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Paul L Dunbar Learning Center

Q: Is Paul L Dunbar Learning Center a good school?

Paul L Dunbar Learning Center ranks 3008 th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

3008^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 35% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Paul L Dunbar Learning Center is a PK-5 elementary school in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), serving 608 students in a high-poverty area where over 99% qualify for free or reduced lunch, and it has recently stabilized in the 29th to 35th percentile statewide after years of volatile rankings.

This school stands out for its exceptional support for special education students, ranking in the 97th percentile statewide in 2024-2025—a stark contrast to nearby schools like Mount Auburn Steam Academy and H S Thompson Learning Center, which don't show similar standout subgroup data. Dunbar also excels in serving its African American students, moving from the 54th percentile in 2022-2023 to the 86th percentile in 2023-2024, outperforming schools like Oran M Roberts Elementary. However, the school's Gifted and Talented program is a critical weakness, ranking in the 2nd percentile statewide for the last two years, suggesting challenges in identifying and retaining high-achieving students.

Academically, Dunbar shows a unique "Jekyll and Hyde" pattern in math: only 23.81% of 3rd graders were proficient in 2025-2026, but by 5th grade, 51.72% were proficient, exceeding the state average. The Spanish-language reading program is a hidden gem, with 53.85% of 5th graders proficient in Spanish reading, far above the state average of 34.82%. Despite spending $13,762 per student—higher than nearby Ascher Silberstein Elementary at $11,619—Dunbar's overall results lag behind Silberstein, which ranks in the 83rd percentile with similar demographics, proving that high-poverty is not destiny and highlighting room for improvement in core instruction, especially early-grade math.

608

Students ?

16.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,981

Per pupil spending ?

99%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4200 Metropolitan Ave
Dallas, TX 75210-1123

(972) 794-6600

District: Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Paul L Dunbar Learning Center usually attend:

Middle:	Billy Earl Dade Middle
High:	James Madison High School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

60.4%

Hispanic:

33.6%

Two or more races:

4.1%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Paul L Dunbar Learning Center to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 58th percentile in 2024 → 35th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (40% vs 50% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped from its 58th-percentile peak (2024) to 35th (2026)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school40%

District avg48%

Texas avg50%

3,008^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 35%▲ up 32 pts since 2016

From bottom 3% (2016) to bottom 35% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

95^th of 149Elementary Schools in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

441^st of 951Dallas Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	36.2	3008 of 4627	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.0	3309 of 4651	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	52.8	2000 of 4710	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.9	2185 of 4647	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	23.7	3737 of 4581	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.4	2717 of 4578	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	30.6	3296 of 4479	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	4.6	4338 of 4359	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	7.2	4268 of 4329	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	5.6	4177 of 4286	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	10.3	4118 of 4320	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	22.3	3730 of 4260	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	7.1	4142 of 4221	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	13.3	4032 of 4206	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	29.7	3408 of 4095	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	28.6	3324 of 3937	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	32.2	3107 of 3884	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	37.7	2775 of 3768	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	36.5	2828 of 3724	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	63.0	1369 of 3476	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2005	42.3	2370 of 3475	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2004	48.6	2087 of 3465	39.8%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	49.5	1095 of 2406	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	63.8	518 of 1905	72.8%	★★★★☆
2024	75.5	347 of 2443	85.8%	★★★★☆
2023	67.5	555 of 2443	77.3%	★★★★☆
2022	39.0	1498 of 2421	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.9	989 of 2444	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	53.6	998 of 2515	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	15.1	2377 of 2483	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	42.0	2674 of 4461	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	62.9	1060 of 4331	75.5%	★★★★☆
2019	53.4	1741 of 4295	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	8.6	4220 of 4240	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	52.7	1225 of 2918	58.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	31.6	2706 of 3668	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	43.3	2061 of 3556	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	36.5	2399 of 3487	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	67.8	697 of 3446	79.8%	★★★★☆
2019	44.7	1854 of 3333	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	37.7	2170 of 3226	32.7%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.3	3300 of 4575	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	43.5	2107 of 3744	43.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	60.0	1575 of 4658	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.6	2318 of 4588	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	27.1	3612 of 4561	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.8	3271 of 4499	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	34.5	3031 of 4348	30.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	6.9	4276 of 4306	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	10.8	3006 of 3075	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	6.5	2573 of 2619	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	21.1	2719 of 2980	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.1	2907 of 2958	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.2	2833 of 3006	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.8	2884 of 3184	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	2.2	3093 of 3106	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	56.4	1686 of 4413	61.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.0	1918 of 3644	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.6	2679 of 4465	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.0	1650 of 4401	62.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.1	2508 of 4376	42.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	61.0	1313 of 4329	69.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.9	3349 of 4188	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	13.5	4038 of 4168	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	49.4	2169 of 4520	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.8	1276 of 3705	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.5	902 of 4594	80.4%	★★★★☆
2023	64.5	1223 of 4521	72.9%	★★★★☆
2022	31.1	3437 of 4477	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	51.0	1949 of 4451	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	42.8	2579 of 4309	40.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	7.0	4240 of 4264	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	41.5	2651 of 4582	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.8	2168 of 3739	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	48.9	2249 of 4647	51.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.6	2119 of 4585	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	21.4	3907 of 4563	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	48.5	2051 of 4498	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	28.6	3379 of 4357	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	4.1	4307 of 4319	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	77.8	509 of 4301	88.2%	★★★★☆
2025	92.5	115 of 3549	96.8%	★★★★★
2024	94.2	79 of 4292	98.2%	★★★★★
2023	73.4	569 of 4086	86.1%	★★★★☆
2022	84.8	263 of 3952	93.3%	★★★★★
2021	75.2	433 of 3799	88.6%	★★★★☆
2019	54.9	1160 of 3684	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	18.4	3388 of 3558	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2026)88th percentile+53 vs school

Hispanic (2026)62nd percentile+27 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)58th percentile+29 vs school

African American (2026)54th percentile+19 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)52nd percentile+17 vs school

Male (2026)42nd percentile+7 vs school

At Risk (2022)40th percentile+22 vs school

Female (2026)28th percentile-7 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)2nd percentile-33 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading46%-9 vs state

Mathematics38%-9 vs state

★

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Schools Near Paul L Dunbar Learning Center

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)			STAAR Spanish Mathematics (2026)			STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)						STAAR Mathematics (2026)						STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Paul L Dunbar Learning Center	Public	PK, KG-5	4200 Metropolitan Ave	Dallas	75210	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-6600	608	38	16.0	99.0%	8 (1.3%)	367 (60.4%)	204 (33.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (4.1%)	36.2	3008^th of 4627 public elementary schools	35.0%		32	3309^th of 4651 public elementary schools	28.9%	301	29.4	38.5	53.9	9.1	0.0	20.0		33.9	49.4	52.9				23.8	39.8	51.7					$11,981
Oran M Roberts Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4919 Grand Ave	Dallas	75223	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-8700	340	25	13.8	97.4%	9 (2.6%)	35 (10.3%)	286 (84.1%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.1%)	23.6	3840^th of 4627 public elementary schools	17.0%		12.6	4390^th of 4651 public elementary schools	5.6%	550	43.3	73.1	40.0					54.2	21.9	36.7				43.1	22.4	24.4					$11,663
St Anthony Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	3732 Myrtle St	Dallas	75215	Dallas County	St Anthony School	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 421-3645	202	14	14.5	91.6%	0 (0.0%)	196 (97.0%)	4 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	70.8	1099^th of 4627 public elementary schools	76.2%		44.7	2455^th of 4651 public elementary schools	47.2%	1356								77.1	42.9	48.6				94.3	71.4	60.0					$9,218
Charles Rice Learning Center	Public	PK, KG-5	2425 Pine St	Dallas	75215	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-1100	427	31	14.0	98.4%	7 (1.6%)	323 (75.6%)	85 (19.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.1%)	64.6	1372^nd of 4627 public elementary schools	70.3%		59.8	1592^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	65.8%	220								50.9	53.5	63.9				33.9	64.9	78.7					$12,574
Mount Auburn Steam Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	6012 E Grand Ave	Dallas	75223	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-8500	548	40	13.8	92.9%	19 (3.5%)	44 (8.0%)	470 (85.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.2%)	52.7	1974^th of 4627 public elementary schools	57.3%		41	2706^th of 4651 public elementary schools	41.8%	732	40.0	56.3	30.8					49.0	46.8	60.7				48.4	48.1	47.2					$11,738
East Grand Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	6211 E Grand Ave	Dallas	75223	Dallas County	Cityscape Schools	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 824-4747	816	42	19.2	96.9%	14 (1.7%)	115 (14.1%)	678 (83.1%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.6%)	39.3	2807^th of 4627 public elementary schools	39.3%		49.8	2149^th of 4651 public elementary schools	53.8%	658	33.3	52.2	46.7					29.7	56.1	58.0	49.2	36.1	50.0	30.6	34.4	52.3	36.2	13.5	46.6	37.5	$12,324
Dr Martin Luther King Junior Arts Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	1817 Warren Ave	Dallas	75215	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-8100	499	39	12.7	94.6%	5 (1.0%)	327 (65.5%)	157 (31.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)	49.9	2117^th of 4627 public elementary schools	54.2%		45.6	2407^th of 4651 public elementary schools	48.2%	290	33.3	14.3	20.0				85.7	55.0	43.5	46.5	57.4	61.1	58.3	46.2	47.2	43.4	43.4		45.5	22.2	$15,860
Ascher Silberstein Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5940 Hollis Ave	Dallas	75227	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 794-1900	545	35	15.5	96.1%	13 (2.4%)	5 (0.9%)	519 (95.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	79.5	774^th of 4627 public elementary schools	83.3%		55.9	1782^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	61.7%	1008	50.0	54.6	42.9					75.0	55.9	62.2				69.2	66.7	53.5					$10,693
Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4550 Worth St	Dallas	75246	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-8600	292	22	13.0	94.5%	20 (6.8%)	56 (19.2%)	202 (69.2%)	6 (2.1%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.7%)	34.6	3116^th of 4627 public elementary schools	32.7%		28.1	3546^th of 4651 public elementary schools	23.8%	430	45.5	50.0	23.1	40.0				47.4	40.0	64.7				36.0	35.0	26.9					$14,778
H S Thompson Learning Center	Public	K-5	5700 Bexar St	Dallas	75215	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-1700	545	36	15.1	98.7%	7 (1.3%)	271 (49.7%)	252 (46.2%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.8%)	51.6	2033^rd of 4627 public elementary schools	56.1%		33.4	3232^nd of 4651 public elementary schools	30.5%	1199	30.0	36.7	29.7					60.0	54.0	35.7				58.7	39.6	48.9					$12,126

Frequently Asked Questions about Paul L Dunbar Learning Center

Is Paul L Dunbar Learning Center a good school?

Paul L Dunbar Learning Center ranks 3008^th of 4627 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Paul L Dunbar Learning Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 608 students attended Paul L Dunbar Learning Center.

What schools do graduates of Paul L Dunbar Learning Center attend?

Students who attend Paul L Dunbar Learning Center usually go on to attend:

Middle : Billy Earl Dade Middle
High : James Madison High School

What is the racial makeup of Paul L Dunbar Learning Center?

Students at Paul L Dunbar Learning Center are 60% African American, 34% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% White.

What district is Paul L Dunbar Learning Center in?

Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.