STISD, campuses again among Niche’s best; district No. 2 in Texas
Staff Report
Edinburg, TX – South Texas ISD and its campuses are once again among the state’s top performers in Niche’s 2026 Best Schools rankings, marking the 12th straight year the district has landed on the list.
With an A+ overall grade, STISD ranked No. 2 in Texas out of 876 districts and No. 59 nationally out of 10,394. The district placed No. 1 in Texas for Districts with the Best Teachers and No. 4 for Best Places to Teach. Nationally, it ranked No. 13 for districts with the best teachers (out of 11,038) and No. 282 for best places to teach (out of 11,278).
STISD’s two middle schools earned A+ grades and top marks for teaching quality. South Texas ISD Preparatory Academy in Edinburg ranked No. 2 in Texas for Best Public Middle School Teachers (out of 2,030) and No. 14 among Best Public Middle Schools (out of 2,272). South Texas ISD Rising Scholars Academy in San Benito ranked No. 1 in Texas for Best Public Middle School Teachers and No. 33 among Best Public Middle Schools. Nationally, Rising Scholars ranked No. 46 and Preparatory Academy No. 50 for Best Public Middle School Teachers (out of 22,701). In Best Public Middle Schools in America, Preparatory Academy ranked No. 90 and Rising Scholars No. 297 (out of 25,606). Each campus also finished first within its home county.
All four high schools placed in the state and national rankings. South Texas ISD Science Academy in Mercedes ranked No. 11 in Texas (out of 1,833) and No. 133 in the nation (out of 20,162) with an A+ and took first in Hidalgo County. South Texas ISD Health Professions in Mercedes ranked No. 127 in Texas and third in Hidalgo County (A). South Texas ISD World Scholars in Edinburg ranked No. 203 in Texas and sixth in Hidalgo County (A). South Texas ISD Medical Professions in Olmito ranked No. 297 in Texas and third in Cameron County (A-).
“Maintaining our ranking among the top schools in the state and nation for 12 consecutive years is only possible because of the hard work and collaboration of everyone in our district community,” Superintendent Marco Antonio Lara Jr., Ed.D., said in a statement, adding that the recognition reflects the district’s commitment to putting students first.
Niche says its rankings analyze state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, teacher quality and parent/student reviews using U.S. Department of Education data. SAT/ACT scores were removed from the 2026 formula to reflect the reduced emphasis on standardized tests in college admissions.
Source — South Texas Independent School District.