School districts are special-purpose districts operating as local public primary and secondary schools in various nations. In the United States, most K–12 public schools function as units of local school districts. They usually operate several schools, and the largest urban and suburban districts operating hundreds of schools. Practices vary significantly by state or sometimes even within a state, but most American school districts operate as independent local governmental units under a grant of authority and within geographic limits created by state law.

In most cases, the executive and legislative power over locally controlled policies and operations of an independent school district are held by a school district’s board of education. Depending on state law, members of a local board of education may be elected, appointed by a political office holder, serve ex officio, or a combination of any of these. Independent school districts are legally separate body corporate and politic. The controlling law varies in the United States, but most school districts operate as independent local governmental units with exclusive authority over K–12 public educational operations and policies. The extent of this control is set by state-level law.

Randolph Field Independent School District

Randolph Field Independent School District received ratings from Texas Education Agency (TEA) for its overall performance. Such rating is designed to tell how well  RFISD is helping students reach grade level and how well are they preparing them for success after high school. Moreover, much like the grades, RFISD gives their students, anyone can use these grades to identify ways to help schools improve over time. Overall, the grade is based on performance in three different areas, or domains, that include: Student Achievement, School Progress, and Closing the Gaps. RFID’s 2020 2020 Performance Rating is not yet given, but their 2019 Performance Rating was A. Furthermore, Randolph Elementary School, Randolph Middle School, and Randolph High School all received the same A grade for their performance. RFID’s goals include providing an environment in which students and staffs engage in meaningful learning, exhibiting a culture where positive character development is valued within the school community, and be a community where positive, respectful relationships are valued.

Founded In: 1932
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 1
Contact: 210.357.2300
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Fort Sam Houston Independent School District

Fort Sam Houston Independent School District has its own vision, mission, and beliefs. Their vision is to promote a quality education, where every student is a learner, every learner is a graduate, and every graduate is a success. FSHISD’s mission is to develop the hearts and minds of all students, empowering them to become successful, active contributors in a changing global community. Their beliefs involve existing to serve the military child, a family of lifelong learners who respect and honor individual differences, diversity, and talent, believing a safe and caring environment fosters the emotional and social well-being of students, and believe that every teacher is a leader; every leader is a teacher. Along with that, FSHISD inspires students to their highest level of learning, their school community provides engaging, challenging, and meaningful work for learners, and prepares students to be leaders by instilling character, competence, and creativity. This district was created in 1951 and is located entirely on the Fort Sam Houston Army Post in northeast San Antonio.  FSHISD is a Texas public school district that operates one elementary school, and one middle/high school.

Founded In: 1952
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 2
Contact: (210) 368-8700
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North East Independent School District

North East Independent School District, also known as NEISD or North East ISD, is a school district located in San Antonio, Texas, United States, and serves the north-central and northeast areas of Bexar County. It covers approximately 144 square miles and serves the cities of Castle Hills, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park, Windcrest, and portions of San Antonio, Balcones Heights, Terrell Hills, and Timberwood Park. NEISD is one of the largest school districts serving the area by student attendance. NEISD High schools are MacArthur High School, LEE High School, Churchill High School, Roosevelt High School, Madison High School, Reagan High School, and Johnson High School. North East Independent School District’s seven main high school campuses were named after nationally or internationally renowned persons until 2018 when Robert E. Lee High School was renamed Legacy of Educational Excellence High School (L.E.E. High School). Its secondary campuses involve the Academy of Creative Education (ACE) and there are seven magnet programs in NEISD.

Founded In: 1950
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 3
Contact: 210-407-0740
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Lackland Independent School District

Lackland Independent School District enrollment as of 2018 is approximately 1,075 students in the following schools: Lackland Elementary School and Stacey Junior-Senior High School. LISD also participates in a cooperative arrangement with Ft. Sam Houston and Randolph Field school districts. All of them provide services for high-need special education students. LISD’s Military Special Education Cooperative is located at Ft. Sam Houston ISD. Lackland ISD became a District of Innovation in an effort to create systemic improvement that will better serve and accommodate the diverse and unique needs of our military-connected stakeholders, including students, staff, parents, and community members.  This distinction allows them increased local control over District operations to improve the quality of services benefiting all stakeholders. The overall process of achieving this distinction began in 2017 with the unanimous approval of all committee members present at the District Education Improvement Council (DEIC). LISD is a public independent school district (ISD) based in San Antonio, Texas (USA).

Founded In: 1950
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 4
Contact: (210) 357-5000
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Northside Independent School District

Northside Independent School District was established in 1949 by the consolidation of 12 rural school districts. This district is 355 square miles of the urban landscape, suburban communities, and rural Texas hill country. Additionally, there 120 public schools (including seven specialized magnet programs) that NISD operates, along with the northwest Bexar County that is also a higher education and research center magnet. The current statistics of NISD include 106,863Students, 120Schools, and 7,648Teachers. Northside Independent School District believes that every student deserves the highest quality education and it’s their mission to transform their learning experience. They know the keys to student success are dedicated, passionate teachers, engaging with students, and giving each one the opportunity to create and learn in new and exciting ways. NISD is helping every student grow in confidence, curiosity, and capability. Each student can choose from unique graduation plans ensuring all students have the opportunity to learn and succeed.

Founded In: 1949
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 5
Contact: 210-397-8500
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San Antonio Independent School District

San Antonio Independent School District’s vision and primary purpose are to improve lives through a quality education that is driven by an unrelenting determination to graduate all of their students and prepare them for success in higher education. SAISD ideology is reflected in their fundamental beliefs, core values, and commitments that guide them in their daily practices. This district’s core values are Student-Centered, High Expectations, Commitment, Passion, Integrity, Respect, and Teamwork. SAISD’s core beliefs include each and every student can learn and achieve at high levels. Also, they are responsible for the education and safety of every student, and for the efficient and effective operation of the school system. Moreover, in this district, everyone is treated with respect, and people will support what they help create. SAISD’s mission statement is to transform SAISD into a national model urban school district where every child graduates and is educated so that he or she is prepared to be a contributing member of the community.

Founded In: 1899
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 6
Contact: 210-554-2200
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Edgewood Independent School District

Edgewood Independent School District, a public school district, is based in San Antonio, in Bexar County, Texas (USA). EISD is most notable as the original plaintiff in a Texas court case which led to the “Robin Hood” school finance plan. This district has sued the state government regarding its school financing since 1984 and in 2009, the school district was rated “academically acceptable” by the Texas Education Agency. Since 2012, the district had a school attendance rate of 93.9%, the lowest such rate of all of the San Antonio-area school districts. In 2015, multiple administrators either resigned or learned that their contracts would not be renewed. Later, in Circa 2016 the elected board could not agree on who should be the superintendent nor who should be the principals of the district’s high schools. The Texas Education Agency replaced the elected school board with its own managers around that time. Circa 2019 the agency was planning to allow a newly elected board to take control. In 2019, it announced that it would take control of the district, vacating the elected board.

Founded In: 1950
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 7
Contact: (210) 444-4500
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Alamo Heights Independent School District

Alamo Heights Independent School District is based in Alamo Heights, Texas (USA). AHISD also serves Olmos Park, most of Terrell Hills, and a small portion of San Antonio. This district traces its history back to 1909 when the first school that had a two-room wooden frame building on Townsend Avenue was built in this picturesque area as part of a rural county district. AHISD gained a new school building of masonry when it was constructed on the site that is now Cambridge Elementary School. Now, the AHISD covers 9.4 square miles and serves students from the communities of Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, and a portion of north San Antonio. As of the 2010-2011 school year, the appraised valuation of property in the district was $4,838,847,000, the maintenance tax rate was $0.104 and the bond tax rate was $0.013 per $100 of appraised valuation. The lists of schools in AHISD are Alamo Heights High School (Grades 9-12), Alamo Heights Junior School (Grades 6-8), Cambridge Elementary School (Grades 1-5), Howard School (Grades Pre-K-K), Woodridge Elementary School (Grades 1-5), Robbins Academy (Grades 9-12), and Bexar County JJAEP (Grades 6-12).

Founded In: 1909
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 8
Contact: 210-824-2483
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Harlandale Independent School District

Harlandale Independent School District’s vision statement is to inspire their students to be the change. Their mission statement is about a family working together to create a high-quality education where all students graduate to become productive and successful citizens for the 21st century. HISD’s goals involve providing staff development programs that prepare their employees to provide an exemplary teaching and learning environment, foster a culture that prepares students for higher education and workforce readiness, effectively and efficiently use all district resources to maintain sound fiscal policies and practices, create innovative instructional facilities that engage the evolving needs of the students, and embrace community involvement and effectively promote “The Harlandale ISD.” HISD is made of 14 square miles on the south side of San Antonio, Texas within Bexar County and it is also a part of an Education Service Center (ESC) – Region XX area. This district serves about 15,000 students with two traditional high schools, the STEM Early College High School, Frank Tejeda Academy, four middle schools, 13 elementary schools, a facility for special needs, and two alternate campuses.

Founded In: 1894
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 9
Contact: (210) 989-4300
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South San Antonio Independent School District

South San Antonio Independent School District, located in the well-established south and southwest portion of San Antonio, covers 21 square miles. This district’s highlights are 1,400employees, 7-yearGEAR UP Grant in partnership with UT IPSI, 8,700students, TEA’sCommunity Partnership Grant, 15Advanced Placement (AP) classes, Head StartProgram at all elementary schools, 100%of students receive free breakfast and lunch, and STEMPrograms. SSAISD provides outstanding instructional programs for pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Their faculty and support staff is committed to providing innovative and challenging experiences to produce successful learners. This district offers three Middle School Choice Academies with open enrollment available to all Bexar County middle school students. Furthermore, students at all three Choice Academies will benefit from AVID, project-based learning, Pre-AP Courses, and high school credit courses. South San Antonio Independent School District’s students have the opportunity to enroll in a number of programs to include Early College, Dual Credit, Advanced Placement, Health Science Academy, and more than 22 Career and Technical Education pathways.

Founded In: 1895
Location: San Antonio, TX
Ranking: 10
Contact: (210) 977-7000
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