Houston high schools earn top national rankings

Houston-area public high schools have achieved significant recognition in the 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings. Carnegie Vanguard High School emerged as a top performer, ranking No. 25 among public high schools nationwide and No. 2 in Texas, an improvement from its No. 42 national ranking the previous year.

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) demonstrated strong regional presence, with its campuses occupying six of the top eight positions in the Houston metropolitan area. Notable high-ranking institutions include DeBakey High School for Health Professions, which ranks No. 91 nationally and No. 9 in Texas. Other HISD schools in the top tier include Challenge Early College High School, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, and Eastwood Academy.

Beyond HISD, several other local schools earned national recognition for STEM excellence, including Memorial High School (No. 86), Seven Lakes High School (No. 96), and Dulles High School (No. 99). The U.S. News rankings evaluate approximately 27,000 schools based on criteria such as college readiness, curriculum breadth, graduation rates, and state assessment performance.