Schools in Montrose: A Houston Parent's Guide

Schools in Montrose, Houston are zoned to the Houston Independent School District, and the three zoned campuses — Wilson Montessori, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School — sit either inside the neighborhood or within a short drive. Wilson Montessori on Smith Street is the standout: a K-8 magnet with a long waitlist, a Montessori curriculum from pre-K through fifth grade, and middle-school programming for grades 6-8. Lanier in River Oaks and Lamar on Westheimer round out the zoned path for older students.

Several well-regarded private schools sit inside or adjacent to the neighborhood, including St. Stephen's Episcopal School on Sul Ross Street, The Kinkaid School (just west, in Piney Point), St. Thomas High School near Memorial Park, and The Awty International School in nearby Spring Branch. Below is a structured rundown of public zoning, magnet options, and the most-considered private choices.

HISD zoned schools by grade band

For pre-K through grade 5, MacGregor Elementary at 4801 La Branch Street and Wilson Montessori at 2100 Yupon both serve parts of Montrose. Wilson is a magnet school with a lottery; MacGregor accepts zoned students directly. Wilson's Montessori program is rated highly within HISD and consistently fills its lottery several times over.

For grades 6-8, Lanier Middle School at 2600 Woodhead Street is the zoned campus and one of the higher-performing middle schools in HISD. Lanier sits on the eastern edge of River Oaks, technically just outside Montrose proper, but the neighborhood's children walk or carpool there. For grades 9-12, Lamar High School at 3325 Westheimer Road is the zoned campus, with International Baccalaureate (IB) programming available to qualifying students.

Magnet and transfer options

HISD's magnet system is the main alternative to zoned attendance. Beyond Wilson Montessori, Montrose families often apply to T.H. Rogers (a K-8 gifted-and-talented school in Tanglewood), Carnegie Vanguard High School (a competitive-admission high school downtown), or DeBakey High School for Health Professions in the Medical Center. The HISD magnet application window typically runs October through December for the following academic year.

Charter schools have a smaller presence in the area. KIPP and YES Prep operate campuses elsewhere in Houston, but few sit within Montrose itself. For a broader sense of the neighborhood beyond schools, our living in Montrose guide covers restaurants, parks, and daily logistics.

Private schools in and around Montrose

St. Stephen's Episcopal School at 1800 Sul Ross Street is the most-mentioned private K-8 option inside the neighborhood, with a long waitlist and tuition in the $20,000-$30,000 range depending on grade. The Kinkaid School in Piney Point Village (about 10 miles west) and the River Oaks Baptist School near Memorial Park serve as the next tier for Montrose families willing to drive.

For high school, St. Thomas High School (Catholic, all-boys) on Memorial Drive and Strake Jesuit further west are the most-considered private options. Episcopal High School in the Bellaire area and St. John's School in Tanglewood round out the upper-tier list. Tuition at the major private high schools runs $25,000 to $35,000 a year.

How school choice shapes neighborhood moves

Real estate buyers in Montrose often filter homes by zoning. A house on the east side of the neighborhood may zone to one elementary school while a house six blocks west zones to another, and pricing can reflect that gap. Before you sign, verify the address-specific zoning on the HISD school locator tool. Our Montrose real estate snapshot covers how housing prices vary across the neighborhood.

School transportation matters here. HISD bus routes serve most zoned middle and high school students, but pre-K through grade 5 families generally drive or walk. Westheimer traffic at 7:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. can stretch a half-mile drive to twenty minutes. For broader commuting context, see our I-10 navigation guide and our METRO Houston guide for bus routes that run through the area.

Visiting before you commit

Most zoned and magnet schools host fall open-house nights for prospective families. Private schools schedule individual tours and admissions interviews on rolling timelines starting in September. Plan to visit at least two or three options before deciding, even if you're set on a zoned route — campus culture varies more than the test scores suggest.

If you're new to Houston and visiting to scout schools and housing at the same time, the 2 days in Houston itinerary covers how to use a weekend efficiently. For families with children old enough to enjoy a museum afternoon between school visits, the things to do in Montrose guide covers the Menil Collection and the rest of the neighborhood's free cultural assets.