Trustees generally meets on the second Monday of each month at the Magnolia Event Center, unless otherwise noted. The next regular meeting has been moved to October 26.

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for continued coverage of Magnolia ISD schools, bond construction, board decisions and other developments affecting local families.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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