top tier education

2 Fort Worth high schools rank among America's best in 2024, says U.S. News

Fort Worth is home to two of the best high schools in Texas.

Two Fort Worth high schools are dominating U.S. News and World Report's prestigious annual list of the country's best public high schools.

The 2024 rankings from U.S. News, released April 23, put Fort Worth ISD's World Languages Instituteat No. 27 among the Texas' best high schools, up from No. 51 last year. The school ranked No. 170 nationally among the country's best high schools in a massive gain from its former position as No. 388 in 2023.

Fort Worth ISD's Young Women's Leadership Academy ranked No. 39 statewide, down from No. 23 last year. The school ranked No. 277 nationally, down from No. 159 in 2023.

Elsewhere across North Texas, Dallas ISD’s School for the Talented and Gifted ranked No. 6 nationally among the country’s best high schools, for the second year in a row. The school also ranks No. 21 nationally among the best STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) high schools (down from No. 8 in 2023) and No. 3 among the best magnet high schools (down from No. 2 in 2023).

Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership Schoolranks No. 23 nationally among the best high schools (down from No. 18 last year) and No. 10 nationally among the best magnet high schools (down from No. 8 in 2023).

Science and Engineering Magnet Schoolcomes in No. 29 nationally among the best high schools (down from No. 23 last year and No. 22 in 2022), No. 37 nationally among the best STEM high schools (down from No. 24 last year and No. 7 in 2022), and No. 11 nationally among the best magnet high schools (down from No. 2 in 2023 and No. 10 in 2022).

Topping the national list for 2024 is the BASIS Peoria Charter School in Peoria, Arizona.

Each year, U.S. News evaluates about 18,000 high schools on six factors: college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rates.

“The 2024 Best High Schools rankings offer a starting point for parents to understand a school’s academic performance, whether it’s a prospective school or one that their child is already attending,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., the managing editor of education at U.S. News, in a release. “Accessible data on our high schools can empower families across the country as they navigate today’s educational environment and plan for the future.”

Elsewhere in Texas
Around the state, these Texas high schools also made it into the top 100 nationally (including two more North Texas schools):

Grand Prairie ISD's Collegiate Institute, No. 30 (up from No. 188 last year). No. 6 nationally among best charter high schools.
Houston ISD’s Carnegie Vanguard High School, No. 31 (up from No. 35 last year and No. 40 in 2022). No. 12 nationally among the best magnet high schools and No. 228 among best STEM high schools.
Austin ISD’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy, No. 38 (down from No. 32 last year and No. 34 in 2022). No. 34 nationally among the best STEM high schools.
BASIS San Antonio - Shavano Campus, No. 64 (up from No. 81 last year and No. 77 in 2022). No. 76 nationally among the best STEM high schools and No. 13 nationally among the best charter high schools.
Houston ISD’s DeBakey High School for Health Professions, No. 70 (down from No. 66 last year and No. 50 in 2022). No. 19 nationally among the best magnet high schools and No. 426 among best STEM high schools.
Brownsville ISD's Early College High School, No. 71 (up from No. 229 last year).
Dallas ISD’s Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet, No. 85 (up from No. 93 last year and No. 48 in 2022) . No. 21 nationally among the best magnet high schools.

When broken down just to Texas schools, Dallas' School for the Talented and Gifted, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School, and Science and Engineering Magnet School are the top-rated public high schools in Texas this year, U.S. News says. Grand Prairie Collegiate Institute follows right behind as the No. 4 best high school in Texas.

Other Dallas-Fort Worth schools that rank among Texas' 100 best are:

No. 17 – Westlake Academy, Westlake
No. 18 – Imagine International Academy of North Texas, McKinney
No. 21 – Trinidad Garza Early College at Mt. View, Dallas ISD
No. 27 – School of Health Professions, Dallas ISD
No. 30 – Grand Prairie Fine Arts Academy, Grand Prairie ISD
No. 31 – Uplift Education-North Hills Prep High School, Uplift Education School District, Irving
No. 36 – School of Business and Management, Dallas ISD
No. 43 – Booker T. Washington SPVA, Dallas ISD
No. 46 – Highland Park High School, Highland Park ISD
No. 49 – Independence High School, Frisco ISD
No. 51 – Rosie Sorrells Education and Social Services High School, Dallas ISD
No. 55 – Lovejoy High School, Lovejoy ISD, Lucas
No. 56 – Liberty High School, Frisco ISD
No. 57 – Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, Dallas ISD
No. 58 – Reedy High School, Frisco ISD
No. 60 – Cedar Hill Collegiate High School, Cedar Hill ISD
No. 66 – Wakeland High School, Frisco ISD
No. 73 – Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Early College High School, Dallas ISD
No. 77 – Coppell High School, Coppell ISD
No. 87 – Centennial High School, Frisco ISD
No. 89 – Young Women's Leadership Academy at Arnold, Grand Prairie ISD

dallas us news & world report high schools rankings fort worth

population explosion

7 Fort Worth neighbors saw biggest population booms in U.S. for 2023

City of Denton, TX - City Hall/Facebook

Denton had the biggest population growth rate in Dallas-Fort Worth from 2022 to 2023.

Several Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs are among the fastest-growing cities in the nation, according to a new population growth study by SmartAsset.

The report, "These Cities Saw the Largest Growth in Population – 2024 Study," examined U.S. Census population estimates for 2023, 2022, and 2018 to determine one-year and five-year population changes for 610 U.S. cities with populations of at least 65,000 residents in 2023 (where the most recent data was available).

Denton took the lead over all other Dallas-Fort Worth cities with the 16th-largest one-year population growth rate in the U.S., at 5.32 percent. Denton gained over 8,000 residents from 2022 to 2023, bringing the city's total population to 158,361 in 2023.

This should come as no surprise to those who already live in Denton, who may know their hometown was ranked one of the safest suburbs in America.

Mansfield trailed close behind with a 4.16 percent increase in population during that same period, which landed it the No. 26 spot in the one-year population change analysis. The city gained 3,189 new residents in that time, adding up to a total population of 79,775 residents in 2023.

McKinney appeared farther down the list as No. 49 with just a 2.89 percent one-year growth rate from 2022 to 2023, and a total population of 213,504 residents.

Only four other Dallas-Fort Worth cities appeared in the top 100 fastest growing cities in the U.S. from 2022 to 2023:

No. 61 – Frisco (2.48 percent increase)
No. 72 – Rowlett (2.48 percent)
No. 73 – Lewisville (2.17 percent)
No. 99 – Flower Mound (1.73 percent)

The report suggested major population shifts in communities like Denton or Mansfield can result in "a variety of interwoven economic and social impacts."

"The magnitude of the population change can affect demand for businesses and services, which in turn may impact costs – or even the availability of such amenities," the report's author wrote. "Similarly, the relative age of the population can determine the strength or weakness of the local job market, as well as have an impact on local culture, economic trajectory, tax base and more."

Silver Spring, Maryland had the No. 1 biggest population boom nationwide from 2022 to 2023, SmartAsset found. The Washington, D.C. suburb grew 12.86 percent year-over-year, bringing the city's total population from 75,313 to 84,996 residents in 2023.

Fast-growing cities elsewhere in Texas
Texas cities dominated the top 10 list of cities where population grew the most from 2022 to 2023.

New Braunfels, a San Antonio suburb, ranked No. 2 nationally with an 12.49 percent one-year population boom, and a 29.68 percent growth rate from 2018 to 2023. The city gained 12,318 new residents in that time, adding up to a total population of 110,961 residents in 2023.

Just two spots behind New Braunfels is the North Austin suburb of Georgetown (No. 4), which grew 11.34 percent to 96,317 residents in 2023. According to the report's five-year population change analysis, Georgetown ranked seventh with a 29.85 percent growth rate.

The Houston suburbs of Atascocita and Conroe ranked No. 5 and No. 9, respectively. Atascocita's total population grew to 119,502 residents in 2023, which represented a 11.03 percent growth rate from 2022, and a whopping 38.56 percent population increase since 2018. Conroe's 6.73 percent one-year population increase paled in comparison, but the city grew 23.49 percent during the five-year period from 2018 to 2023.

The top 10 U.S. cities where population grew the most from 2022 to 2023 are:

No. 1 – Silver Spring, Maryland
No. 2 – New Braunfels, Texas
No. 3 – Glen Burnie, Maryland
No. 4 – Georgetown, Texas
No. 5 – Atascocita, Texas
No. 6 – Pine Hills, Florida
No. 7 – Elgin, Illinois
No. 8 – Lehi, Utah
No. 9 – Conroe, Texas
No. 10 – Dale City, Virginia

population growth reports smartasset dallas fort worth denton suburbs mansfield

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population explosion

7 Fort Worth neighbors saw biggest population booms in U.S. for 2023