Garland Isd, TX - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Garland Isd

Garland ISD is a large district serving communities in and around Garland, Texas, in Dallas County. The district enrolled roughly fifty thousand students across kindergarten through grade twelve and operates a substantial array of campuses: elementary schools, multiple middle and high schools, several technology centers, and specialized academies.

The district's academic performance shows a mixed picture. In English language arts, results trend stronger in the lower and middle grades, with about half to three-fifths of students meeting proficiency in grades five through eight, while earlier Spanish-language assessments in grades three and four show lower proficiency rates. Mathematics performance is weaker across the board. In grade five, about half of students are proficient, but grades six and seven each show proficiency rates well below that, and the early grades tested in Spanish register even lower. Science performance at grades five and eight sits in the mid-range, around a quarter to just under half proficient. Social studies in grade eight shows particularly low proficiency, at about one quarter of students. When the state measures approach-level achievement (not full proficiency but some progress toward standards), the district shows stronger numbers across subjects, ranging from about seventy to seventy-five percent. The gap between approach-level and proficiency-level results indicates a substantial group of students making progress but not yet meeting grade-level expectations. Only the most recent school year is in the data, so historical trends are not available to show whether performance is improving or declining.

The student body is notably diverse. Hispanic students comprise about half the enrollment, Black students make up roughly a fifth, Asian students account for nearly one in ten, and white students represent about one in seven. American Indian and Pacific Islander students together make up a small share. Free-or-reduced-price lunch data and specific English learner counts were not reported in the available data, so a parent seeking that context would need to contact the school directly.

The district operates several specialized programs. Classical and college-preparatory models operate at select elementary and middle schools. STEM-focused tracks are available at several buildings. Technology centers at multiple sites offer career and technical education. Several academies have adopted explicit enrichment focuses. Dual-language pathways appear to serve Spanish-speaking families, given the Spanish-language STAAR tests reflected in the assessment results. Alternative and pathway programs at the high school level serve students with different educational needs and timelines.

The district faces real structural pressures. In recent years, Garland ISD has experienced declining enrollment, leading the board to consolidate several elementary campuses beginning in 2024-25. Freeman Elementary moved; Hillside Academy relocated to Centerville; Montclair will move to Heather Glen. These changes directly affect which building a family's child attends. The consolidation is ongoing, so families should verify current boundaries with the district.

On finances, the district has made recent moves to stabilize its budget. In May 2023, voters approved a bond to modernize aging facilities, and in November 2025 they approved a voter-approved tax rate election to close a projected budget shortfall and fund teacher retention, special education, and operations. Both initiatives carry property-tax consequences that homeowners feel directly. The district's per-pupil spending sits in the upper-middle range among Dallas County districts.

Chronic absenteeism in the district runs slightly below the midpoint among Dallas County's districts, at about twenty-three percent, suggesting room for improvement in daily attendance. The proficiency index places Garland ISD in the top quartile among Dallas County's districts overall, a strength that reflects the weight of higher-performing grades and the impact of the approach-level students who are not yet proficient.

The housing market within the district boundaries reflects typical suburban Dallas dynamics. Home values have declined modestly over the past year, and rental rates remain relatively stable. Monthly rents run under two thousand dollars for most of the district, and home values cluster in the three-hundred-to-four-hundred-thousand range, though some neighborhoods trend higher. Property taxes are a growing burden for homeowners following the recent rate increases.

The district has adopted a deliberate curriculum framework centered on high-quality instructional materials, explicit teaching practices, and aligned diagnostics through 2030. This is a pedagogical commitment that would be visible in classroom practice and reflects the district's effort to standardize and improve instruction across schools.

A parent considering Garland ISD should understand that the district is working through capacity challenges and budget pressure while also implementing curriculum changes. Academic proficiency is strongest in reading and language arts, notably weaker in math, and variable in science and social studies. The diversity of the student population is substantial, and the range of program options, from classical academics to career technical pathways, is broad. The consolidation of campuses is an active process that may affect school assignments. The recent tax elections signal the district's commitment to funding but also reflect ongoing fiscal strain that any parent considering a move into the area would want to weigh.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

51,659

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 53%

Black 18%

White 14%

Asian 10%

Two+ 3%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

25%

69%

Gr 4

53%

72%

Gr 5

50%

36%

Gr 6

44%

73%

Gr 7

42%

65%

Gr 8

44%

70%

Math

Gr 3

41%

63%

Gr 4

22%

18%

Gr 5

47%

14%

Gr 6

21%

38%

Gr 7

19%

39%

Gr 8

34%

56%

Science

Gr 5

20%

42%

Gr 8

39%

66%

Social studies

Gr 8

19%

42%

all_subjects_approaches

Gr ALL

42%

—

all_subjects_masters

Gr ALL

—

all_subjects_meets

Gr ALL

21%

—

ela_approaches

Gr ALL

39%

—

ela_masters

Gr ALL

—

ela_meets

Gr ALL

21%

—

math_approaches

Gr ALL

44%

—

math_masters

Gr ALL

—

math_meets

Gr ALL

21%

—

science_approaches

Gr ALL

47%

—

science_masters

Gr ALL

—

science_meets

Gr ALL

21%

—

social_studies_approaches

Gr ALL

45%

—

social_studies_masters

Gr ALL

—

social_studies_meets

Gr ALL

19%

—

Schools in this District

80 schools are officially reported under this district.

B G HUDSON MIDDLE

GARLAND AEC

ROBERT B SEWELL EL

AUSTIN ACAD FOR EXCELL

BEAVER TECHNOLOGY CENTER

BRADFIELD EL

CLASSICAL CENTER AT BRANDENBURG MIDDLE

PATHFINDER ACHIEVEMENT CENTER

HILLSIDE ACAD FOR EXCEL

SAM HOUSTON MIDDLE

JACKSON TECHNOLOGY CENTER

KIMBERLIN ACAD FOR EXCEL

LAKEVIEW CENTENNIAL H S

CLASSICAL CENTER AT VIAL EL

WALNUT GLEN ACAD FOR EXCEL

WATSON TECHNOLOGY CENTER

WEAVER EL

WEBB MIDDLE

WILLIAMS EL

MEMORIAL PATHWAY ACADEMY H S

KATHERINE STEPHENS EL

ROWLETT H S

NORMA DORSEY EL

P A S S LEARNING CTR

VERNON SCHRADE MIDDLE

GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER EL

LIBERTY GROVE EL

GILBREATH-REED CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER

VERNAL LISTER EL

KEELEY EL

COYLE MIDDLE TECHNOLOGY CENTER FOR MATH AND SCIENC

LYLES MIDDLE COLLEGIATE INT

HANDLEY STEM EL

SOUTHGATE STEM EL

CLUB HILL STEM EL

COUCH COLLEGIATE PREP EL

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

30%

Grade 3

21%

Grade 4

52%

Grade 5

25%

Grade 6

25%

Grade 7

39%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

54%

Grade 3

39%

Grade 4

62%

Grade 5

51%

Grade 6

48%

Grade 7

51%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

26%

Grade 5

46%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

25%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$329,866

Year-over-year change-4.8%

Range across 15 ZIP codes$248K to $642K

vs. state typical1.09x

vs. national typical0.90x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (15 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
75040	Garland	$282K	-5.3%	18.5%
75043	Garland	$291K	-5.1%	16.1%
75089	Rowlett	$381K	-3.9%	13.8%
75044	Garland	$342K	-4.6%	10.8%
75088		$362K	-4.3%	9.6%
75048	Sachse	$439K	-4.6%	9.3%
75041	Garland	$248K	-5.9%	8.5%
75042	Garland	$277K	-4.8%	8.0%
75098	Wylie	$429K	-6.2%	3.9%
75228	Dallas	$283K	-4.7%	1.0%
75238	Dallas	$639K	+0.4%	0.3%
75182	Sunnyvale	$642K	-0.7%	0.2%
75243	Dallas	$305K	-2.6%	0.1%
75150	Mesquite	$255K	-4.4%	0.1%
75082	Richardson	$553K	-5.1%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,688/mo

Year-over-year change-0.1%

Range across 14 ZIP codes$1,082 to $2,041/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (14 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
75040	Garland	$1,819	+0.3%	18.5%
75043	Garland	$1,392	-1.8%	16.1%
75089	Rowlett	$2,041	+2.7%	13.8%
75044	Garland	$1,608	-0.9%	10.8%
75088		$1,709	-1.0%	9.6%
75048	Sachse	$1,731	-0.3%	9.3%
75041	Garland	$1,594	+4.3%	8.5%
75042	Garland	$1,512	-3.1%	8.0%
75098	Wylie	$1,840	-1.8%	3.9%
75228	Dallas	$1,244	-5.1%	1.0%
75238	Dallas	$1,330	+0.6%	0.3%
75243	Dallas	$1,082	-4.6%	0.1%
75150	Mesquite	$1,319	+0.7%	0.1%
75082	Richardson	$1,638	-2.8%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,665/mo

Home price / national median income3.9x

Annual rent / national median income24.2%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$23/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.