Crowley ISD: Complete Family Guide
Everything relocating families need to know about Crowley Independent School District, TEA ratings, campus highlights, dual-enrollment options, enrollment steps, and the boundary checks you must do before making an offer in south Tarrant County.
Crowley ISD at a Glance
Crowley ISD is a mid-size south Tarrant County district serving approximately 17,000 students across the city of Crowley, all of Kennedale, and significant portions of southwest and south Fort Worth. For relocating families, the district represents one of the more affordable school-zone options in the area, but the honest picture is more nuanced than the price tag suggests. STAAR proficiency scores sit meaningfully below state averages, and many south Fort Worth addresses that look like they're in Crowley ISD territory actually fall within Fort Worth ISD. Boundary verification is essential here, and it's not optional.
The district has a genuine identity rooted in athletics, Crowley ISD ranks among the top 70 most competitive school districts for student athletes in the entire state of Texas (Niche, 2026 rankings), and its two traditional high schools plus a dual-enrollment collegiate program give families real options within the district. If you're drawn to south Tarrant County for housing affordability and need a practical, working district with established programs, Crowley ISD deserves a real look. If STAAR scores and resource levels are a priority, you'll want to weigh it carefully against Mansfield ISD and Burleson ISD before committing to a neighborhood.
What follows is a full parent-to-parent breakdown: what TEA says, what the test scores show, what to know about each high school, how to verify your address, and how Crowley ISD stacks up against its neighbors.
Best Fit For Families Who…
- Are buying in south Tarrant County on a budget and want an established mid-size district with real extracurricular programs
- Have a student athlete, the district's sports culture and facilities are a genuine strength, with top-tier rankings statewide
- Value a highly diverse school environment (#65 most diverse district in Texas per Niche 2026)
- Want a dual-enrollment college pathway through Crowley Collegiate Academy without leaving the district
- Need I-35W access to Fort Worth, Alliance area, or Lockheed Martin employment corridors
May Not Be the Best Fit If…
- STAAR proficiency at or above the state average is a primary decision factor, Crowley ISD scores are significantly below state peers in math (28%) and reading (43%)
- You're prioritizing specialized GT/IB districtwide programs with guaranteed access by address
- You're comparing against Mansfield or Burleson ISDs and per-pupil resources and academic rankings are a meaningful driver
- Your home search depends entirely on a south Fort Worth address, many of those addresses fall in Fort Worth ISD, not Crowley ISD
Not every home with a Crowley, Fort Worth, or Kennedale address falls within Crowley ISD. South Fort Worth in particular is split between Crowley ISD and Fort Worth ISD at the street level, and the difference matters significantly for your child's school experience. Always verify your specific address using the district's online lookup at crowleyisdtx.org or the TEA school locator before making an offer. Zip codes 76134, 76123, and 76133 are high-risk for address splits — see the Boundary section for details.
TEA Accountability Rating
Crowley ISD earned a B rating from the Texas Education Agency in its most recently finalized accountability cycle (2023). TEA's A–F accountability system scores districts across three primary performance domains.
Student Achievement measures how well students perform on state assessments at a single point in time, including STAAR scores and graduation rates. School Progress measures whether student performance is improving over time and how the district compares to schools with similar student populations. Closing the Gaps measures how well the district is narrowing performance differences across student groups.
A "B" from TEA means the district is meeting state standards with measurable performance across all three domains. It's important to interpret this alongside the STAAR proficiency numbers below: a B rating reflects progress and growth methodology, not just raw scores, so a district can earn a B while still having below-average STAAR pass rates if it demonstrates meaningful growth among its students. For families relocating from states without similar systems, this distinction matters: TEA's rating tells you about trajectory and relative performance, but the proficiency percentages tell you where students are performing today relative to grade-level expectations.
Note: TEA accountability ratings are periodically delayed or paused due to legislative or legal actions. If the most recent school year's rating is not yet published, the 2023 B rating remains the most current official designation. Check txschools.gov for the latest published results.
Academic Performance
2024–25 STAAR results (Texas Education Agency statewide standardized testing program, sourced via Niche):
- Reading/ELA proficiency: 43% of students at or above grade level
- Math proficiency: 28% of students at or above grade level
These numbers require honest interpretation. Statewide, Texas districts average roughly 49–52% proficiency in reading and 37–40% in math. Crowley ISD's math proficiency rate sits approximately 10–12 percentage points below the state average, and reading is below average as well. For a relocating family accustomed to higher-performing districts in California, Illinois, or the Northeast, this gap will feel noticeable. It does not mean every student at every Crowley campus struggles, campus-level scores vary, and individual teacher quality, course selection, and family support all affect outcomes. But the district-wide averages should inform your expectations.
Graduation rate: 90% (as reported via Niche). This is a genuine strength, a 90% graduation rate is solid and reflects a district that works to get students across the finish line. More than half of students surveyed by Niche expressed interest in University of Texas–Arlington, Texas A&M, UT-Austin, or TCU, signaling active college aspirations within the student body.
Standardized test scores (user-reported through Niche; not official district data): average SAT composite of approximately 1050 and average ACT composite of approximately 22. These are directional signals, not official district-published figures, and individual campus performance will vary.
Niche College Prep grade: B+, this reflects access to AP courses and dual-enrollment options relative to peer districts, which is notably higher than the Academics grade. Crowley ISD's investment in college-pathway programming through Crowley Collegiate Academy is a real differentiator.
Campuses
Crowley ISD operates more than 30 campuses serving students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The two traditional high schools are the primary destinations for most families, and understanding the difference between them is worth your time before settling on a neighborhood.
Crowley High School
The district's original comprehensive high school, located in the city of Crowley. Serves students from the southern portions of the district including Crowley proper and parts of south Fort Worth. Known for strong athletics programs, particularly football and band, and serves as the cultural center of the Crowley community. The "Eagles" identity runs deep in this part of the district.
North Crowley High School
Serves the northern and Fort Worth-adjacent portions of the district, including areas closer to the Fort Worth city core. North Crowley was established as enrollment grew in the northern service area and draws students from zip codes 76123, 76133, and 76134. Families buying in north-facing parts of Crowley ISD territory will typically attend North Crowley, verify your specific assignment before buying.
Crowley Collegiate Academy
A dual-enrollment early college high school operating in partnership with Tarrant County College, giving qualifying students the opportunity to earn up to 60 college credit hours, an associate's degree, before graduation. Admission is selective and requires an application; it is not guaranteed by home address. For academically motivated families, CCA is a meaningful differentiator that keeps Crowley ISD competitive on the college-prep front despite lower district-wide STAAR averages.
Middle school campuses include Crowley Middle School, Summer Creek Middle School, and others serving the district's geographic footprint. Elementary campuses span the full district territory, and some individual schools have earned notably higher ratings than the district average, verifying the specific campus your address feeds to is worth doing at every level, not just for high school.
Specialty Programs
Crowley Collegiate Academy (CCA)
Districtwide access, application required. Early college high school in partnership with Tarrant County College. Students can earn up to 60 college credit hours (associate's degree) while completing high school. Admission is selective; families should confirm application timelines with the district. Transportation may need to be parent-provided for out-of-zone attendance, verify with the district's transportation office. Families targeting CCA should research the application timeline before finalizing a home purchase, since zoned assignment does not guarantee CCA admission.
Gifted and Talented (GT)
Districtwide, identification required. Crowley ISD offers a Gifted and Talented program available at campuses across the district. Students are identified through a formal evaluation process including assessments, teacher recommendations, and portfolio review. GT programming is available beginning in elementary school. Services may vary by campus level and available resources. Families with identified GT students should ask specifically which services are available at their zoned campus and whether self-contained or cluster models are in use at that school.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Both traditional high schools, course-selection based. AP courses are offered at both Crowley High School and North Crowley High School. Students enroll based on academic eligibility and course availability, not by separate application. The range of AP sections available varies by campus and year; families of high-achieving students should review the current course catalog at their assigned school. Niche's B+ College Prep rating reflects meaningful AP access relative to peer districts.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Both traditional high schools. Crowley ISD offers CTE pathways in health science, business, technology, agriculture, and other career clusters. These programs allow students to explore career fields, earn industry certifications, and build technical skills alongside traditional coursework. For families with students who are considering vocational paths or want applied learning alongside academics, CTE programming is an asset worth reviewing at the campus level. Confirm specific pathway offerings at your assigned high school directly with the district.
How to Enroll
Enrolling in Crowley ISD requires proof of residency within district boundaries. Below is a general guide, confirm current timelines and requirements at crowleyisdtx.org before beginning your enrollment, as specific details may change between school years.
- Verify your address is in Crowley ISD before making an offer on a home. The district boundary tool is available at crowleyisdtx.org. Also confirm at tea.texas.gov/apps/school-directory.
- Residency documentation required: Most districts require two forms of proof of residency (lease agreement or mortgage closing documents, plus a utility bill showing the address). Have these ready before your appointment.
- Online registration: New student registration is handled through the district's online portal. Visit crowleyisdtx.org for the current registration portal link and to confirm open enrollment dates for your target school year.
- Enrollment window: Crowley ISD typically opens enrollment for the upcoming school year in the spring (February–April). Students moving mid-year can enroll on an ongoing basis. Confirm 2025–26 enrollment windows directly with the district.
- Intra-district transfers: Requests to transfer between campuses within Crowley ISD are handled administratively. Space availability determines approval. Contact the district's enrollment office for the current policy and timeline.
- Inter-district transfers: Families seeking to transfer into Crowley ISD from another district (or out of Crowley ISD to another district) must apply through the district's transfer process. Both sending and receiving districts must approve. Crowley ISD's transfer acceptance depends on available capacity at the requested campus.
- IEP / 504 / Special Education transfers: Texas law requires that a student's ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) meeting be held within 30 days of enrollment to review and adopt or revise the existing IEP. Bring all prior IEP documentation, evaluation records, and any 504 plans to enrollment. Contact Crowley ISD's Special Education Services office at (817) 297-5800 before or during enrollment to begin the coordination process. Do not assume services will transfer automatically without this meeting.
Boundary Verification: The Most Important Step
The Crowley ISD boundary situation is one of the most consequential in south Tarrant County, and families need to approach it with more care than many other DFW districts. Here is what makes it complex:
The south Fort Worth split: Large portions of south and southwest Fort Worth, including significant neighborhoods in zip codes 76134, 76123, and 76133, are divided at the street level between Crowley ISD and Fort Worth ISD. This is not a clean geographic split by neighborhood; individual streets, subdivisions, and sometimes even adjacent lots are zoned to different districts. A home marketed as being "near Crowley ISD schools" may be in Fort Worth ISD. The school experiences, STAAR scores, and campus cultures in these two districts differ significantly, so assuming district assignment based on proximity alone is a real risk.
Kennedale: All addresses within the city of Kennedale fall within Crowley ISD. There is no boundary ambiguity for Kennedale proper.
Crowley city proper: The vast majority of addresses within the city of Crowley are in Crowley ISD, but verify new construction developments on the city's edge before assuming assignment.
New construction risk: Rapid residential development in south Tarrant County means new communities are being platted in areas where the ISD assignment may not yet be intuitive. Always verify new builds individually, the builder or developer may list a city name that does not correspond to the expected ISD.
Within-district attendance zones: Even once you've confirmed a home is in Crowley ISD, the specific campus assignment (whether Crowley High or North Crowley High, and which middle school) is determined by attendance zone. These zones can shift as enrollment grows. Confirm your specific campus assignment, not just district membership, before selecting a neighborhood.
1. Use the Crowley ISD online boundary/school lookup at crowleyisdtx.org.
2. Cross-check at the TEA school locator: tea.texas.gov/apps/school-directory.
3. If you're working with Kristen, she verifies ISD assignment as part of the home search, it's one of the first filters applied before touring any property.
Making an offer without verifying your specific address can mean your child attends a different school than you planned, and boundary maps do not always match common-sense geography.
Property Taxes and District Finances
2024 certified total tax rate: approximately $1.17 per $100 assessed valuation (verify the current year's certified rate at the Tarrant County Appraisal District or Texas Comptroller at comptroller.texas.gov). This rate applies to the combined Maintenance and Operations (M&O) and Interest and Sinking (I&S) components of the district's levy.
What does this mean for your mortgage? On a $350,000 home in Crowley ISD territory (a representative price point in south Tarrant County), a $1.17 rate produces an annual school tax bill of approximately $4,095, or roughly $341/month added to your housing costs. After Texas's $100,000 homestead exemption, the taxable value on a $350,000 home becomes $250,000, reducing the annual bill to approximately $2,925 ($244/month). This math matters when comparing Crowley ISD to neighboring districts at different tax rates.
Comparison context: Mansfield ISD's certified total rate is approximately $1.26–1.28/100 (higher than Crowley ISD); Burleson ISD's is approximately $1.20–1.22/100; Fort Worth ISD is approximately $1.06–1.10/100. For a $350,000 home, the difference between Crowley ISD's $1.17 and Mansfield ISD's $1.27 represents roughly $250–350/year in additional school taxes. These figures change annually, always verify the current certified rate before making a purchase.
Per-pupil expenditure: $12,113 per student (Niche, sourced from TEA PEIMS data). For context, the national average is approximately $17,834 per pupil. Crowley ISD spends significantly below the national average, which has real implications for classroom resources, facility quality, specialist access, and program variety. Families coming from well-funded districts in other states should set their expectations accordingly, the funding reality shapes the resource environment at every campus.
The district has pursued bond programs to address facility needs. Check the district website for the current status of any approved bond projects and their timelines.
How Crowley ISD Compares to Nearby Districts
| District | Size | TEA Grade | Tax Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowley ISD | ~17,000 | B (2023) | ~$1.17 | Budget-conscious south Tarrant buyers, athletes, diversity-seekers |
| Mansfield ISD | ~38,000 | A | ~$1.26–1.28 | Higher STAAR scores, established programs, broader suburban amenities |
| Burleson ISD | ~13,000 | B–C | ~$1.20–1.22 | Smaller community feel, slightly lower cost than Mansfield, still south Tarrant |
| Fort Worth ISD | ~74,000 | C | ~$1.06–1.10 | Lower tax rate, urban proximity, magnet school access |
Families most commonly cross-shop Crowley ISD against Mansfield ISD and Burleson ISD. The core trade-off is straightforward: Mansfield ISD delivers higher STAAR scores, more established specialty programs, and a TEA A rating, but homes are priced roughly $30,000–60,000 higher for comparable square footage, and the tax rate is higher as well. Burleson ISD sits between the two in most metrics, a slightly smaller, tighter-knit district with comparable or slightly lower home prices to Crowley ISD. Fort Worth ISD is often not a direct comparison for families looking at Crowley territory, but it's worth noting for south Fort Worth addresses that turn out to fall in FWISD rather than Crowley ISD, the two systems differ significantly in size, STAAR performance, and campus culture.
The right choice depends on your family's specific priorities. If athletics culture and community diversity are central, and home affordability is a real constraint, Crowley ISD belongs on your shortlist. If STAAR proximity to state average and higher per-pupil resources are primary, the budget math points toward Mansfield ISD territory even at a somewhat higher housing cost.
Community Feel and What Parents Say
Crowley ISD has a distinct community identity built around its athletics tradition. Friday nights matter here, football, band, and track are deeply embedded in the culture at both comprehensive high schools, and the district's statewide athletics ranking (#62 in Texas, #21 in Dallas-Fort Worth by Niche) reflects real competitive depth, not just volume. Families who moved to Crowley ISD territory specifically for athletics consistently report that the investment in sports programs is genuine and visible in student participation and school spirit.
The district's diversity is another defining characteristic. With a Niche Diversity grade of A and a ranking of #65 most diverse district in Texas, Crowley ISD serves a genuinely multicultural student population. Parents who prioritize diverse school environments for their children, particularly those relocating from large coastal metro areas, often cite this as a meaningful positive. The tradeoff is that the demographic mix correlates with a high free/reduced lunch rate (78.1%), which in turn reflects the resource constraints the district operates under.
Parent sentiment across review platforms is mixed but directionally consistent: the extracurricular culture earns strong praise, teacher relationships at the individual campus level are frequently cited positively, and students who engage with Crowley Collegiate Academy or AP coursework report meaningful academic preparation for college. The areas of consistent concern are teacher turnover (15.4% of teachers are in their first or second year, above the regional average), administrative responsiveness (Niche Administration grade C), and classroom resource levels. The per-pupil expenditure gap relative to Mansfield ISD is something families notice once their students are enrolled.
One nuance worth noting: the Crowley ISD experience varies noticeably by campus. The district spans from tight-knit southern communities near Crowley proper to denser, more urban-adjacent neighborhoods in north district Fort Worth. The community feel at a Crowley High School football game is distinctly different from the feel at a North Crowley campus event. Families should, if possible, visit the specific campus their address feeds to rather than forming impressions of the district from one end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Find a Home in Crowley ISD Territory?
I help relocating families verify school boundaries, identify the right south Tarrant County community, and navigate the DFW buying process, start to finish.
Or email Kristen@whymovetodallas.com · (602) 405-4115 · TREC #760457
Related Places to Explore
Sources
- Crowley ISD official website (crowleyisdtx.org), enrollment, campus directory, programs, transfer policy
- Texas Education Agency, txschools.gov, 2023 A-F Accountability ratings
- Texas Comptroller, comptroller.texas.gov, 2024 certified tax rates
- Niche.com, district grades, campus ratings, student/parent reviews (third-party); 2024–25 STAAR proficiency data sourced from TEA via Niche
- GreatSchools.org, campus ratings context (third-party)
- U.S. Census Bureau, community demographic and income data
Kristen Carpentier · Licensed Texas Realtor® · TREC License #760457 ·
Brokered by eXp Realty · 15950 Dallas Pkwy #400, Dallas TX 75248
School data is provided for informational purposes only and is subject to
change. School attendance boundaries change regularly, always verify your
specific address with the district before making a purchase decision.
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