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Frisco vs. Plano: Which district has higher-rated schools?

It’s a battle of the ‘burbs.
Credit: Pexels
School classroom

DALLAS — Both Frisco and Plano school districts each have about 70 graded schools in this year's Texas Education Agency's scoring.

Both districts serve predominantly white students, and overall received 'A' grades.

But most of the similarities stop there.

Overall, Frisco ISD and Plano ISD scored a 93 and 91, respectively.

About 85 percent of Frisco ISD's individual schools scored a 90 or higher, nearly twice as many percentage points as Plano.

Plano enrolled fewer students than Frisco, but more of their student population is economically disadvantaged.

Only eight Frisco schools scored a B and none scored lower than a C.

The highest ranked school in the district, McSpedden Elementary, serves 593 student in kindergarten through fifth grade. The student population is majority Asian, is 1.5 percent economically disadvantaged and has a ratio of one teacher to every 14 students.

To see all of Frisco’s top public schools, click here.

Plano's top school was C.M. Rice Middle, where 1,044 students are enrolled. The students range from sixth to eighth grade, are predominantly Asian and are economically disadvantaged at a rate of 6 percent. There is one teacher for every 17 students.

In Plano, the average school score was 91 and 33 schools received a grade of B.

For a ranking of all of Plano’s top schools, click here.

Of the nearly 9,000 schools across Texas, nearly 20 percent were given an A in the Texas Education Agency's annual grading process — a small fraction of which received a perfect score.

The top five rated schools in Texas received perfect scores, and the top 32 rated schools received near-perfect scores. Most of the top-notch schools were alternative, early college or magnet schools and nearly all of them were high schools.

Three North Texas schools made a perfect or near-perfect score:

  • New Horizon High School, Joshua ISD: 100
  • Early College High School, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD: 99
  • Arlington Collegiate High School, Arlington ISD: 99

New Horizon High School is about an hour southwest of Dallas in Johnson County and is an alternative learning high school with a student population of 49.

Each year, the TEA releases annual accountability grades, which are based on student achievement, school progress and performance among student groups.

Five of the top schools were in Houston’s Independent School District, while four were in the San Antonio area, and none of the top schools were in Austin. Explore all schools that received a 99 or 100 score in the slideshow above.

Only two of the top-graded schools didn't serve high school students. Of the 1,266 schools that served students in ninth grade or higher, 28 percent received an A. On average, Texas' A high schools scored a 93.

To view the top-rated high schools statewide, click here.

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