TEXOMA (KFDX/KJTL) — One of the most important decisions young families will make is deciding which city to call home, and perhaps the biggest part of that decision comes from comparing prospective school districts.

Human beings spend a majority of their most formative years inside the halls of a school, from elementary until they walk across the stage and receive their diplomas.

Deciding where your student will spend most of their time growing up is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make, and at Texoma’s Homepage, we’re here to help you out. We’ve ranked every school district in Texoma and compiled a list of the best of the best.

How We Came Up With These Rankings

As a basis for developing our raking system, we consulted Niche.com, a website that ranks every single school district in the United States. There are multiple different rankings, from best districts for athletes to best teachers. Here’s what we factored into our decisions:

Overall Statewide Ranking
Statewide Rank in Safety
Statewide Rank in Athletics
Statewide Rank in Teachers
Statewide Rank for Teachers

Schools were also graded in a variety of areas and given an overall grade, on a scale of A to F. Here are the criteria districts were graded on:

Academics
Teachers
Clubs and activities
Administration
College preparedness
Health and safety
Sports and athletics
Facilities and resources

Based on those rankings and grades, we compared the districts in Texoma to determine which one was the top-ranked in the area. Here’s our top 20 school districts in Texoma:

Overall Texoma District Rankings

1 — Holliday Independent School District

One of two Texoma school districts ranked in the top 10 percent of districts, Holliday ISD was ranked 80th in the State. Holliday ISD received the top grade for academics in the area, plus they’re top-5 in safety and athletics in Texoma. Well-rounded from top to bottom, Holliday ISD takes the top spot in Texoma.

2 — Seymour Independent School District

Only two spots behind Holliday ISD in the statewide rankings, Seymour ISD also finds itself among the top ten percent in the state. They rank sixth in terms of district safety, and third in terms of teachers, and they were the highest ranked districts to teach for in the area. They ranked 82nd in the state of Texas.

3 — Archer City Independent School District

Archer City ISD ranks 156 in Texas with an overall grade of A-. They boast the fifth best teachers as well as the fifth-ranked district to be a teacher for. They fell into the bottom half for safety, but have a variety of clubs and activities and a high grade in academics. Their facilities and resources for students add to their high scores.

4 — Benjamin Independent School District

While not a large district, Benjamin ISD has the distinct recognition as the safest school district in Texoma. They ranked in the top 50 in the state of Texas and were among the safest districts in the nation. Teachers ranked in the top 10, and Benjamin ISD ranks sixth in the area in districts to teach at.

5 — Windthorst Independent School District

The Trojans may not have a big school, but they sure have made a big name for themselves in Windthorst. They rank second in the area for athletics and boast the fourth-ranked teaching group in Texoma. Additionally, they’re one of only four districts to earn an A- or better in academics. They are the fifth and final Texoma school district in the top 200 Texas districts.

6 — Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District

Iowa Park CISD barely missed making the top 200 districts in the state. They ranked 201. But, that’s good enough to make the top 10 in Texoma. Speaking of the top 10, in all measurable categories, they rank in the top 10 in the area. That’s athletics, safety, and the best district to teach in. And, as any current Iowa Park student will agree, they claim the highest ranked teachers in Texoma.

7 — Henrietta Independent School District

The Bearcats boast top 10 ranks in district safety and in district teachers, but a B- grade for athletics and a C+ grade for clubs and activities drop Henrietta in the bottom half of the top 10 districts in Texoma.

8 — Newcastle Independent School District

This may be one of the smallest districts in Texoma, but don’t overlook them. Newcastle ISD can boast a top-100 teaching core in the state, as well as the seventh highest ranking in terms of districts that teachers love to teach in. The final district in the top 25% of the state is good enough for 8th in Texoma.

9 — Burkburnett Independent School District

The Bulldogs rank 278 in Texas and ninth in Texoma. Their athletic prowess isn’t what it has been in the past, but this district has it where it counts. They’re in the top half of Texas districts in safety and teachers, and their administration has an A-grade. They’re also only one of three districts in Texoma with at least an A- grade in college prep.

10 — Graham Independent School District

Rounding out the top 10 districts in Texoma are the Steers and Lady Blues out in Young County. Another well-rounded district, they rank third in athletics and hold a ranking of 291 in the entire state. They’re graded well in clubs and activities, administration, and college prep. There’s a little bit of everything in Graham ISD.

11 — Wichita Falls Independent School District

The biggest district in Texoma ranks just outside the top 10. It ranks in the bottom half of Texas in terms of best districts to teach for. However, they’re the top district for athletes in the area, and the options for students are plentiful. They’re the only district besides Graham ISD with an A in college prep, and they’re nationally ranked 308 in diversity.

12 — Knox City-O’Brien Consolidated Independent School District

Another small, safe district, they rank second in Texoma in terms of security. They have top grades in health as well. You’d be surprised by how many clubs and activities are available to students at such a small district.

13 — Jacksboro Independent School District

Jacksboro ISD ranks third in both safety and districts to teach for. They have A-grades in activities, administration, health, and resources.

14 — Quanah Independent School District

Quanah ISD is ranked second in the area in terms of districts to teach for. They also rank seventh in athletics and fourth in safety.

15 — City View Independent School District

The district ranks in the bottom half in the area in terms of safety, teachers, and districts to teach for. However, they’ve only had a junior high and high school for a few decades. Plus, they’re in the top 500 districts in the nation for diversity and have plenty of extracurriculars to boast.

Just missing the top 15, but still among the top 20 districts in the area:

16 — Saint Jo Independent School District
17 — Chillicothe Independent School District
18 — Woodson Independent School District
19 — Olney Independent School District
20 — Bellevue Independent School District

Best Texoma Districts For Athletes

Though it’s not the only thing that matters for determining the rank of a school district, athletics matter, Beyond historic success, it teaches students the value of discipline, teamwork, and invaluable life skills.

Of course, state titles don’t hurt.

Here are the top 5 school districts in Texoma in regards to their athletic programs:

Wichita Falls Independent School District — It comes as no shock that the area’s biggest district ranks at the top of Texoma for athletes. Bigger schools typically translate to a wider variety of athletic options, as well as more opportunities for students to put their talents on display for college scouts.
Windthorst Independent School District — With 13 state championships in volleyball and three in football, it’s also not surprising to see Windthorst at the top of the list for Texoma athletes. With a long history of excellence dating back to the late 80s, Windthorst’s state title in football in 2020 was an instant classic.
Graham Independent School District — Another historic athletic program, the Steers and Lady Blues boast state titles in boys basketball, women’s golf, and two titles for men’s golf. Additionally, they’ve been to the State Finals nine times. They also boast four former NFL players.
Holliday Independent School District — The athletic department at Holliday High School has always been a major draw for Texomans. With seven state titles to their name and numerous deep playoff runs in a variety of sports, Holliday is perhaps the most well-rounded athletic program on the list.
Iowa Park Consolidated Independent School District — Though not as dominant as they have been in the past, the Hawks and Lady Hawks of Iowa Park have a legacy of winning. Iowa Park boasts back-to-back state championships in football, and more recently, their softball program has made deep playoff runs, advancing to the state tournament in consecutive years.

Falling just outside the top five is City View Independent School District. Their junior/senior high school was only recently added, but in the last few decades, they’ve quickly made a name for themselves in athletics. Many programs made deep playoff runs in recent years, several making school history in the process.

Texoma’s Safest Districts

Nothing is more important to a parent than knowing their student is safe when they’re dropped off for school. It should come as no shock that safety is one of the most important characteristics of a school or district to parents.

It is worth noting that smaller districts tend to rank higher in terms of security, especially in rural areas. This tends to happen due to the number of campuses within the district and the availability of local authorities or district police to respond if necessary.

Here are the top 10 safest school districts in Texoma: