San Antonio's largest school district and the fourth largest in Texas. A 355-square-mile footprint, deep magnet and specialty programming, and campus-by-campus variety that make the exact address matter more than the district letter.
TEA accountability
Northside ISD earned a C accountability rating (75 of 100 points) from the Texas Education Agency for the 2024-25 school year, its third consecutive C in the ratings released August 2025. Student achievement, school progress, and closing the gaps each graded C, and as always the district score hides wide variation between individual campuses.
Campuses
127 campuses across roughly 355 square miles: 84 elementary schools, 23 middle schools, and 17 high schools, plus choice and specialty campuses, serving about 98,000 to 100,000 students. It is the largest school district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in Texas.
What Northside ISD is known for
Serious scale. Northside is the biggest district in the San Antonio area and the fourth largest in Texas, serving roughly 98,000 to 100,000 students across about 127 campuses and 355 square miles of the city's northwest side.
Magnet and specialty depth. Six high school magnets include Communications Arts, the Construction Careers Academy, Health Careers, Jay Science & Engineering Academy, Marshall Law & Medical Services, and the Northside School of Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship (NSITE), joined by CAST Teach High School and the Agriculture Science and Technology Academy.
A strong career and technical education bench. NISD leans into CTE and fine arts across the district, with career pathways that pair well with its magnet programs for students who want college credit, certifications, or trade experience before graduation.
A western-corridor geography. The district reaches Helotes, Leon Valley, Shavano Park, Grey Forest, Leon Springs, Scenic Oaks, and Cross Mountain, and it also holds unincorporated land in Bexar, Bandera, and Medina counties, from inner-ring suburbs to exurban Hill Country.
What families should know
The district C hides campus variety. Some Northside campuses score well above the district average and others below it, so dig into the specific schools your address feeds rather than stopping at the district letter.
Magnet seats are competitive and application-based. Families who want Health Careers, Jay Science & Engineering, Communications Arts, or a middle school magnet like Jones STEM need to plan the application timeline well before the year they would start.
The attendance zone is enormous. Two homes can both be 'Northside' and sit in different counties with different property tax bills, different commutes, and different feeder patterns, so verify zoning for the exact address.
Growth keeps pushing west and north. New subdivisions around Loop 1604, Scenic Loop, and Texas 16 bring new campuses and occasional boundary changes; ask the district about planned rezoning before you buy.
Commutes are manageable from most of the district. The northwest side rides I-10, Loop 410, and 1604, so most Northside neighborhoods land within 20 to 35 minutes of downtown on a typical day.
Sources
Ratings, campus counts, and program details are drawn from the published sources below. Verify zoning and enrollment for your exact address with the district before making a home decision.
- Texas Tribune Schools Explorer: Northside ISD campus and enrollment figures
- TEA Texas School Report Cards: Northside ISD 2024-25 enrollment
- Community Impact: Northside ISD receives C rating from TEA (August 2025)
- San Antonio Report: Northside ISD bets on specialty programs
- Northside ISD official district site
