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These Are the Top 10 Schools in Dallas ISD

Out of the hundreds of Dallas ISD schools, these 10 brought home the most fridge-worthy TEA school report cards.
Dallas has some of the highest-rated schools in the nation. But how are they ranked?
Dallas has some of the highest-rated schools in the nation. But how are they ranked? Feliphe Schiarolli/Unsplash

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Choosing a home or neighborhood is always about location, location, location. For many, that simply means home value, but for parents and parents-to-be, it also means proximity to the best schools for their children. Luckily for North Texas families, the Dallas area offers hundreds of high-ranking and over-achieving schools  — many of which are public, so you won’t have to break the piggy bank.

How do you know where the good schools are? Well, it probably won't be based on letter grades from the Texas Education Agency any time soon, since a state judge in Travis County this week blocked the TEA from releasing new letter grades for schools, at least temporarily, KERA reported. Five school districts are claiming there were errors in the standardized test on which the grade are based.

A different lawsuit blocked the TEA from issuing grades in 2023.

Still, based on testing data from the most recent STARR tests, Dallas ISD told the Denton Record Chronicle that it calculates the number of its schools receiving A or B grades almost doubled last school year.

Dallas ISD comprises over 200 public elementary, middle and high schools, 26 of which brought home an "A" on their 2022 Texas Education Agency School Report Cards, the last year the TEA issued the grades. State ratings are averaged based on three main scores: student achievement, school progress and "closing the gaps."

In simple terms, each report card measures how much students are learning in each grade and whether they are prepared to advance to the next grade. The assessment also looks into how well a school prepares its students for life beyond high school, whether in college, the workforce or the military. Just like how test scoring works for students at the schools' TEA grades, the agency’s report card accountability ratings are scaled from 0 to 100 to align with letter grades A through F.

The following DISD schools boast the top 10 fridge-worthy report cards, according to 2022 TEA scores.


School for the Talented and Gifted
(TAG)

1201 E. Eighth St., No. 302
TEA Report Card score: 97

The School for the Talented and Gifted, also known as TAG, is one of six schools that make up the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center in East Oak Cliff. The public college preparatory magnet school teaches grades 9 through 12 with a mission to provide students with skills and talents that will help them get into the college of their choice with the money to go there. In 2019, TAG’s graduating class of 68 students accumulated over $13 million in scholarships.

TAG has been nationally recognized in several rankings over the years, including Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, both of which have named the school as the No. 1 U. S. high school in the past. Since 2001, the school has ranked first in Texas for overall passing AP rates. Students are required to take a minimum of 10 AP courses to graduate from the program.

To qualify to apply to DISD Talented and Gifted magnet schools, students must meet GPA eligibility of an 80% cumulative grade point average. Applicants who meet GPA and test score requirements can move forward to the in-person assessments in the application process. About 30% of the open seats are awarded district-wide by rank-ordering of applicants based on overall criteria score. The other 70% of the seats are awarded within the comprehensive high school feeder patterns by rank-ordering of applicants based on overall criteria scores, and are also subject to sibling rule or preference. The application window is open Nov. 1 through Jan. 31. More on the application process for DISD magnets can be found at dallasisd.org.


School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove

9610 Bruton Road
TEA Report Card score: 96

The School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove teaches grades 4 through 8 in southeast Dallas. The school’s unique program upholds similar standards of other Talented and Gifted magnet schools, with an emphasis on bilingual and biliterate learning. The first of its kind in Texas, the School for the Talented and Gifted in Pleasant Grove follows an instructional program that combines TAG education with Two-Way Dual Language. This offers the opportunity for students to read, speak and write in two languages: English and Spanish. Admission is based on academic achievement, and all current third- through fifth-grade students are invited to apply.


School of Science and Engineering (SEM)

1201 E. Eighth St., No. 216
TEA Report Card score: 95

The School of Science and Engineering (SEM) is another school in the Townview Magnet Center that serves grades 9 through 12. The college preparatory program places an accelerated focus on all things STEM. Upon admission, each student is placed in one of three math and science tracks — Regular, Fast and Super Fast — based on a placement test and previous course performance. Each track has a different pace, number of classes and level of course difficulty. The school offers a variety of Pre-AP and AP-level math and science courses along with its own unique courses, including Advanced Topics of the Theory of Applied Mathematics and a “SuperLab” laboratory-based class. SEM has also been ranked nationally among U.S. high schools over the years, including a No. 1 ranking from The Washington Post in 2011.


Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School

1718 Robert B. Cullum Blvd.
TEA Report Card score: 95

Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership school in South Dallas serves grades 6–12. The first all-girls school in the state of Texas is named after Irma Lerma Rangel, the first Mexican-American woman elected to the Texas House of Representatives. Prior to its establishment in 2004, founder and philanthropist Lee Poser was inspired by a high-performing all-girls school in New York City, and decided to establish a similar school in Dallas. As a member of the Young Women’s Preparatory Network, the school funds leadership-building summer camps, on-campus college advising and other programs. Like all YWPN schools, Irma Rangel offers a STEM-focused curriculum, and most of its students are economically disadvantaged. The school was named the 44th most challenging U.S. high school by The Washington Post in 2017 and is still renowned for its rigorous coursework.


Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr. Early College High School

801 Main St.
TEA Report Card score: 95

At Lassiter ECHS, “college is our middle name.” The 9th-through-12th-grade school is committed to seeing each of its students graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree in hand. As a result, students have completed 60 or more credits upon graduation. Lassiter ECHS blends the academic experiences of high school and the first two years of college for its population of first-generation college students to get a step ahead. The high school is the flagship of DISD’s dual-credit programs, and has helped students earn their diplomas and associate’s degrees at the El Centro Campus for over 30 years. In 2014, the school was renamed after Dr. Wright L. Lassiter Jr., who was the president of El Centro College when the early college high school was established.


Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet

1201 E. Eighth St.
TEA Report Card score: 95

Yet another member of the Townview Magnet Center ranks No. 6. Named after the Dallas attorney-turned-U.S.-district-judge who oversaw the lawsuit to desegregate DISD, the Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet allows students to explore careers in law, government and law enforcement. Sanders students have the option to enroll in one of three pathways of their choosing: Pre-Law, Government and Criminal Justice. In each pathway, students are provided with a variety of experiential learning opportunities throughout their education, including courtroom observations and internships. During their time at Sanders, students are often given ways to engage with local government, law enforcement and legal professions in a range of settings.

Notable alumni have attended renowned institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Georgetown and Cornell. Many Sanders alumni have become lawyers and professionals in federal law enforcement. Last year, Sanders was the Magnet Schools of America School of Excellence Winner for Merit for its commitment to high academic standards and community involvement.


School of Health Professions

1201 E. Eighth St.
TEA Report Card score: 95

The School of Health Professions (SHP) is the fourth Townview Magnet school to rank in DISD’s top 10. The SHP uses a variety of courses to prepare its students in grades 9–12 to prepare for high-demand healthcare fields. The school is made up of several clusters of study, including medical laboratory practicum, patient care technician, clinical medical assisting/billing and coding, dental laboratory technology and exercise science/sports medicine. Each cluster has a designated simulated laboratory setting on campus to help give students simulated experiences of real-life medical field environments. Another unique aspect of the school is its ability to provide students with practical experience through internships at local healthcare facilities that correlate with their chosen cluster of study. Students are expected to complete their internships while maintaining the high academic standards set by SHP.


Trinidad Garza Early College High School

4849 W. Illinois Ave.
TEA Report Card score: 94

Housed on the grounds of Mountain View College, Trini Garza ECHS is one of the first early-college high schools established in DISD. Through a collaborative effort with the community college, TGECHS lives up to its motto, “College-ready, career-ready and life-ready.” The school offers students the opportunity to attend both high school and on-campus college classes with the goal of graduating with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. TGECHS is designed to serve up to 125 incoming ninth graders who are determined to achieve academic and career success throughout high school and college. It serves those who are historically underrepresented in higher education.
click to enlarge Emma Watson, right, speaking to Richard T. Quadri's theater class in 2022 at Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy.
Emma Watson, right, spoke to Richard T. Quadri's theater class in 2022 at Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy.
Courtesy of Dallas ISD


Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy

4518 Pomona Road
TEA Report Card score: 94

Sudie L. Williams TAG Academy is one of DISD’s newest magnet schools and serves students in grades 4–8. Focused on nurturing the education of gifted students, Sudie L. Williams tailors its curriculum toward the school’s philosophy of “educating the whole child.” Throughout student’s time at the school, the TAG academy instills a focus on advanced studies while also addressing social and emotional needs and providing a curious and collaborative school environment.


Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy

1700 E. Camp Wisdom Road
TEA Report Card score: 94

Similar to TGECHS, Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy is located at the northeastern part of the University of North Texas Dallas campus. Gilliam’s advanced high school program focuses on getting students college-ready and grants them the opportunity to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. In addition to the school’s unique curriculum requirements, it boasts quite the impressive campus. Gilliam’s campus combines a lecture hall and theater, two computer labs, an amphitheater and its own “Go Center,” a resource center manned by UNT Dallas students that helps Gilliam students with applications for scholarships and college admissions.
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