With 5.2 million residents reported in the 2000 Census, the Dallas-Fort Worth area is the largest metropolitan area in Texas - and it's larger than 31 other U.S. states (the next census to take place in year 2010). With a growth rate of 29 percent between 1990 and 2000, it's no wonder that the area's education system has also had to grow and expand by leaps and bounds.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has more than 215 public elementary and middle schools, more than 60 public high schools, and another 210 or so private and parochial schools that have an enrollment of about 36,000. For higher education, the area is home to 17 two-year and technical/trade colleges (in the city of Dallas alone); 17 private colleges and universities; and 6 public four-year colleges and universities.

The Dallas Independent School District alone enrolled nearly 161,000 students for the 2006-2007 school year, and the Fort Worth Independent School District counted nearly 94,000 students enrolled for the same time period.

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