Dallas ISD dominates list of top schools in North Texas
DALLAS - A new report released by the nonprofit Children at Risk ranked the top schools in state and many are right here in North Texas.
There are some 5 million students enrolled in public school across the state, with their success determined, in large part, by their teachers and staff.
It's no surprise, some schools are better at achieving that success than others.
"We're looking at every single public school in Texas," said Bob Sanborn, the President and CEO of Children at Risk.
For the last 19 years, the organization has ranked Texas public schools to help parents, educators and community members better understand how their local schools are performing.
"Dallas has done a good job of those top level schools," said Sanborn.
During a virtual press conference Tuesday morning, Sanborn announced the top five high, middle and elementary schools, along with the top gold ribbon schools. All of the number ones are in Dallas ISD.
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"I'm super thrilled and proud that some of the best schools in Texas are right here in Dallas ISD. But that's not our goal. Our mission is to educate all students for success," said Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde.
The analysis covers over 1,600 public schools in North Texas and ranked them across four main areas: how students do on state standardized tests, campus performance, student growth and college readiness.
"What I like to see is students who come back and visit us and say we set them up for success," said Arnoldo Zuniga, the principal of Dallas ISD's School for the Talented and Gifted.
Zuniga's school was the number one ranked high school in North Texas.
William B Travis Vanguard Academy was ranked the number one middle school.
The number one elementary school was Sudie L. Williams Talented & Gifted Academy.
The report also ranked Gold Ribbon Schools which consist of a student body that is over 75 percent economically disadvantaged.
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The School for the Talented & Gifted in Pleasant Grove was ranked number one for elementary and middle.
"It takes a village, and we couldn't be as great without our parents and volunteers," said Principal Reymundo Carvantes Guajardo.
The trend here is obvious; TAG programs that attract the most talented students are most likely to succeed.
Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde also pointed to a well-documented statistic: 86 percent of Dallas ISD students come from economically disadvantaged homes.
"We must serve those students who are doing well and must also serve those students who don't always come ready to learn because of things are that outside their control," she said.
It is worth noting Frisco ISD has three of the top 5 elementary schools.
The report also found that there is still significant learning loss at school statewide due to the pandemic.
Sanborn told FOX 4 that parents really need to push lawmakers to do more for public education.
He pointed to the $33 billion budget surplus last year and noted that none of it went to public education.