Midlothian ISD
Ellis County's growing district, dual-high-school model, a dedicated CTE Center, and a community that passed all three 2025 bond propositions.
- ~9,000 Students
- TEA Rating: B (85)
- Niche: A−
- Tax Rate: $1.08/$100
- 2 High Schools + CTE Center
- 25 mi SW of Dallas
Midlothian ISD at a Glance
Key numbers for families evaluating the district before a move.
Is Midlothian ISD the Right Fit?
Honest answers so you can decide before you tour, not after you close.
Best Fit For
- Families wanting a smaller-city feel with a suburban DFW price point and more land per dollar
- Students drawn to hands-on CTE pathways, a standalone center separate from both high schools
- Buyers seeking acreage-lot options within commute range of Fort Worth or south Dallas employers
- Families who prefer two mid-size high schools (~2,000–2,500 each) over a single mega-campus
- Households prioritizing a lower overall tax rate vs. closer-in DFW suburbs
- Families who see bond passage as a long-term value signal, all three 2025 props passed
Not a Fit For
- Families needing a sub-20-minute commute to downtown Dallas, budget 35–50 min each way
- Buyers who expect their address zip code to determine the high school, it doesn't; verify your lot's specific boundary
- Families seeking dense urban amenities or specialized magnet programs within the district
- Those wanting all AP/IB offerings concentrated on one flagship campus; they're split across two schools
- Buyers expecting walkable, amenity-rich neighborhoods immediately surrounding schools
Academic Performance
How Midlothian ISD scores on the measures most families use to evaluate a district.
B TEA Accountability Rating
The Texas Education Agency awarded Midlothian ISD a B (85/100) in its most recent accountability cycle. The district met standards across Student Achievement, School Progress, and Closing the Gaps domains, a consistent outcome for a district managing rapid enrollment growth while sustaining academic results.
A− Niche Overall Grade
Niche.com grades Midlothian ISD an A− overall, with particular strength in academics and teachers. The grade synthesizes state test performance, graduation rates, student-teacher ratios, and survey responses from current parents and students in the district.
📊 Graduation & College Readiness
The district maintains a graduation rate above the Texas state average. Both Midlothian High School and Heritage High School offer Advanced Placement coursework and Dual Credit partnerships with community colleges, giving students multiple pathways to earn college credit before graduation.
🏫 District of Innovation
Midlothian ISD holds District of Innovation designation under Texas law, which allows flexibility in scheduling, staffing, and curriculum beyond standard TEA requirements. This status lets administrators move faster on workforce-relevant programs, especially meaningful given the district's CTE focus.
Campuses & Boundaries
14 facilities across 112 square miles, including two high schools and a standalone CTE Center. Your specific address determines which high school your child attends.
Midlothian High School
The original flagship campus serving the district's western attendance zone. Full AP sequence, UIL athletics across major sports, fine arts, and dual credit. Enrollment approximately 2,000–2,500 students.
Heritage High School
Opened to serve the district's growing northeast residential zones. Mirrors Midlothian HS in AP offerings, UIL participation, and fine arts programs, deliberately sized to avoid mega-campus dynamics.
Midlothian CTE Center
A standalone Career & Technical Education facility shared by both high schools. Students attend for industry-credentialed programs in construction trades, healthcare, welding, automotive, and technology. Bond 2025 Proposition B funds a significant expansion of this campus.
Walnut Grove · Frank Seale · Mt. Peak
Three middle school campuses serving grades 6–8. Each feeds into the high school serving its geographic attendance zone. Verify your middle school assignment along with the high school boundary.
Eight Elementary Campuses
Eight PK–5 campuses spread across the district's 112-square-mile service area. Attendance zones are reviewed periodically as residential growth in Midlothian and surrounding communities continues.
⚠️ High School Boundary Check: Because MISD runs two high schools, your specific lot, not just your zip code, determines which campus your children attend. Confirm your address at midlothianisd.net before closing, or ask your buyer's agent to run the address through the district lookup tool as part of due diligence.
Programs & Pathways
What students actually have access to, and what sets Midlothian ISD apart from neighboring districts.
Standalone CTE Center
A dedicated Career & Technical Education facility is rare at this enrollment size. Students from both high schools travel to the center for industry-certified programs spanning construction, healthcare, welding, automotive, and technology. Bond 2025 Prop B adds major capacity.
STEM Programs
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math coursework is embedded across grade levels. At the secondary level, students can pursue STEM-focused dual credit and AP sequences aligned to four-year university admission benchmarks.
Dual Credit & AP
College partnerships, including with Navarro College, allow students to earn transferable credit at no cost. Advanced Placement courses cover core academic subjects at both high school campuses.
UIL Athletics & Fine Arts
Both high schools field UIL athletic teams across major sports and host band, choir, theater, and visual arts programs. Operating two campuses means student-athletes aren't competing for roster spots against a single 5A mega-school population.
Special Education & Support Services
District-wide services include special education, dyslexia programs, 504 accommodations, and ESL/bilingual support. District of Innovation status provides flexibility in service delivery models.
Early Childhood Education
Pre-K programs are available for qualifying students district-wide based on state eligibility criteria. Early childhood programming anchors the district's academic pipeline from the earliest grades.
Growth, Investment & What's Coming
Midlothian ISD is one of the faster-growing districts in the DFW exurban corridor, and the community voted to fund it.
🗳️ Bond 2025: All Three Propositions Passed
Midlothian ISD voters approved all three bond propositions in 2025:
- Prop A, Growth: New campus construction and expansions to manage enrollment surge
- Prop B, CTE: Major expansion of the dedicated Career & Technical Education Center
- Prop C, Technology: Infrastructure upgrades and classroom technology refresh across the district
A district where voters pass all three bond measures is a district investing in its own future. That's a meaningful signal for families weighing long-term neighborhood value.
📈 Enrollment Trajectory
Midlothian ISD has grown from fewer than 5,000 students a decade ago to approximately 9,000 today, nearly doubling. This pace mirrors Midlothian city's residential expansion as DFW buyers move south and southwest chasing larger lots and lower prices.
The two-high-school model was built to prevent one campus from becoming overcrowded. Bond Prop A capacity projects will carry the district through the next wave of subdivision development already underway in Ellis County.
🏗️ Community Character & Context
Midlothian earned the title "Cement Capital of North Texas", three cement plants and a steel mill have anchored the local economy for generations. That industrial base is now supplemented by residential growth and expanding retail and healthcare corridors. The standalone CTE Center's emphasis on trades and industrial credentials reflects both the community's heritage and the real workforce needs of Ellis County employers today.
Location & Commute Reality
Where Midlothian ISD sits in the DFW picture, and what the daily drive actually looks like.
Key Routes In & Out
US-287 runs northwest directly to Fort Worth and southeast toward Waxahachie. US-67 heads northeast toward Dallas, Cedar Hill, and Duncanville. Both corridors carry substantial commuter traffic, and peak-hour congestion near Cedar Hill and the I-35E interchange can add 10–15 minutes to Dallas commutes. Families working remotely or with Fort Worth-based employers consistently report that more land, lower prices, and a quieter city more than offset the longer drive time.
How Midlothian ISD Compares
Side-by-side with the neighboring districts families most often search alongside Midlothian.
| Factor | Midlothian ISD | Waxahachie ISD | Mansfield ISD | Burleson ISD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEA Rating | B (85) | B | B | B (~82) |
| Niche Grade | A− | B+ | A− | B+ |
| Enrollment | ~9,000 | ~9,000 | ~36,000 | ~12,000 |
| High Schools | 2 + Standalone CTE | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| Tax Rate / $100 | $1.08 | ~$1.12 | ~$1.30 | ~$1.10 |
| Distance from Dallas | 25 mi SW | 35 mi S | 25 mi SW | 30 mi SW |
| Dedicated CTE Facility | ✓ Standalone campus | On-campus programs | On-campus programs | On-campus programs |
| Recent Bond Vote | 2025, 3 of 3 passed | - | 2021, passed | - |
Sources: TEA 2023 accountability ratings; Niche.com; district and county tax office data. Tax rates are certified and subject to annual board adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real questions from families researching a move to the Midlothian area.
Use the district's address lookup tool at midlothianisd.net. Because MISD runs two high schools — Midlothian HS and Heritage HS — your campus assignment is tied to your specific lot location, not your zip code. Two houses on the same street can feed different schools. Always verify the boundary as part of your due diligence before closing, and ask your buyer's agent to confirm. Boundaries are reviewed as enrollment grows.
The 2024 certified district tax rate is $1.08 per $100 of appraised value, the combined M&O (Maintenance & Operations) and I&S (Interest & Sinking) rate. Ellis County's overall property tax burden is generally lower than comparable suburbs in Tarrant or Dallas County, which is one reason affordability-focused buyers land on Midlothian. Rates are set annually by the school board; confirm the current figure with the Ellis County Appraisal District before making a purchase decision.
Voters approved all three propositions in 2025. Prop A funds capacity growth, new construction and expansions to absorb the district's ongoing enrollment increase. Prop B expands the standalone CTE Center, adding certified program space across both high school populations. Prop C covers technology infrastructure and classroom equipment upgrades district-wide. Passing all three, especially in a year with multiple competing priorities, is a strong indicator of community confidence in the district's direction.
Yes. Midlothian ISD offers Pre-K programs for qualifying students. State eligibility criteria include income level, English language learner status, military family status, and other qualifying factors. Contact the district's student services office at 100 Walter Stephenson Road, Midlothian, TX 76065, or visit midlothianisd.net to confirm current program availability, campus locations, and enrollment timelines for your child's age group.
Both districts hold a TEA B rating, but they differ in structure. Midlothian ISD operates two high schools plus a dedicated CTE Center; Waxahachie ISD has a single high school. Midlothian's Niche grade (A−) sits a step above Waxahachie (B+). Tax rates are close, Midlothian at $1.08, Waxahachie at approximately $1.12. Midlothian is roughly 10 miles closer to DFW employment centers; Waxahachie offers a more established small-city downtown. The choice typically comes down to which city's housing inventory, community feel, and commute corridor best fits your situation.
Midlothian draws a significant share of relocating families from California, Colorado, and the Pacific Northwest who are prioritizing more land, lower cost of living, and Texas's no-state-income-tax environment. The main trade-off versus closer-in suburbs is commute distance to Dallas employment cores, plan for 35–50 minutes on weekdays. Remote workers and families with Fort Worth-based employers find the math particularly favorable. The city has grown its retail, dining, and healthcare infrastructure steadily as the population has crossed 31,000.
Ready to Explore Homes in the Midlothian ISD Zone?
Kristen Carpentier is a licensed Texas REALTOR® specializing in DFW family relocations. She can walk you through available listings, high school boundary specifics, and neighborhood fit, before you book a flight.
Explore More of DFW
Research other districts and suburbs in your search radius.
Sources
- Texas Education Agency (TEA), 2023 District Accountability Ratings, tea.texas.gov
- Niche.com, Midlothian ISD school district profile and overall grade
- Ellis County Appraisal District, 2024 Certified District Tax Rate
- Midlothian Independent School District, midlothianisd.net (campus data, enrollment, bond information)
- City of Midlothian, Population and community development data
- Midlothian ISD Bond 2025, Voter-approved Propositions A, B, and C
Fair Housing Notice: All information is provided for general informational purposes only. School ratings, enrollment figures, tax rates, and boundary assignments are subject to change without notice. Nothing on this page constitutes a representation regarding the quality of any school or district in connection with any protected class under the Fair Housing Act or Texas law. Verify all data directly with Midlothian ISD and Ellis County Appraisal District before making any real estate decision. Kristen Carpentier is a licensed Texas REALTOR®. Content reviewed May 2026.