Friendswood and Katy ISDs lead the region for highest percentages of students with dyslexia and autism, respectively, according to Texas Education Agency data released May 9.

At a glance

Community Impact analyzed TEA data for 28 school districts across the Greater Houston area to learn which schools have the most students enrolled in special education programs.

According to data for 28 Greater Houston-area school districts, the districts with the highest total numbers of students receiving special education services in 2024-25 are:
Looking at how the raw numbers for 2024-25 compare to five school years ago, all 28 districts saw a rise in students receiving special education services.

The districts with the biggest changes for special education student enrollment from 2020-25 are:
  • Katy ISD, which gained 6,428 students
  • Cy-Fair ISD, which gained 4,851 students
  • Houston ISD, which gained 4,248 students
  • Conroe ISD, which gained 4,103 students
  • Fort Bend ISD, which gained 4,047 students
By the numbers


When looking at the number of students receiving special education services as a percentage of total enrollment, some different school districts emerged for the largest populations.

The districts with the highest percentage of students enrolled in special education programs in the 2024-25 school year are:
Breaking it down

Dyslexia and autism are the most common disorders measured in students in the state and in Region 4—which covers most of the Greater Houston area—according to TEA data released March 24 and May 9. In Region 4, 35,806 students with autism and 69,052 with dyslexia were enrolled during the 2024-25 school year.

The districts with the highest raw numbers for students with dyslexia are:
  • Katy ISD with 8,219 students
  • Houston ISD with 7,118 students
  • Conroe ISD with 5,465 students
The districts with the highest raw numbers for students with autism are:
  • Houston ISD with 4,741 students
  • Katy ISD with 4,195 students
  • Fort Bend ISD with 3,064 students
When looking at the number of students with dyslexia or autism as a percentage of total enrollment, some different school districts emerged for the largest populations.


The districts with the largest percentages of students with dyslexia are:The districts with the largest percentages of students with autism are:
  • Katy ISD with 4.4%
  • Alief ISD with 4.3%
  • La Porte with 4.1%
The data also shows that the districts have higher percentages of students diagnosed with dyslexia than students with autism, except for Pasadena and Spring ISDs.