When it’s time to enroll your little one in school, there are so many options to consider: public, private, Montessori, single-gender, homeschool, online learning, parochial. The good news for families who live in the Arlington, Texas area is there are so many great schools in here, including the public schools in Arlington Independent School District.
If you choose to send your child to your neighborhood public school—whether because they’re ready for preschool, your family just moved to Arlington, or you’re considering switching schools—rest assured they’ll get a quality education and gain experience that’ll set them up for success long after graduating.
Here’s a brief guide to what you need to know about Arlington ISD and the public school options available to you.
What is Arlington Independent School District?
Arlington ISD is the public school district that serves nearly 60,000 students. It comprises 76 schools: 53 elementary schools, 10 junior high schools and 13 senior high schools. According to the district website, it’s the 13th largest public school district in Texas.
Four senior high schools offer the International Baccalaureate World School Programme: Arlington, Bowie, Lamar and Sam Houston.
A handful of public elementary and junior high schools in Arlington have uniform policies for students, including: Anderson, Blanton, Crouch, Farrell, Hale, Johns, Larson, Morton, Rankin, Sherrod, Speer, Thornton and Webb elementary schools; Crow Leadership Academy; and Nichols and Shackelford junior high schools.
Specialized Programs
In addition to its traditional public schools, Arlington Independent School District offers specialized programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grades. Students must apply for these specialized programs, and the application window for the following school year is typically mid-fall to mid-winter. Specialized programs include:
- International Baccalaureate School Programmes (including one of the few Primary programs in Texas)
- Dual language / language immersion
- Fine arts schools
- Leadership academies
- STEM academies
Beyond a diploma, students enrolled in Arlington ISD’s Early College High Schools have the opportunity to graduate with more credits. These students can earn their associates degree for free, graduate from high school with up to 60 college credits, and even earn professional workplace certifications. Areas of study include health sciences, mechatronics, business, cybersecurity, engineering, and computer-aided drafting and design.
What are some of the best schools within Arlington ISD?
According to the U.S. News & World Report—which uses a range of factors, including college readiness, state assessment proficiency and performance, underserved student performance, breadth of college curriculum and graduation rate—some of the top schools in Arlington Independent School District are:
Elementary schools
- Corey Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language
- Butler Elementary
- Ditto Elementary
- Duff Elementary
- Wimbish World Language Academy
Junior High Schools
- Ousley Junior High
- Young Junior High
- Boles Junior High
- Shackelford Junior High
- Barnett Junior High
High Schools
- Arlington Collegiate High School at TCC-SE
- Martin High School
- Seguin High School
- Arlington High School
- Lamar High School
Check out the reports here to read more about which each school earned its score.
What to know about school meals
Arlington ISD schools typically serve breakfast and lunch during the week, ranging in price from about $2–$5, plus a la carte options. You can view your child’s daily breakfast and lunch menus, along with nutrition information, via Nutrislice’s website or app.
Plus, during the summer breaks, the district offers healthy summer meals for kids. This program allows any child ages 18 and younger, as well as enrolled students with disabilities ages 21 and younger, to get free breakfast and lunch at school and community locations throughout the district. You can find open locations on the district’s website.
Arlington Independent School District calendar
While the exact school calendar may change year-to-year, Arlington ISD schools are typically closed for the following holidays and school breaks:
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Thanksgiving break
- Winter break, including Christmas and New Year’s
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents’ Day
- Spring break
- Good Friday
Where to find info on Arlington ISD closings
When school-related emergencies happen, the district immediately shares information via text messages and email, so it’s best to ensure you’ve opted in to those communications in Parent Self Serve.
In the event of inclement weather or a weather emergency, in addition to the above, the district also shares information via:
- X (formerly Twitter)
- The Arlington ISD app, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play
- Local radio and TV news stations
Visit aisd.net for more information about Arlington Independent School District, and find many more details about more local schools of all types on DFWChild’s online directory.
Photos courtesy of Arlington ISD
