Northwest ISD's CTE Program Earns Its Third Straight District of Distinction Honor

If you have a high schooler weighing options — or a middle schooler starting to think about ninth grade — Northwest ISD just handed you a third data point worth knowing about.

The Career and Technical Association of Texas named NISD a CTE District of Distinction for the third consecutive year. The designation goes to districts whose CTE programs meet the needs of students, local communities, and employers; selected districts are expected to serve as models of best practice statewide. Three in a row is a track record.

The numbers behind it are real. During the 2025-2026 school year, NISD students earned more than 7,600 industry-based certifications, with more than 3,000 of those submitted for Texas Education Agency accountability credit. To connect students with hands-on experience, the district has built relationships with close to 100 businesses and colleges and universities, giving students access to mentorships, internships, and learning opportunities in real workplace settings.

"This distinction is a reflection of the dedication and hard work our teachers, staff and students put in every day," said Kelley Henderson, NISD's executive director of college and career readiness. "Northwest ISD prioritizes student success, and that commitment is evident in the competitive edge our graduates gain."

Henderson was also named the CTAT's 2026 Administrator of the Year — an honor that identified her as the leading career and technical education administrator in Texas.

The program is growing to match that reputation. The Construction Academy at Northwest High School opened in August 2025. A Transportation, Automation and Logistics Academy is set to open at Davis High School in August 2027; information about it was featured at each campus's CTE Academy Night this fall. That academy will reflect the transportation activity happening near AllianceTexas and will cover automotive technologies, diesel mechanics, and automation and software programming.

Davis High School — approved by voters in the 2023 bond election — opens in August 2027 and will initially receive students from Tidwell and Worthington middle schools, with exact boundaries still being set through a rezoning process. The campus will open serving freshmen and sophomores, adding a grade level each year.

The practical part for families: enrollment requests for the Transportation, Automation and Logistics Academy begin in winter 2026 — meaning that window is close. NISD's CTE program also offers dual-credit and honors courses, along with career and technical student organizations. Students can begin taking select CTE courses in middle school, so the earlier families explore the academies page at nisdtx.org/cte, the more runway they have for ninth-grade planning.