Denton Isd, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Denton Isd

Denton ISD serves a student body spread across a large suburban and exurban footprint in Denton County, north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The district enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across towns including Denton, Flower Mound, Corinth, Argyle, Aubrey, Prosper, Little Elm, and smaller communities. The population is diverse: roughly a third of students are Hispanic, a third white, and a fifth Black, with smaller shares of Asian students and other backgrounds.

The district's academic profile presents a mixed picture. In English language arts, the district shows moderate proficiency. Reading achievement across the tested grades clusters in the low to mid-50 percent range for proficiency, with eighth-grade students performing strongest. In math, the picture is weaker, particularly at the middle school level. Fourth- and eighth-graders meet proficiency around 40-43 percent; sixth- and seventh-graders perform considerably lower, in the low 30s and below 20 percent. Science proficiency in tested grades also lags, with eighth-grade science at 41 percent. Social studies is similarly constrained, at 29 percent for eighth grade. Spanish-immersion assessments show very limited proficiency in small cohorts, suggesting either low enrollment in that pathway or challenges with mastery when it is offered. Overall, the district's proficiency index sits below the midpoint when compared to other Denton County districts, a meaningful signal that academic performance is not where the county's median district sits.

Attendance presents a second concern. Chronic absenteeism runs at a rate below the county median but still substantial, meaning a meaningful share of students are missing school regularly enough to affect learning.

The district is navigating real fiscal strain. In November 2025, voters approved a tax rate increase after six consecutive years of decreases, a reversal that signals budget pressure. The district had already consolidated full-time positions in the prior two years, including some classroom roles and program cuts. The increase was structured to address a projected shortfall and fund teacher salary restoration, safety, and programs. Property values in the district's coverage area remain in a moderate to upper range depending on location, with housing weighted across Denton proper, outlying suburban towns, and exurban pockets. Monthly rental costs average in the middle range for the region. Homes are affordable relative to national benchmarks but have declined slightly year-over-year.

The district is undertaking substantial capital expansion. A major bond passed in May 2023 was structured not to raise the debt-service tax rate and funds new schools, a fifth high school, replacement campuses, and an advanced technology center. This growth infrastructure reflects sustained enrollment pressure and shapes the district's near-term capacity and school openings.

A significant recent change affects families zoned to Paloma Creek Elementary, which the district is repurposing after not meeting state standards for consecutive years. Roughly a mid-sized cohort of students at that campus have been rezoned to nearby higher-performing schools for the 2026-27 school year. Separately, the district is relaunching a virtual learning program, Denton Digital, as a full K-12 online option starting fall 2026, with hybrid choices, restoring a pathway it had closed in 2023.

The district is mid-size for the state and continues to grow. It encompasses both newer, affluent suburban neighborhoods and older, more economically mixed areas within Denton and surrounding towns. A parent or resident should weigh the academic proficiency data—particularly the math and science gaps at middle school—against the district's capital investment, the tax increase now in place, ongoing staffing and budget restructuring, and the specific school assignment and programs available to their student. School-by-school performance, individual campus programs, and enrollment trends in their assigned attendance zone would all matter concretely for a family's fit within the district.

See more original research from School Decision →

District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

32,866

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 35%

Black 21%

White 34%

Asian 4%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

16%

65%

Gr 4

31%

68%

Gr 5

39%

73%

Gr 6

40%

72%

Gr 7

34%

70%

Gr 8

46%

74%

Math

Gr 3

27%

55%

Gr 4

26%

54%

Gr 5

22%

Gr 6

17%

47%

Gr 7

10%

27%

Gr 8

27%

59%

Science

Gr 5

Gr 8

24%

58%

Social studies

Gr 8

15%

42%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

40%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

17%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

41%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

19%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

37%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

15%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

46%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

17%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

45%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

16%

—

Schools in this District

50 schools are officially reported under this district.

ALICE MOORE ALEXANDER

NEWTON RAYZOR EL

STRICKLAND MIDDLE

NETTE SHULTZ

JOE DALE SPARKS CAMPUS

THE ANN WINDLE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

REGIONAL DAY SCH DEAF

EMILIO & GUADALUPE GONZALEZ PRE-K CENTER

PAT HAGAN CHEEK MIDDLE

SANDBROCK RANCH EL

FRED MOORE H S

DENTON K-8 VIRTUAL ACADEMY

FRED HILL EL

DOROTHY MARTINEZ EL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

21%

Grade 3

40%

Grade 4

13%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 6

17%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

52%

Grade 3

52%

Grade 4

56%

Grade 5

56%

Grade 6

51%

Grade 7

60%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

Grade 5

41%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

29%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$393,167

Year-over-year change-4.9%

Range across 15 ZIP codes$279K to $779K

vs. state typical1.30x

vs. national typical1.07x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (15 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
76227	Aubrey	$361K	-7.6%	21.9%
76207	Denton	$355K	-5.0%	21.3%
76208	Denton	$411K	-3.4%	16.0%
76226	Argyle	$584K	-3.5%	8.5%
76210	Corinth	$394K	-3.9%	7.9%
76205	Denton	$366K	-4.4%	5.1%
75068	Little Elm	$405K	-7.3%	4.3%
76209	Denton	$292K	-4.5%	4.1%
76201	Denton	$279K	-2.2%	3.4%
76266	Sanger	$358K	-2.3%	3.1%
76259	Ponder	$360K	-3.0%	1.8%
75022	Flower Mound	$779K	-1.6%	1.0%
75078	Prosper	$762K	-6.3%	0.7%
76249	Krum	$345K	-4.2%	0.6%
75077	Highland Village	$495K	-2.9%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,786/mo

Year-over-year change-2.2%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$1,280 to $3,944/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
76227	Aubrey	$1,689	-2.3%	21.9%
76207	Denton	$1,653	-4.1%	21.3%
76208	Denton	$1,574	-0.2%	16.0%
76226	Argyle	$2,847	+1.6%	8.5%
76210	Corinth	$1,813	+0.7%	7.9%
76205	Denton	$1,280	-6.0%	5.1%
75068	Little Elm	$2,261	-1.6%	4.3%
76209	Denton	$1,344	-8.6%	4.1%
76201	Denton	$1,454	-3.8%	3.4%
76266	Sanger	$1,720	-1.2%	3.1%
75022	Flower Mound	$3,944	-3.3%	1.0%
75078	Prosper	$2,212	-2.5%	0.7%
76249	Krum	$2,128	—	0.6%
75077	Highland Village	$1,763	+1.2%	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,984/mo

Home price / national median income4.7x

Annual rent / national median income25.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$198/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$302,187 (-2.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.