Justin F Kimball High School

Justin F Kimball High School in Dallas, TX, serves 1,175 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), a district ranking in the 54th percentile statewide. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 13th percentile of Texas high schools over the past five years, earning a 1-star rating, with nearly 90% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Its graduation rate of 70.4% is the lowest among nearby comprehensive high schools, and its dropout rate of 7.4% is more than double the district average of 3.2%.

When compared to neighboring schools, Kimball's academic proficiency on STAAR End-of-Course exams is dramatically lower. For example, in Algebra I, only 29% of Kimball students scored proficient, compared to 66% at South Oak Cliff High School and 62% at David W Carter High School. Similarly, in Biology, Kimball's 46% proficiency rate is roughly half that of these peers. This gap is consistent across subjects and years. The school also sits within a few miles of two of the state's highest-performing schools—Booker T Washington Spva Magnet and Trinidad Garza Early College At Mt View—which achieve over 90% proficiency in all subjects, highlighting the stark educational divide within the same district.

Despite these challenges, Kimball shows a notable strength in serving its Special Education students, who ranked in the 71st percentile statewide in 2024-2025, though this success has been inconsistent. However, the school's performance with its Gifted and Talented students is the lowest of any subgroup, ranking in the 1st percentile in 2025-2026, suggesting a lack of adequate enrichment for high-achieving students. The school's overall state ranking has declined from the 28th percentile in 2015-2016 to the 12-13th percentile in recent years, indicating a persistent downward trend that neighboring schools like Moises E Molina High School and Sunset High School have navigated more successfully.