School District Locator FAQ

1. How can I obtain school district boundary maps?
2. What is the difference between school district boundaries and school attendance zones?
3. How can I find out which school district and campus my child will attend?
4. Can my child attend school in District A, even though we live in District B?
5. My property sits on the boundary between District A and District B. Which school district does my child attend?
6. Where else can I go to verify school district boundary information?
7. The boundaries TEA shows for my school district are incorrect. How do I submit a change?
8. My child has to take a bus 45 minutes to school every morning, even though there is a school (in a different school district) right across the street from my house. Who makes this decision? Is there anything I can do about it?
9. Where did TEA get the school district boundary information?
10. The school I am looking for is in the wrong location on the map or isn't there at all. What can I do?
11. Can I find charter schools in the School District Locator?
12. The district and school data listed to the left of the map is incorrect. Who updates this?

1. How can I obtain school district boundary maps?

   You can print maps showing general boundary information from the School District Locator. For more information about district boundaries, contact the district, county tax assessing authority, or county appraisal district.

2. What is the difference between school district boundaries and school attendance zones?

   School district boundaries define the geographic limits of school districts established under Chapter 11 of the Texas Education Code. School districts must submit information about their boundaries to TEA under Section 13.010 of the Texas Education Code.

   School attendance zones are geographic areas that a district uses to assign children to schools. TEA does not collect school attendance zone information. Contact school districts for information about attendance zones.

3. How can I find out which school district and campus my child will attend?

   School districts assign children to schools by attendance zones, other assignment methods, or transfer policies. Once you find out your child's school district, you can contact that district to find out the school your child will attend.

   TEA collects and reports information regarding school district boundaries. TEA makes available reproductions in electronic formats. Because the accuracy of the original data and reproduction techniques varies, TEA's maps show approximations of actual school district boundaries. These approximations are adequate for general information, but are not suitable for commercial transactions or legal purposes. For more detailed information about school district boundaries, contact the districts, county tax assessing authority, or county appraisal district.

4. Can my child attend school in District A, even though we live in District B?

   Generally, a child must attend the school district in which he or she resides. School districts can make transfer agreements to accept each others' students. Transfer arrangements may also result from wealth-sharing arrangements under Chapter 41 of the Texas Education Code. For more information, contact your school district or the TEA Division of State Funding at (512) 463-9238.

   In addition, Texas Education Code, Chapter 29, Subchapter G, provides for the Public Education Grant (PEG) program. Under this provision, a child who attends a school that does not meet specific performance criteria may seek to attend another public school in the district. The child can also use a public education grant to attend a district other than the district in which the student resides. For more information, see the Performance Reporting web site. For funding-related information, contact the TEA Division of State Funding at (512) 463-9238. For questions about the PEG program, contact the TEA Division of Performance Reporting at (512) 463-9704.

   A parent may make a transfer agreement with “District A” according to Section 25.036 of the Education Code.The receiving school district may charge a tuition fee to the extent permitted by Section 25.038.

5. My property sits on the boundary between District A and District B. Which school district does my child attend?

   Generally, a child is eligible to attend the school district in which the child resides. If a residence is located on a district boundary, the boards of either or both districts may determine that the student is eligible to enroll in their district. The school district board of trustees in the district makes the final determination if there is a question. If there is a dispute regarding a student's residence, a grievance may be filed with the district by or on behalf of the student. There is no commissioner’s decision, reported court opinion, or other legal precedent relating to a determination of student residency within a district boundary.

6. Where else can I go to verify school district boundary information?

   In addition to TEA and the school districts, you can verify school district boundary information with the county tax assessor-collectors' offices and appraisal districts. 

7. The boundaries TEA shows for my school district are incorrect. How are changes submitted?

   If you discover an error in the boundary information reported by TEA, inform your school district. District officials will inform TEA and provide evidence of corrected boundaries. TEA will verify the changes with other affected districts.

   School districts must submit information about their boundaries to TEA under Section 13.010 of the Texas Education Code.

8. My child has to take a long bus ride to school every morning, even though there is a school (in a different school district) right across the street from my house. Who makes this decision? Is there anything I can do about it?

   School district boundaries, in most cases, were drawn several decades ago. As a result, newer housing developments or subdivisions may be inconveniently split among two or more school districts. In such cases, residents may petition for detachment and annexation of territory from one district to another, as outlined in Section 13.051 of the Texas Education Code.

9. Where did TEA get the school district boundary information?

   TEA collects maps and legal descriptions of school district boundaries from school districts under Section 13.010 of the Texas Education Code. Districts are required to submit any changes to TEA. This information forms the basis for the digitized school district boundary maps maintained by TEA.

10. The school I am looking for is in the wrong location on the map or isn't there at all. What can I do?

    Only regular, alternative, and charter schools are shown in the School District Locator. Budgeted, DAEP (disciplinary) and JJAEP (juvenile justice) school locations are maintained by TEA but are currently not displayed. For more information on specific schools of these types, go to AskTED.

    School locations provided in mapping applications by TEA are approximate for general information only. Although the locations are being updated continuously, there is a lag time between actual changes like a new school, and when the data is updated. If you see a discrepancy, consult the school address listing among the school district data, or contact the school or school district for more information.

    The last major update for schools was in July 2013. For geographic discrepancies, please email us so that we can update our data.

11. Can I find charter schools in the School District Locator?

    Charter schools are shown within the boundaries of ESC regions and school district boundaries, but charter school boundaries are not maintained in the maps. Contact the Division of Charter School Administration for additional information related to charter school boundaries. 

12. The district and school data listed to the left of the map is incorrect. Who updates this?

    Information for each district is maintained by the district itself in the Texas Education Online Directory website.

    The district's TED Administrator is the person responsible for maintaining this data. 

Contact TEA GIS Administrator with technical questions regarding this application. Contact the school district if there are administrative questions on school district boundaries.