For Magnolia families, the latest state school ratings tell a story that goes beyond a single letter grade. Magnolia ISD earned an 87, or B rating, in the 2026 Texas Education Agency A-F Accountability Ratings, marking the district’s highest score since Texas began using its revised accountability framework.

The district improved from an 86 in 2025 and an 84 in 2024, continuing an upward trend that Magnolia ISD leaders say reflects the work of students, teachers, staff, campus administrators and families.

Perhaps the most notable result can be found at the campus level: eight Magnolia ISD schools earned A ratings in 2026, the most in district history, and both of the district’s comprehensive high schools—Magnolia High School and Magnolia West High School—received the state’s top rating.

For a growing community where school quality is closely watched by parents, homebuyers and longtime residents alike, the results offer a clearer picture of where Magnolia ISD is making academic gains and where opportunities for continued improvement remain.

Magnolia ISD’s 87 Reflects Gains in Student Achievement and School Progress

Texas’ A-F accountability system evaluates districts through three primary areas: Student Achievement, School Progress and Closing the Gaps. The state’s current framework stems from the accountability system refresh implemented beginning with the 2023 ratings; TEA maintained the established cut points and overall methodology for the 2026 ratings. 

Magnolia ISD earned a B in all three domains:

• Student Achievement: 88
• School Progress: 87
• Closing the Gaps: 84

The district’s Student Achievement score rose from 86 in 2025 and 85 in 2024, while School Progress climbed from 84 in both 2024 and 2025 to 87 this year. Closing the Gaps decreased slightly from 86 in 2025 to 84 in 2026.

Those numbers help explain why the overall Magnolia ISD accountability rating has moved upward over the past three years rather than simply showing where the district landed in 2026.

Eight Magnolia ISD Campuses Earn A Ratings

The 2026 results brought a district record for the number of Magnolia ISD campuses receiving an A.

The eight A-rated schools are:

• Audubon Elementary
• Bear Branch Elementary
• Tom R. Ellisor Elementary
• J.L. Lyon Elementary
• Magnolia Parkway Elementary
• Cedric C. Smith Elementary
• Magnolia High School
• Magnolia West High School

Seven campuses received B ratings: Nichols Sawmill Elementary, Bear Branch Junior High, Magnolia Intermediate, Magnolia Junior High, Magnolia Parkway Intermediate, Magnolia Parkway Junior High and Willie E. Williams Elementary. TEA's school report card also lists Stephens Academy with a B rating.

Two campuses—Bear Branch Intermediate and Magnolia Elementary—earned C ratings, each with a score of 79, according to the district announcement. Project Restore is listed by TEA as not rated.

The range of campus results matters because a districtwide score can sometimes hide significant differences from one school to another. For Magnolia parents searching for Magnolia ISD school ratings, Magnolia ISD elementary school ratings or Magnolia high school ratings, the campus-level results provide a more useful look at individual schools.

Magnolia ISD Students Outpace State STAAR Results in Several Measures

The district’s 88 Student Achievement score includes STAAR performance, graduation and measures of college, career and military readiness.

TEA data show Magnolia ISD students performed above statewide percentages across all subjects at each major STAAR performance level reported.

Across all tested subjects, 81% of Magnolia ISD students scored at Approaches Grade Level or Above, compared with 76% statewide. At the Meets Grade Level or Above standard, Magnolia ISD posted 60%, compared with 52% statewide. At Masters Grade Level, the district reached 29%, compared with 24% statewide.

The difference was particularly noticeable in science, where 68% of Magnolia ISD students reached Meets Grade Level or Above compared with 54% statewide, while 42% reached Masters Grade Level compared with 28% across Texas.

For families, those numbers provide some of the underlying context behind the district's overall rating. The A-F score is not based on one test or one student group alone; it combines multiple measures intended to show both current academic performance and preparation for what comes after graduation.

College, Career and Military Readiness Stands Out

Magnolia ISD also posted strong results in College, Career and Military Readiness, commonly known as CCMR, an area of growing interest for families evaluating how well high schools prepare students for life after graduation.

TEA reports that 97% of Magnolia ISD students received credit under at least one CCMR criterion, compared with 87% statewide. In addition, 85.2% met the state's measure involving college-readiness standards or completion of an eligible college-preparation course, compared with 64.7% statewide.

Among other readiness measures, 33.5% of Magnolia ISD students met the criterion score on an AP or IB exam, compared with 23.3% statewide. The district also reported participation through dual credit courses, industry-based certifications, OnRamps coursework and military enlistment.

Magnolia ISD’s graduation rates were also above statewide figures. The district posted a 94.9% four-year graduation rate, compared with 91.2% statewide, and a 1.2% dropout rate compared with the state rate of 1.9%.

School Progress Shows Continued Academic Growth

Magnolia ISD’s School Progress score increased three points to 87, providing another encouraging indicator for families because the measure considers not only where students are performing now but how they are progressing academically over time.

Within that domain, Magnolia ISD earned an 80 for Academic Growth and an 87 for Relative Performance. TEA describes Relative Performance as a comparison between a district's results and those of districts serving similar percentages of economically disadvantaged students. Magnolia ISD's economically disadvantaged population is listed at 46.2%.

TEA data indicate that about 68% of students included in the academic growth measure made at least one year of academic progress, while the accelerated-learning figure was 39%. Those percentages are provided for informational purposes and are not themselves used directly to calculate the district rating.

Closing Achievement Gaps Remains an Area to Watch

While Magnolia ISD improved in several areas, the accountability data also point to work still ahead.

The district earned an 84 in Closing the Gaps, down from 86 in 2025 but above the 80 recorded in 2024. The domain evaluates whether different student groups are meeting state performance targets and progressing academically.

TEA data show differences in academic achievement among student groups. For example, the reported Reading/Language Arts academic achievement measure was 70% for white students, 53% for Hispanic students and 49% for African American students. Mathematics figures were 63%, 47% and 35%, respectively.

Those figures add important context to an otherwise positive districtwide report. A rising overall rating demonstrates progress, but the Closing the Gaps measure keeps attention on whether that progress is reaching students across demographic and educational groups.

A Growing District Serving More Than 15,000 Students

Magnolia ISD served 15,329 students across 19 schools during the 2025-26 school year, according to TEA. The district employed approximately 1,035 full-time teachers and more than 2,014 full-time staff members, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.8 students per teacher.

That scale makes year-to-year movement in the state accountability system significant. Improvements have to occur across thousands of students and multiple grade levels, from early elementary classrooms through high school graduation.

Magnolia ISD’s 2026 results also come as Texas continues using the accountability framework refreshed beginning with the 2023 ratings. TEA says the state accountability system is designed to measure student performance, academic progress, achievement gaps and preparation for postsecondary success. 

What the 2026 Magnolia ISD Ratings Mean for Local Families

For parents and residents, the takeaway is both straightforward and nuanced.

Magnolia ISD is moving upward under Texas' current accountability system. Its overall score has increased from 84 in 2024 to 86 in 2025 and now 87 in 2026. Eight schools reached the A level, both Magnolia high schools earned A ratings, STAAR performance exceeded statewide results in multiple areas, and college, career and military readiness remained a district strength.

At the same time, two campuses remain in the C range and the district's Closing the Gaps score shows that ensuring consistent progress across student groups remains part of the work ahead.

That combination is what makes the latest ratings meaningful for the Magnolia community. They offer families reasons to recognize progress while also providing a public roadmap of where schools can continue improving.

For Magnolia ISD students and educators heading into another school year, an 87 is not simply another state-issued number. It represents the district's strongest performance yet under the revised accountability system—and establishes a new benchmark to build upon.

My Neighborhood News will continue following Magnolia ISD news, Magnolia school ratings, campus performance and education updates that matter to local students, parents and 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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