State of the school districts: Montgomery County, TX 2026
Summary
Montgomery County is one of the fastest-growing family counties in Texas. It sits north of Houston, but it no longer works only as a Houston bedroom community. The Woodlands has a corporate office market. Conroe has become a major growth city. East Montgomery County has retail, entertainment, medical, and logistics projects around New Caney and Porter. Lake Conroe continues to pull buyers into Montgomery and Willis. Magnolia and the Tomball edge are absorbing west-side growth.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Montgomery County at 781,194 residents as of July 1, 2025, up 25.9% from the 2020 estimates base. Children under 18 make up 25.4% of residents. The county's 2020-2024 median household income was $97,701, the median owner-occupied home value was $346,200, and the Census recorded 13,614 building permits in 2025.1
The school map is more complicated than the county name suggests. The core Montgomery County districts are Conroe ISD, Montgomery ISD, Magnolia ISD, Willis ISD, New Caney ISD, and Splendora ISD. Tomball ISD, Klein ISD, and Cleveland ISD matter for some county-edge addresses, but they are not the same kind of countywide decision. A family looking at a house in Montgomery County has to verify the exact school district and campus path. County, city, subdivision, and district boundaries do not line up cleanly.23
The data points to five main findings.
First, Conroe ISD is the county's main school story, but the district average is too blunt. It serves more than 72,000 students, includes The Woodlands, College Park, Grand Oaks, Oak Ridge, Conroe, Caney Creek, and fast-growing new zones, and has both A-rated and D-rated campuses in the same district. Its non-economically disadvantaged STAAR Meets rate is 75%, while its economically disadvantaged rate is 41%. That 34-point gap is one of the main facts parents should keep in view.456
Second, Magnolia ISD looks like the most plausible school-price lead, but the subgroup file was not cleanly surfaced in this pass. Magnolia has a B / 86 rating, comparatively affordable city-level housing data, a major 2026 bond for new campuses, dual credit through Lone Star College-Tomball, and very strong college/career/military readiness in its TAPR profile. The case is strong enough to study. It is not clean enough to call finished.78910
Third, Montgomery ISD is the safest smaller-district academic bet inside the county, at least from the current rating view. It is B / 87, the highest score among the core Montgomery County districts in this scan, and it has A-rated Lake Creek High School, Oak Hills Junior High, and Stewart Creek Elementary. Its new CTE and agricultural science center, The DEN, gives the district a practical-pathway story that did not exist at the same scale a few years ago.111213
Fourth, New Caney ISD is not a traditional academic bargain, but it may become a career-pathway and growth play. The district is C / 75 and serves a very high-need student population, with 71.5% economically disadvantaged students and 35.2% emergent bilingual students. Its non-econ/econ STAAR split is 53% / 33%, which is not high, but the 20-point gap is smaller than Conroe's. New Caney also has a large 2023 bond program, 28 CTE programs of study, and sits next to the Valley Ranch economic buildout.14151617
Fifth, Tomball ISD is the known high-performing boundary district. It is A / 92, the only A-rated district in both Harris and Montgomery counties according to district reporting, and it serves southwest Montgomery County as well as northwest Harris County. It is strong, but not hidden. The better-known Tomball zones are already being priced by the housing market.181920
The real estate conclusion is direct. The Woodlands has the highest price signal in the county, at $627,000 median sale price over the three months ending April 2026. Conroe was $310,000, Magnolia was $253,000, Montgomery was $296,000 with a small sample, Willis was $316,000, Porter was $295,000, and the New Caney 77357 ZIP average value was $264,100. The countywide Redfin median was about $339,000.2122232425262728
There may be school-price opportunity in Magnolia and selected Conroe ISD zones outside The Woodlands. Montgomery ISD also deserves a look, especially if the buyer can verify campus path and avoid overpaying for Lake Conroe lifestyle pricing. New Caney is a growth-and-CTE watchlist district. Splendora is cheap and has music and facilities momentum, but the current district rating is too weak for a school-value call.
What families should take away
Montgomery County is not one school market. It has The Woodlands premium market, Conroe scale, Lake Conroe lifestyle markets, west-side Magnolia and Tomball growth, and east-county affordability growth.
Conroe ISD gives families the widest range of school outcomes. It contains some of the county's best-known campuses and some campuses with much weaker ratings. The district name alone is not enough. The assigned schools matter.
Magnolia ISD is the best place to look for a possible school-price gap. The district is B-rated, housing prices look lower than many nearby options, and the district is adding campuses. The missing piece is a direct current non-econ/econ STAAR split.
Montgomery ISD has the highest core-county district rating in this scan and strong new CTE facilities. It is smaller than Conroe, less famous than Tomball, and easier to understand than New Caney. Housing price signals are noisy, so buyers need address-level data.
New Caney ISD is a watchlist district, not a current academic bargain. It has low housing costs, major growth, and a serious CTE story. Current test results are still weak.
Tomball ISD is strong and known. If a Montgomery County address is zoned to Tomball ISD, that may be attractive, but the market often knows it too.
The practical question is not "Which Montgomery County district is best?" It is: "Which exact address gives my child the right campus path, and is the price still reasonable for that path?"
Scope and method
This report focuses on traditional public school districts that serve Montgomery County addresses or matter for Montgomery County homebuyers. The Montgomery County Appraisal District's boundary data identifies school district boundaries inside the county, and TEA's School District Locator remains the correct address-level tool for confirming assignment.23
The core districts in this report are Conroe ISD, Montgomery ISD, Magnolia ISD, Willis ISD, New Caney ISD, and Splendora ISD. Tomball ISD, Klein ISD, and Cleveland ISD are treated as boundary-relevant districts because they may matter for buyers in specific parts of the county.
The main school data comes from TEA's 2025 accountability reports, TXschools.gov profiles, Texas Academic Performance Reports, Federal Report Cards, and district sources. The subgroup measure used here is 2025 STAAR Meets Grade Level or Above, All Grades, All Subjects, comparing Non-Econ Disadv and Econ Disadv where a direct district-level split was surfaced. When a direct split was not surfaced, the report says so. It does not infer values.
The housing numbers are city-level, ZIP-level, county-level, or neighborhood-level market indicators from Redfin and Zillow. They are useful for a first-pass housing comparison. They are not attendance-zone prices.
The business and investment section uses public sources, including company announcements, district bond materials, local reporting, economic-development sources, and county-level data.
At a glance: Montgomery County's school-decision market
The county economy: three engines, not one
Montgomery County has three different business stories.
The first is The Woodlands office market. Chevron Phillips Chemical opened its new 360,000-square-foot global headquarters in The Woodlands in July 2025.39 AB Energy USA selected The Woodlands for its North American headquarters and expects about 45 new jobs in 2026, with more hiring planned after that.40 Creative ITC, a UK cloud firm, also established a U.S. headquarters in the Houston region, with sources placing the move in The Woodlands/Houston market for energy, architecture, and engineering clients.41 These are not low-wage retail projects. They reinforce The Woodlands as a professional and corporate market.
The second is East Montgomery County. Valley Ranch in New Caney is growing into a retail, residential, medical, and entertainment district. The Signorelli Company broke ground on the 328-acre Azalea District, with 359 single-family homes and an adjacent 125 acres set aside for commercial development with a health-care focus.4243 The Marketplace at Valley Ranch and Village Green projects add more retail and office space to the same area.44 This matters for New Caney ISD and Splendora ISD because it can bring tax base, jobs, students, and traffic at the same time.
The third is residential growth across Conroe, Magnolia, Willis, Montgomery, and the Tomball edge. Local reporting has described more than 2,700 new homes planned across Montgomery County, including activity in Kresston, The Highlands, Madera, Glen Oaks, Escondido, and Woodson Reserve.45 Willis also has large-acreage residential growth, including Foster Creek Ranch north of Lake Conroe.46 A separate 919-home community near Tomball is planned in an area zoned to Tomball ISD, with prices expected to begin in the upper $300,000s.47
The county's school map and business map are moving together. Corporate jobs push demand around The Woodlands and south county. Retail, medical, and residential projects push New Caney and Porter. New homes in Magnolia, Conroe, and Willis push school capacity. The district that looks stable today may need rezoning, new campuses, or new staff tomorrow.
What the school data says
The top-line rating order is simple. Tomball ISD is A / 92. Montgomery ISD is B / 87. Magnolia ISD is B / 86. Conroe ISD is B / 85. Willis ISD is C / 77. New Caney ISD is C / 75. Splendora ISD is D / 67. Cleveland ISD is F / 59.18117429143237
That order is useful, but it does not answer the family question.
Conroe ISD has the county's largest academic ceiling. Its best campus list includes A-rated campuses in The Woodlands, Grand Oaks, College Park, and high-performing elementary and intermediate campuses. But the same TEA report also lists D-rated campuses inside the district. Conroe is too large to be judged from one number.6
Magnolia ISD looks stronger than its real estate price might suggest. It is B / 86, has a lower city-level median sale price than many nearby markets, and is adding schools through its 2026 bond. The missing piece is a directly sourced non-econ/econ STAAR split.7823
Montgomery ISD has the highest core-county district rating and several A-rated campuses, including Lake Creek High School, Oak Hills Junior High, and Stewart Creek Elementary. It is smaller and less mixed than Conroe, New Caney, Willis, and Splendora.1112
New Caney ISD is more interesting than its C rating alone. Its test results are low, but it serves a high-need population and has a smaller subgroup gap than Conroe. The district's CTE and bond work may matter for families who value career pathways more than conventional test-score branding.14151617
Splendora ISD has the lowest price signal and a small subgroup gap, but that is not the same as strong achievement. The district's non-econ rate is 39%, and its econ rate is 29%.33 A small gap at a low level is not a hidden academic win.
Conroe ISD: the county in one district
Conroe ISD is the district most likely to confuse a newcomer.
A buyer can see "Conroe ISD" and think they have a single school product. They do not. Conroe ISD includes The Woodlands High School, College Park High School, Grand Oaks High School, Oak Ridge High School, Conroe High School, Caney Creek High School, and many different elementary and middle-school paths. It has premium neighborhoods, fast-growth subdivisions, older neighborhoods, rural edges, and new construction zones.
The district's profile is large: 72,327 students, 43.8% economically disadvantaged, 20.7% emergent bilingual/English learners, 35% Grade 8 Algebra I participation, and 45.9% postsecondary outcomes.4 The all-subject STAAR split is 75% Meets for non-economically disadvantaged students and 41% for economically disadvantaged students.5
Those two facts belong in the same sentence. Conroe has strong academic pockets and a large subgroup gap.
The campus data tells the same story. TEA's 2025 Student Achievement calculation lists The Woodlands High School as A / 93, College Park High School as A / 90, Oak Ridge High School as B / 89, Grand Oaks High School as B / 85, Caney Creek High School as B / 81, and Conroe High School as C / 77. It also lists A-rated elementary and intermediate campuses in The Woodlands and newer growth zones, and weaker D-rated campuses in other parts of the district.6
The real estate split is just as large. Redfin reported The Woodlands median sale price at $627,000 for the three months ending April 2026, while Conroe's citywide median was $310,000.2122 That gap is the main school-price question in Montgomery County: can a family get a strong Conroe ISD campus path without paying The Woodlands prices?
Sometimes, yes. But not by guessing. This is an attendance-zone question.
Conroe is also changing at the top. Dr. David Vinson was approved unanimously as superintendent on September 18, 2025, after former superintendent Curtis Null left for Lake Travis ISD.4849 Vinson came from Wylie ISD, a district that looked strong in our Collin County subgroup analysis. That does not guarantee anything for Conroe, but it makes his tenure worth watching.
The district is also spending heavily. Voters approved Conroe ISD's 2023 bond propositions A, B, and C for $1.972 billion, while Proposition D failed.50 Projects include new schools, capacity work, technology, gyms/PE classrooms, CTE ag barns, and other facilities. Timbermill High School, the district's eighth high school, is planned to open in August 2027 with capacity around 3,800 students.51
The district also has a strong CTE platform. Conroe says its CTE program has 13 career clusters and 26 programs of study for grades 7-12, and a district article says it has more than 140 CTE course offerings.5253 The Academy of Science and Health Professions at Conroe High School adds a selective STEM and health pathway.54
The SchoolDecision read: Conroe ISD may hold real school-price opportunity outside The Woodlands, but only at the campus-path level. A districtwide conclusion would be lazy.
Magnolia ISD: the possible school-price lead
Magnolia ISD may be the most interesting school-price candidate in Montgomery County.
The case starts with the rating and price. Magnolia ISD is B / 86 and serves 14,865 students, with 46.8% economically disadvantaged enrollment, 20.0% emergent bilingual/English learners, 29% Grade 8 Algebra I participation, and 35.6% postsecondary outcomes.7 Redfin reported Magnolia's median sale price at $253,000 for the three months ending April 2026, while Zillow reported an average home value of $366,704.2355
Those two housing figures disagree enough to require caution. Magnolia has city, rural, acreage, and master-planned community differences that a city median may not capture. Still, the direction is clear: Magnolia is often cheaper than The Woodlands, Tomball, and many south-county markets.
The district is also investing. Magnolia voters approved a 2026 bond that the district says will move forward three new facilities: High School #3 along the FM 1486 corridor, projected for 2030; Elementary #10 in Kresston, projected for 2028; and Elementary #11, location to be determined by growth, projected for 2029.8
The academic program case is broader than the rating. Magnolia's 2024-25 TAPR shows a strong college/career/military readiness profile. The district also offers dual credit through Lone Star College-Tomball, with students able to begin taking dual-credit courses during junior year.910
There is a leadership reset here too. Dr. Jason Bullock was named superintendent in 2024 after Todd Stephens retired.56 That makes the bond, growth, and academic performance trajectory worth following under a relatively new superintendent.
The caveat is the subgroup split. A direct current district-level non-econ/econ STAAR split was not surfaced cleanly in this pass. Without it, Magnolia cannot yet be ranked against Conroe, New Caney, and Splendora on that measure.
The SchoolDecision read: Magnolia is the best candidate for a follow-up data pull. If the subgroup numbers are respectable, the school-price case could be strong.
Montgomery ISD: smaller, high-rated, and now more career-focused
Montgomery ISD is the highest-rated core Montgomery County district in this scan, at B / 87.11 The district profile shows 9,861 students, 26.6% economically disadvantaged enrollment, 3.9% emergent bilingual/English learners, 31% Grade 8 Algebra I participation, and 40.0% postsecondary outcomes.11
The campus list matters. Lake Creek High School is A-rated. Oak Hills Junior High is A-rated. Stewart Creek Elementary is A-rated. Montgomery High School is B-rated, and other campuses range from B to C.12
The district's program story got a major boost with The DEN, the new career and technical education and agricultural science facility. Community Impact reported that the facility opened July 30 and includes a CTE building and an agricultural science building.13 District materials said the CTE center would house up to 10 specialized programs, including culinary arts, cosmetology, engineering, robotics, audio/video production, auto mechanics, construction, welding, health science, and criminal justice. The agricultural science center includes animal science classroom/lab space, a show arena, and animal pens.57
Housing is harder to read. Redfin reported the city of Montgomery at $296,000, down 33.0%, but only 20 homes sold in April.24 A small sales count can distort the number. The Lake Conroe market includes everything from older small homes to waterfront and master-planned developments.
Leadership changed in late 2023, when Dr. Mark Ruffin was named superintendent.58 The district has also had budget discussions in 2026, which families should watch alongside growth and facilities work.59
The SchoolDecision read: Montgomery ISD is the safest small-to-mid-size academic choice inside the core county districts. Whether it is a bargain depends on the exact home market, not the city average.
New Caney ISD: cheap housing, big growth, and a CTE case
New Caney ISD is not a conventional academic value story.
The district is C / 75. It serves 19,398 students, with 71.5% economically disadvantaged enrollment and 35.2% emergent bilingual/English learners.14 Its all-subject STAAR split is 53% non-econ and 33% econ, a 20-point gap.15 The absolute levels are low. The gap is smaller than Conroe's, but that does not erase the low districtwide performance.
The housing side is attractive. Zillow reported the 77357 ZIP, tied to New Caney, at $264,100 average home value, and Redfin reported Porter at $295,000.2627 Those prices are far below The Woodlands and below many south- and west-county alternatives.
The program and business story is why New Caney should not be dismissed. The district says it has CTE access for students, and New Caney was named a CTE District of Distinction by the Career and Technical Association of Texas. The district says it has 28 programs of study across 13 career clusters.1660 A prior data pull also found a high CTE-completer signal relative to state norms, which should be verified directly before publication as a chart.
New Caney voters approved a $695 million bond package in 2023. Projects include West Fork High School Phase 2, Elementary #12 in The Highlands, a replacement New Caney Elementary, a New Caney High School CTE facility, two new middle schools, Porter High School CTE and fine arts improvements, and an agricultural science center expansion.17 West Fork High School's second phase was scheduled to wrap up in summer 2025.61
Then there is Valley Ranch. The Azalea District, Village Green, Marketplace, medical-focused commercial land, and related retail and entertainment projects are changing the east-county map.424344 This may help the local tax base and create future job connections. It will also add students and traffic.
The SchoolDecision read: New Caney is not a current test-score bargain. It is a lower-cost growth district with CTE momentum and a changing local economy. For families who value career pathways and can accept current academic trade-offs, it deserves a careful look.
Willis ISD: affordability and Lake Conroe growth, but a mixed school case
Willis ISD sits north of Conroe and along parts of the Lake Conroe growth market. It is affordable relative to The Woodlands and many Tomball/Magnolia options, but the school data is mixed.
TXschools lists Willis ISD as C / 77, with 9,269 students, 59.5% economically disadvantaged enrollment, 18.2% emergent bilingual/English learners, 20% Grade 8 Algebra I participation, and 29.2% postsecondary outcomes.29 Campus data shows Turner Elementary and Eddie Ruth Lagway Elementary rated A, Willis High School rated B, but also D-rated C.C. Hardy Elementary and Lynn Lucas Middle School.30
The housing is not especially cheap compared with Conroe or New Caney, but it is still below premium markets. Redfin reported Willis at $316,000, while Zillow showed an average value around $285,003.2562
The district is building. Willis voters approved a 2022 bond with a new elementary and new middle school, and trustees later called a 2024 bond package with four propositions totaling $218.1 million.3163 The district has CTE programming in healthcare, technology, engineering, agriculture, cosmetology, automotive, culinary arts, building trades, criminal justice, business, and related fields.64
The SchoolDecision read: Willis may fit families drawn to Lake Conroe affordability and specific campuses. Districtwide, it is not yet a school-value lead.
Splendora ISD: low prices, music strength, and weak districtwide academics
Splendora ISD has the cheapest housing signal in the core group. Zillow reported Splendora's average home value at $247,256.28
The district's rating is the problem. TXschools lists Splendora ISD at D / 67.32 The direct subgroup split surfaced in this pass was 39% non-econ and 29% econ at all-subject STAAR Meets, a 10-point gap.33 That small gap is not enough to offset low absolute performance.
Splendora does have signs of investment. Voters approved a $150 million bond in 2025, including a new junior high school, additions and renovations at Splendora High School, land for future school sites, and other projects.3465 The district also has a real enrichment bright spot: Splendora ISD has been honored with the NAMM Foundation's Best Communities for Music Education Award, and the district publicized the recognition again in 2026.3566
The SchoolDecision read: Splendora is cheap, growing, and doing something right in music. The academic data is not strong enough for a school-price call today.
Tomball ISD: the high-performing edge case
Tomball ISD is not a core Montgomery County district in the same way Conroe or Magnolia is, but it is very relevant for some southwest Montgomery County buyers.
The district is A / 92.18 Tomball ISD says it is the only A-rated district in both Harris and Montgomery counties and the highest-rated large district in Texas with more than 20,000 students.19 TXschools confirms the A / 92 profile.18
The real estate market has noticed. Redfin reported Tomball's median sale price at $400,000, and ZIP 77375 at $360,000.20 A 919-home development near Tomball, zoned to Tomball ISD, is planned with home prices beginning in the upper $300,000s.47
Tomball also passed a $429 million bond in 2025, with four propositions approved.67 The district has long-term leadership continuity under Superintendent Martha Salazar-Zamora, and Houston Chronicle coverage has connected Tomball's academic success to curriculum and leadership consistency.68
The SchoolDecision read: Tomball is probably the strongest district option available to some Montgomery County edge buyers. It is not an underpriced district brand.
Klein and Cleveland: boundary notes
Klein ISD is B / 86, has more than 52,000 students, and serves a higher-need population than Tomball. It is more of a Harris County story, but it may matter for some Montgomery County edge buyers.36 It can be a good district option in the right address zone, but it should not anchor a Montgomery County report.
Cleveland ISD is the caution. It is F / 59 in the 2025 TXschools profile, and local reporting has tied the district's growth stress to the Colony Ridge area, with large enrollment growth, staffing strain, facility pressure, and bond challenges.3738 For families on the eastern edge of Montgomery County, the district assignment should be checked carefully.
Where the real estate market may be slow
Magnolia ISD
Magnolia is the best candidate for school-price opportunity. The B / 86 rating is solid, the city-level Redfin median is far below The Woodlands and Tomball, and the district has a growth plan with new schools in the 2026 bond.7823 The direct subgroup split needs to be pulled before this becomes a stronger claim.
Selected Conroe ISD zones outside The Woodlands
Conroe ISD is too large to call either a bargain or overpriced. The district contains The Woodlands, which is expensive, and Conroe, which is much cheaper. Families who can find a strong campus path in Conroe ISD outside the highest-priced Woodlands neighborhoods may find real value.62122
Montgomery ISD
Montgomery ISD has the highest core-county rating and a strong CTE/agriculture investment. The housing data is noisy, with a low city median but a small sales sample. This is a good candidate for property-level analysis.111324
New Caney ISD
New Caney is cheaper and tied to a changing local economy. It is not a strong academic play today. The opportunity, if it exists, is based on future CTE, new facilities, and job growth around Valley Ranch, not current districtwide STAAR performance.14161742
Splendora ISD
Splendora is very affordable and has music recognition, but the D rating and low STAAR performance make it a watch item rather than a school-price opportunity.323335
District investments and capacity
Conroe ISD has the largest capital program in the county. The approved 2023 bond propositions total $1.972 billion, and the district is building new schools and capacity across a large, fast-growing footprint.50 Timbermill High School is the biggest symbol of that growth, with a planned 2027 opening and capacity around 3,800 students.51
Magnolia ISD passed a 2026 bond focused on new instructional space. The district says 92% of the bond funding is dedicated to facilities, including High School #3 and two new elementary schools.8 That is a direct response to growth around the FM 1486 corridor and master-planned developments like Kresston.
Montgomery ISD used its prior bond to build The DEN, a CTE and agricultural science facility that changes the district's high school program mix.1357
New Caney ISD's 2023 bond is a large east-county growth package, with new schools, middle schools, CTE, fine arts, agriculture, transportation, and operations projects.17
Willis ISD has been trying to keep up with growth through its 2022 bond and later bond proposals. The approved 2022 bond included new elementary and middle school capacity, while the 2024 package showed continuing pressure.3163
Splendora ISD voters approved a $150 million bond in 2025, another sign that east-county growth is pushing facilities faster than past tax bases were built to handle.34
Tomball ISD also approved a $429 million bond in 2025, adding capacity and facilities for a district already carrying a strong academic brand.67
The common thread is simple: nearly every district in or near Montgomery County is building, planning, or catching up. Growth is not a background issue here. It is the operating condition.
Programs and enrichment worth a closer look
Conroe ISD has the broadest program menu because of its size. CTE reaches grades 7-12, with 13 career clusters and 26 programs of study. The district also has the Academy of Science and Health Professions, a health and STEM-oriented academy tied to Conroe High School.5254
Magnolia ISD has a dual-credit path through Lone Star College-Tomball, with Magnolia High School students able to begin dual credit during junior year. The district's TAPR also points to strong college/career/military readiness.910
Montgomery ISD has The DEN, one of the county's clearest new practical-program assets. It combines CTE programs and agricultural science in a way that fits the district's Lake Conroe/small-city/rural edge identity.1357
New Caney ISD is the district to watch for career pathways. The CTE District of Distinction recognition and 28 programs across 13 career clusters make it more interesting than its top-line rating suggests.1660
Willis ISD has a broad CTE list, including health, technology, engineering, agriculture, cosmetology, automotive, culinary arts, building trades, criminal justice, and business pathways.64
Splendora ISD's best enrichment signal is music. The district has been recognized by the NAMM Foundation for music education, and it has publicized that recognition in its own district materials.3566
Tomball ISD has the strongest districtwide academic brand and new bond investment. For Montgomery County families on the edge of Tomball ISD, it remains one of the most attractive school assignments in the region.1967
Leadership and governance
Conroe ISD has the most important leadership change. Dr. David Vinson became superintendent in September 2025 after Curtis Null left for Lake Travis ISD.4849 Vinson's prior district, Wylie ISD, looked strong in our Collin County work. Conroe is larger and more varied, so the transfer is not a simple comparison. Still, the hire is worth watching.
Magnolia ISD named Dr. Jason Bullock superintendent in 2024 after Todd Stephens retired.56 Bullock is now leading the district through its 2026 bond work and growth planning.
Montgomery ISD named Dr. Mark Ruffin superintendent in December 2023.58 His early tenure includes The DEN, budget talks, and continued district growth.
New Caney ISD is led by Matthew Calvert, and district materials show his superintendent contract running into 2030.69 That gives the district leadership continuity during its bond buildout.
Willis ISD is led by Dr. Kimberley James, who publicly described the district's 2025 accountability result as a C and a four-point improvement in district overall summary.70
Tomball ISD has long-running leadership continuity under Martha Salazar-Zamora, a factor that local and regional coverage has connected to the district's strong academic record.68
Bonds and leadership matter in Montgomery County because almost every district is dealing with growth. A superintendent here is not only running instruction. They are managing construction, staffing, rezoning, tax pressure, and family expectations.
Risks and watch items
Campus variation is the biggest school risk. Conroe ISD and Willis ISD both have A-rated and weaker campuses in the same district. Families should not stop at the district rating.630
Growth can change assignments. Conroe, Magnolia, New Caney, Willis, Splendora, and Tomball are all building or planning capacity. Boundary changes are a real possibility in fast-growth districts.
Cheap housing can come with academic trade-offs. New Caney and Splendora are cheaper than The Woodlands and Tomball, but their current districtwide ratings are much lower.1432
The Woodlands price premium is real. The Woodlands' median sale price is roughly double Conroe's citywide median in current Redfin data.2122
Business growth can outrun school outcomes. Valley Ranch, The Woodlands corporate moves, and Conroe-area housing growth may help the tax base and job market. They do not automatically raise STAAR results.
Direct subgroup data is still incomplete in this pass. Conroe, New Caney, and Splendora had direct non-econ/econ splits surfaced. Magnolia, Montgomery, Willis, and Tomball need direct subgroup pulls before any stronger equity-adjusted ranking.
Best candidates for deeper SchoolDecision work
Magnolia ISD
Best school-price lead to verify.
Why: B / 86 rating, lower price signal, new schools planned, dual credit, strong CCMR profile.
Caution: direct non-econ/econ STAAR split not surfaced in this pass.
Conroe ISD, selected campus paths outside The Woodlands
Best address-level opportunity.
Why: district has high academic ceiling, broad CTE, strong high schools and elementary/intermediate campuses, and cheaper Conroe-area housing than The Woodlands.
Caution: large subgroup gap, wide campus spread, new boundaries possible as growth continues.
Montgomery ISD
Best smaller core-county academic bet.
Why: B / 87 rating, A-rated Lake Creek High School and other A-rated campuses, new CTE/agriculture center.
Caution: housing data is noisy, and direct subgroup split was not surfaced.
New Caney ISD
Best future CTE/growth watch.
Why: low price, large bond program, 28 CTE programs, Valley Ranch economy.
Caution: C / 75 rating and low absolute STAAR performance.
Tomball ISD edge
Best known high-performing edge option.
Why: A / 92 rating and broad market confidence.
Caution: not likely underpriced, and it is not a core Montgomery County district.
Final assessment
Montgomery County is the most divided Texas report so far.
The Woodlands and Tomball edge give families expensive, high-reputation options. Conroe ISD gives them scale, strong campuses, weak campuses, and a major price split between The Woodlands and Conroe. Magnolia may be the best school-price lead if the subgroup data checks out. Montgomery ISD looks like the cleanest smaller-district academic option. New Caney is not a test-score bargain, but its CTE and economic-growth story is worth following. Splendora is affordable and has music strength, but the academic data is too weak for a school-value call right now.
The business map matters more here than in the earlier reports. Chevron Phillips Chemical, AB Energy, Creative ITC, Valley Ranch, Azalea District, new master-planned communities, and major school bonds all point to a county still being built. That can create opportunity. It can also create rezoning, crowding, traffic, and uneven school outcomes.
The best advice is practical. In Montgomery County, buy the address, not the district name. Check the campus path. Check the subgroup data. Check the bond map. Check the planned subdivisions nearby. Then decide whether the price still makes sense.
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