Not every school district in Williamson County is bringing home a report card worthy of a spot on the refrigerator.
While several districts in the rapidly growing Central Texas county earned A grades from education research website Niche, others received considerably more modest marks.
According to Niche’s 2026 Best School Districts in Williamson County evaluations, the website assessed 10 public school districts, with overall grades ranging from A to C.
Three districts received the lowest overall grades on that county listing: two C-pluses and one C.
But there’s more to these report cards than a handful of letters.
One district earned an A-minus for college preparation despite its lower overall grade. Another boasts an impressive diversity grade, while all three report graduation rates that might surprise readers.
Here’s what Niche’s evaluations reveal.
Taylor Independent School District — Overall Niche Grade: C+
Taylor Independent School District received a C-plus overall, but its report card has a few brighter spots.
Serving approximately 2,930 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade, the district has a student-teacher ratio of 25 to 1, according to Niche’s Taylor ISD profile.
Academic proficiency figures leave room for improvement.
About 42% of students meet state reading proficiency standards, while 26% demonstrate proficiency in math.
Academics earned a C-plus, and teachers received a C.
But here’s where things get interesting.
Taylor received an A-minus for college preparation and another A-minus for diversity. Administration earned a B-minus.
The district also reports a 92% graduation rate.
That creates an interesting contrast: Although standardized test proficiency remains relatively modest, Niche’s evaluation identifies stronger performance in college preparation and diversity.
Clearly, this report card has more than one story to tell.
Florence Independent School District — Overall Niche Grade: C+
Small-town Florence received the same C-plus overall grade as Taylor on Niche’s 2026 county listing.
The district serves approximately 1,142 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade, with a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1.
According to Niche’s Florence ISD profile, 49% of students meet reading proficiency standards, while 36% demonstrate proficiency in math.
Both figures are higher than Taylor’s, despite the districts receiving identical overall grades on the 2026 county listing.
Florence reports an 87% graduation rate.
Its individual category grades also reveal some notable strengths.
Diversity received an A-minus, while teachers, administration, college preparation, and clubs and activities earned B-minuses.
Academics received a C-plus, while sports and resources and facilities earned C grades.
Interestingly, Florence’s individual profile now displays an overall B-minus, reflecting a newer evaluation than the county listing used for this comparison.
Jarrell Independent School District — Overall Niche Grade: C
Jarrell Independent School District received the lowest overall grade on Niche’s 2026 Williamson County listing: a C.
But even this report card comes with a few surprises.
The district serves approximately 4,157 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade, with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1.
According to Niche’s Jarrell ISD profile, 40% of students meet reading proficiency standards, while 26% demonstrate proficiency in math.
Academics and teachers both received C grades, while administration earned a C-minus.
Resources and facilities received a D-plus, the district’s lowest individual category grade.
But Jarrell also earned an A for diversity and a B-plus for sports.
College preparation received a B.
And despite its overall C grade, the district reports a 92% graduation rate — matching Taylor’s and exceeding Florence’s.
Not exactly what someone might expect from the lowest overall grade in the county.
How Does Niche Grade School Districts?
Niche’s evaluations involve considerably more than standardized test scores.
According to Niche’s explanation of its grading system, the website analyzes publicly available education data alongside reviews and other information to evaluate schools and districts.
Factors include academic performance, teacher quality, graduation rates, college readiness and other measures of the educational experience.
Individual district profiles also provide grades for diversity, administration, extracurricular activities, athletics, food, and resources and facilities.
The reading and math proficiency figures cited in this article come from Texas’ 2024–25 statewide assessments, as reported by Niche.
Importantly, this comparison examines overall letter grades rather than numerical ranking positions.
Taylor and Florence received identical C-plus grades on Niche’s 2026 county listing and are therefore tied. Neither should be considered lower-graded than the other.
The overall grades in this comparison come from the 2026 county listing. Niche has subsequently updated some individual district profiles, including Florence’s, so those profiles may display newer grades.
What Do These Grades Really Tell Us?
A C or C-plus might not be the report card parents are hoping to see, but the underlying numbers reveal a more complicated picture.
Taylor received an A-minus for college preparation despite earning a C-plus overall.
Florence reported the strongest reading and math proficiency rates among the three districts examined.
And Jarrell, which received the county listing’s lowest overall grade, earned an A for diversity and reported a 92% graduation rate.
Those differences matter.
Niche’s evaluations offer families a useful starting point, but they aren’t comprehensive judgments of educational quality.
Enrollment size, community demographics, available programs and individual student needs can all influence how families evaluate their options.
For parents researching Williamson County schools, looking beyond the overall letter grade may reveal strengths that aren’t immediately obvious.
Because sometimes the most interesting part of a report card isn’t the grade at the top — it’s everything written underneath.
