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Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Q: Is Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy a good school?

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy ranks 1194 th of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

1194^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,335 Texas Middle Schools

Better than 49% of Texas middle schools

Summary

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy is a mid-sized middle school in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), serving 486 students in grades 6-8, with over 90% of its students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. The school stands out for its exceptional performance in advanced math and social studies, with 67.42% of students proficient in Algebra I—far exceeding the district and state averages—and 47.59% proficient in 8th-grade social studies, nearly double the district average. This makes it a relative bright spot in a neighborhood where nearby schools like Billy Earl Dade Middle and Thomas J Rusk Middle rank in the bottom 15-18% of Texas schools.

However, the school’s overall state ranking has been volatile, dropping from the 58th percentile to the 49th percentile in the most recent data. While it excels for specific student groups—ranking in the 86th percentile for English Language Learners and the 80th percentile for low-income students—there is a clear split in academic performance. Reading scores are competitive with the district, but general math proficiency for non-Algebra I students is a significant weakness, with only about 27-29% of 6th and 8th graders meeting standards. This suggests the "Talented/Gifted" focus benefits top-tier students in advanced pathways but leaves the standard math curriculum struggling.

An interesting comparison is with William B Travis Vanguard Academy Of Academically Tag, located just 0.88 miles away, which ranks in the 100th percentile statewide but serves a much less economically disadvantaged population. Spence’s strong performance for its low-income and English learner students is especially notable in this context. A key concern is a recent dramatic drop in performance for special education students, who now rank in the 12th percentile, a sharp decline from prior years. Parents should weigh the school’s strengths in advanced academics and support for underserved groups against its uneven math curriculum and recent volatility.

486

Students ?

15.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,601

Per pupil spending ?

90.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4001 Capitol Ave
Dallas, TX 75204-3617

(972) 925-2300

District: Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy usually attend:

High:

North Dallas High School

Feeder schools for Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy:

Elementary:	Ben Milam Elementary
	Cesar Chavez Learning Center
	Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

61.7%

African American:

29.2%

White:

3.9%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 20th percentile in 2016 → 49th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 29 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

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

!Mathematics scores 15 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school45%

District avg46%

Texas avg48%

1,194^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Bottom 49%▲ up 28 pts since 2016

From bottom 20% (2016) to bottom 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 39Middle 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	45.4	1194 of 2335	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.2	977 of 2344	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	39.0	1432 of 2372	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.3	1683 of 2330	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.9	1476 of 2254	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	51.7	979 of 2252	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.8	894 of 2193	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.5	767 of 2080	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2017	48.2	934 of 2027	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	28.7	1580 of 1987	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	25.4	1689 of 2043	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	22.1	1686 of 1987	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	33.8	1470 of 1973	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	32.5	1446 of 1951	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	31.0	1601 of 1895	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	19.1	1671 of 1803	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	35.5	1368 of 1763	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	37.3	1303 of 1718	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	36.4	1244 of 1684	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	26.8	1294 of 1585	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	17.8	1411 of 1582	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	18.2	1414 of 1573	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	35.5	847 of 1295	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.4	400 of 997	59.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	32.1	913 of 1280	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.9	1089 of 1273	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.4	938 of 1251	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	42.9	624 of 1213	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.9	555 of 1193	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.9	651 of 1167	44.2%	★★☆☆☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2021	39.5	393 of 589	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	11.2	557 of 594	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	36.3	434 of 587	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	41.7	1207 of 2182	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	61.8	524 of 2118	75.3%	★★★★☆
2019	66.5	399 of 2058	80.6%	★★★★☆
2018	47.9	875 of 2008	56.4%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	77.3	144 of 1390	89.6%	★★★★☆
2025	76.0	193 of 1428	86.5%	★★★★☆
2024	62.4	457 of 1770	74.2%	★★★★☆
2023	48.6	768 of 1720	55.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	56.5	495 of 1643	69.9%	★★★★☆
2021	80.4	120 of 1592	92.5%	★★★★★
2019	67.0	282 of 1445	80.5%	★★★★☆
2018	71.4	177 of 1376	87.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	43.1	1228 of 2240	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.1	782 of 1825	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	42.5	1249 of 2242	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.0	1766 of 2241	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	37.9	1388 of 2221	37.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.2	866 of 2151	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.8	901 of 2047	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.0	1050 of 2008	47.7%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	31.0	1264 of 1497	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	44.1	848 of 1230	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	11.7	1395 of 1481	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.3	1366 of 1488	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	29.5	1194 of 1501	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.8	1077 of 1446	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	46.3	947 of 1430	33.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	64.6	540 of 2141	74.8%	★★★★☆
2025	70.3	336 of 1731	80.6%	★★★★☆
2024	60.1	656 of 2119	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	45.5	1091 of 2116	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.4	906 of 2077	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	69.3	412 of 2043	79.8%	★★★★☆
2019	61.7	564 of 1935	70.9%	★★★★☆
2018	66.8	427 of 1895	77.5%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	55.0	847 of 2253	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.3	359 of 1820	80.3%	★★★★☆
2024	53.5	875 of 2235	60.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	39.3	1405 of 2251	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.2	1260 of 2220	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	58.7	692 of 2172	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.8	661 of 2073	68.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	69.4	386 of 2039	81.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	46.6	1119 of 2253	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	61.8	544 of 1818	70.1%	★★★★☆
2024	45.7	1114 of 2246	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	36.3	1445 of 2245	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.2	1558 of 2228	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	49.7	990 of 2168	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.4	834 of 2069	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.1	609 of 2030	70.0%	★★★★☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	59.2	284 of 818	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	59.6	288 of 817	64.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	78.4	113 of 753	85.0%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	25.8	1715 of 1956	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	53.2	569 of 1568	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	62.2	477 of 1891	74.8%	★★★★☆
2023	25.8	1574 of 1815	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	34.5	1187 of 1757	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.7	1334 of 1712	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.0	1048 of 1626	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.5	994 of 1597	37.8%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	81.5	198 of 1731	88.6%	★★★★☆
2024	72.9	324 of 1733	81.3%	★★★★☆
2023	49.6	871 of 1749	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	42.4	1037 of 1723	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	81.7	186 of 1700	89.1%	★★★★☆
2019	81.1	228 of 1684	86.5%	★★★★☆
2018	87.2	124 of 1673	92.6%	★★★★★

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)

English Language Learner (2026)90th percentile+41 vs school

White (2026)89th percentile+40 vs school

Hispanic (2026)75th percentile+26 vs school

Multi-racial (2024)65th percentile+26 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)62nd percentile+14 vs school

Male (2026)50th percentile~ school

Female (2026)45th percentile-4 vs school

At Risk (2022)45th percentile+10 vs school

African American (2026)35th percentile-14 vs school

Asian (2021)33rd percentile-23 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)16th percentile-33 vs school

Special Education (2026)12th percentile-37 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I67%+13 vs state

Reading54%~ state avg

Social Studies37%+5 vs state

Mathematics28%-15 vs state

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What people are saying

by a student on FaceBook
Monday, July 19, 2010

1 more year and im out this school class of 2015 woo Close Quote

Schools Near Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

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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 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 EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th 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
Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	4001 Capitol Ave	Dallas	75204	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 925-2300	486	30	15.9	90.7%	19 (3.9%)	142 (29.2%)	300 (61.7%)	10 (2.1%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)	45.4	1194^th of 2335 public middle schools	48.9%		53.2	977^th of 2344 public middle schools	58.3%	217	67.4			49.5	53.3	58.4			27.3		28.9	36.5	$11,601
Ignite Middle At Jw Ray Learning Center	Public	6-8	2211 Caddo St	Dallas	75204	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 925-3700	292	19	15.3	94.2%	9 (3.1%)	56 (19.2%)	218 (74.7%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)								(n/a)													$13,505
Uplift Atlas Prep Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	4600 Bryan St	Dallas	75204	Dallas County	Uplift Education	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 821-7325	422	29	14.5	87.4%	5 (1.2%)	43 (10.2%)	361 (85.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.6%)	32.3	1651^st of 2335 public middle schools	29.3%		29.8	1736^th of 2344 public middle schools	25.9%	85	42.8			38.7	47.1	43.1			19.9	0.0	47.5	22.6	$8,614
William B Travis Vanguard Academy Of Academically Tag	Public, Magnet	4-8	3001 McKinney Ave	Dallas	75204	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	No	(972) 794-7500	517	30	17.1	18.2%	270 (52.2%)	23 (4.4%)	122 (23.6%)	49 (9.5%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.7%)	99.5	2^nd of 2335 public middle schools	99.9%		99.2	5^th of 2344 public middle schools	99.8%	3	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	97.9	98.9	95.1		99.2	96.4	$9,183
Ilearn Virtual Academy At Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	Public, Virtual	4-8	408 N Haskell	Dallas	75246	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(972) 925-3700	32	8	4.0	81.3%	2 (6.3%)	12 (37.5%)	18 (56.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$87,137
Dallas Hybrid Preparatory At Stephen J Hay	Public, Virtual	3-8	3801 Herschel Ave	Dallas	75219	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	Yes	Yes	(972) 925-3700	111	12	9.3	73.9%	14 (12.6%)	26 (23.4%)	69 (62.2%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	53.8	922^nd of 2335 public middle schools	60.5%		60	799^th of 2344 public middle schools	65.9%	123	83.3	46.2	66.7	54.6	69.7	64.3	25.0	16.7	30.3		34.9	32.1	$32,517
J L Long Middle	Public	6-8	6116 Reiger Ave	Dallas	75214	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-4700	1,079	66	16.3	63.7%	302 (28.0%)	86 (8.0%)	647 (60.0%)	9 (0.8%)	13 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.0%)	52.9	953^rd of 2335 public middle schools	59.2%		48.6	1122^nd of 2344 public middle schools	52.1%	169	88.3			55.4	56.0	56.5			46.3		32.4	38.4	$9,820
Highland Park Middle	Public	7-8	3555 Granada Ave	Dallas	75205	Dallas County	Highland Park Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(214) 780-3600	939	66	14.2		746 (79.4%)	8 (0.9%)	63 (6.7%)	85 (9.1%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (3.6%)	98.4	14^th of 2335 public middle schools	99.4%		98.2	17^th of 2344 public middle schools	99.3%	3	99.6				91.6	93.3				76.1	90.5	69.4	$11,561
McCulloch Intermediate	Public	5-6	3555 Granada Ave	Dallas	75205	Dallas County	Highland Park Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(214) 780-3500	871	65	13.3		717 (82.3%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (6.8%)	59 (6.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.9%)								(n/a)			91.0	91.8				80.6	82.7	100.0			$9,744
Billy Earl Dade Middle	Public	6-8	2801 Park Row Ave	Dallas	75215	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-3800	599	43	13.9	99.2%	11 (1.8%)	354 (59.1%)	227 (37.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	19	2073^rd of 2335 public middle schools	11.2%		21.4	1985^th of 2344 public middle schools	15.3%	88	57.3			34.7	29.0	35.3			22.9		28.1	17.7	$13,408

Frequently Asked Questions about Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Is Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy a good school?

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy ranks 1194^th of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy?

Students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy are 62% Hispanic, 29% African American, 4% White, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

What district is Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy in?

Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

How many students attend Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 486 students attended Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy.

What high school do graduates of Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy attend?

Students who attend Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy usually go on to attend North Dallas High School

Rate Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy!

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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.