Dr Frederick Douglass Todd Senior Middle

Dr Frederick Douglass Todd Senior Middle is a public middle school in Dallas, TX, serving 427 students in grades 6-8 within the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), and it has recently shown a dramatic turnaround that sets it apart from nearby schools.

The most notable change is the school's sharp improvement in state rankings, jumping from the bottom 10% of Texas middle schools to the 24th percentile in the 2025-2026 school year—its highest ranking in nearly a decade. This is a stark contrast to nearby Boude Storey Middle, which serves a similar community but ranks in the bottom 3% and is declining. A standout strength is advanced math: over 90% of Todd Middle students taking Algebra I passed, far exceeding the district average (59%) and state average (54%). The school also excels with English Language Learners, ranking in the 78th percentile statewide for this group, a huge leap from just two years prior. This success is supported by a lower student-teacher ratio (13.7:1) and higher per-student spending ($15,439) compared to schools like Hector P Garcia Middle ($11,730 per student).

However, challenges remain. While advanced math is a bright spot, proficiency in grade-level math is low—only 14% of 6th graders and 37% of 8th graders meet standards. Additionally, the school struggles to challenge its Gifted and Talented students, who rank in the bottom 10% statewide. This suggests the school is effectively accelerating some students while needing to improve support for the majority. The recent upward trend, though promising, is still new, and families should watch to see if this momentum continues. For parents considering options, Todd Middle offers a unique story of improvement and targeted success in advanced academics, especially compared to other local schools like W E Greiner Exploratory Arts Academy, which is a higher-performing magnet school.