Here’s how Fort Worth schools fared in U.S. News & World Report’s new ranking
Only one Fort Worth public school ranks in the top 100 for best elementary and middle schools in Texas, according to a new list of U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 K-8th rankings.
With lots changing in Fort Worth’s school district, let’s take a peek at what U.S. News’ ranking says about our elementary and middle schools. Read how they calculated their rankings here.
Fort Worth ISD’s elementary school rankings
Out of more than 80 Fort Worth Independent School District elementary schools, only one ranked in the top 100 for the best elementary schools in Texas.
Here are the top 10 Fort Worth elementary schools that made the ranking:
No. 1: Overton Park Elementary
- No. 11 in Texas overall.
- Score of 99.77 out of 100
- 93 percent proficient in math
- 91 percent proficient in reading
No. 2: Tanglewood Elementary
- No. 122 in Texas overall
- Score of 97.27
- 74 percent proficient in math
- 87 percent proficient in reading
No. 3: De Zavala Elementary
- No. 704 in Texas overall
- Score 84.04
- 57 percent proficient in math
- 62 percent proficient in reading
- Closing in June 2027
No. 4: Westpark Elementary
- No. 893 in Texas overall
- Score 79.89
- 56 percent proficient in math
- 71 percent proficient in reading
No. 5: Burton Hill Elementary
- No. 922 in Texas overall
- Score 79.24
- 52 percent proficient in math
- 67 percent proficient in reading
No. 6: Worth Heights Elementary
- No. 1,111 in Texas overall
- Score 74.98
- 54 percent proficient in math
- 50 percent proficient in reading
No. 7: Lily B. Clayton Elementary
- No. 1,138 in Texas overall
- Score. 74.35
- 54 percent proficient in math
- 64 percent proficient in reading
No. 8: Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center
- No. 1,189 in Texas overall
- Score 73.22
- 52 percent proficient in math
- 72 percent proficient in reading
No. 9: Alice Contreras Elementary
- No. 1,463 in Texas overall
- Score 67.04
- 41 percent proficient in math
- 55 percent proficient in reading
No. 10: Oakhurst Elementary
- No. 1,586 in Texas overall
- Score 64.27
- 47 percent proficient in math
- 47 percent proficient in reading
Fort Worth ISD’s middle school rankings
Fort Worth ISD’s middle schools first show up on U.S. News & World Report’s overall Texas rankings for best middle school at No. 245.
Here are the top 10 middle schools in Fort Worth ISD:
No. 1: Young Women’s Leadership Academy
- No. 245 in Texas overall
- Score 86.61 out of 100
- 54 percent proficient in math
- 78 percent proficient in reading
No. 2: Daggett Montessori School
- No. 365 in Texas overall
- No score
- 40 percent proficient in math
- 64 percent proficient in reading
No. 3: W.P. McLean Middle School
- No. 666 in Texas overall
- Score 64.80
- 47 percent proficient in math
- 53 percent proficient in reading
No. 4: World Languages Institute
- No. 693 in Texas overall
- Score 63.37
- 42 percent proficient in math
- 60 percent proficient in reading
No. 5: Applied Learning Academy
- No. 707 in Texas overall
- Score 62.63
- 39 percent proficient in math
- 61 percent proficient in reading
No. 6: W.P. McLean 6th Grade Center
- No. 896 in Texas overall
- Score 52.62
- 38 percent proficient in math
- 56 percent proficient in reading
- 3201 S. Hills Ave., Fort Worth
- Closing in June 2028
No. 7: Young Men’s Leadership Academy
- No. 969 in Texas overall
- Score 48.76
- 36 percent proficient in math
- 51 percent proficient in reading
No. 8: W.C. Stripling Middle School
- No. 1,099 in Texas overall
- Score 41.87
- 32 percent proficient in math
- 53 percent proficient in reading
No. 9: Benbrook Middle-High School
- No. 1,108 in Texas overall
- Score 41.40
- 37 percent proficient in math
- 46 percent proficient in reading
No. 10: Kirkpatrick Middle School
- Between No. 1,418 and 1,890 in Texas overall.
- No score
- 24 percent proficient in math
- 34 percent proficient in reading
- 3201 Refugio Ave., Fort Worth
- Closing in June 2029
More about what’s happening in Fort Worth ISD
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced on Oct. 23 that Fort Worth ISD will officially undergo a state takeover due to years of failing ratings. This means Fort Worth ISD’s current elected school board will be replaced by a state-appointed school board.
Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade Center received five “F” ratings (on a scale from A to F, F being the worst) for five years straight. According to a Texas state law passed in 2015, when this happens, the state commissioner either needs to order the school district to close the failing campus or take over the entire district’s school board. Forest Oak Sixth was closed earlier this year and now Fort Worth ISD has also been taken over by the state.
Fort Worth ISD is also planning to close 18 schools over the next four years in efforts to reallocate $10 million worth of budget due to declining enrollment. Enrollment dropped by 15% since the 2019-20 school year, and officials project another drop of 6 percent by 2029-30.