Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle

Public Grades 6-8

2087^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,335 Texas Middle Schools

Better than 11% of Texas middle schools

Summary

Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle is a public middle school in Dallas, TX, serving 740 students in grades 6-8 within the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), where over 96% of students come from economically disadvantaged households.

This school presents a fascinating paradox. While its overall academic performance has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-16% of Texas middle schools, it has developed a remarkable "pocket of excellence" in its Special Education program. In the 2024-2025 school year, the school ranked in the 92nd percentile for Special Education students—a stark contrast to its overall 9th percentile ranking. This suggests highly effective, targeted support systems that are not yet benefiting the general student body. Another bright spot is Algebra I, where students have outperformed the state average in recent years, even as standard math scores struggle. For example, in 2024-2025, 47.41% of students taking the Algebra I End-of-Course exam were proficient, compared to the state average of 47.01%. This success, however, creates a bifurcated math experience: a struggling majority and a successful minority.

Compared to nearby schools, Lang's challenges are not insurmountable. While W H Gaston Middle has improved from the 23rd to the 39th percentile, and Uplift Luna Prep Middle jumped from the 22nd to the 48th percentile, Lang has remained stagnant. The school's per-student spending ($11,117) is higher than many peers, including the high-performing J L Long Middle ($10,344), indicating that resource allocation and instructional strategies—not just funding—are key. The dropout rate, while improved from 6.0% to 3.1%, remains higher than most nearby schools. The key question for parents is whether the school's proven success with Special Education students can be scaled to lift the entire school community.

740

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,534

Per pupil spending ?

96.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1678 Chenault
Dallas, TX 75228

(972) 925-2400

District: Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle usually attend:

High:

Skyline High School

Feeder schools for Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle:

Elementary:	Buckner Terrace Montessori
	Frank Guzick Elementary
	George W Truett Elementary
	S S Conner Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

61.8%

African American:

32.0%

White:

3.2%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 16th percentile in 2023 → 11th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (29% vs 48% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (11th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped from its 16th-percentile peak (2023) to 11th (2026)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg46%

Texas avg48%

2,087^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Bottom 11%▲ up 6 pts since 2016

From bottom 5% (2016) to bottom 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

32^nd 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	18.1	2087 of 2335	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.5	2143 of 2344	8.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	17.7	2089 of 2372	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.9	1959 of 2330	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.4	2058 of 2254	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	14.6	2045 of 2252	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.5	1850 of 2193	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.3	1776 of 2080	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	15.1	1872 of 2027	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	9.7	1888 of 1987	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	6.6	1952 of 2043	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	16.1	1808 of 1987	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	17.4	1766 of 1973	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	13.4	1796 of 1951	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	25.6	1685 of 1895	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	23.6	1609 of 1803	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	37.4	1321 of 1763	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	26.8	1476 of 1718	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	28.4	1005 of 1295	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	46.1	495 of 997	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.8	723 of 1280	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.7	743 of 1273	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.7	1021 of 1251	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	26.1	993 of 1213	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.8	886 of 1193	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.1	847 of 1167	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	28.1	1772 of 2182	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.4	1816 of 2118	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	43.6	1080 of 2058	47.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.4	1021 of 2008	49.2%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	45.7	674 of 1390	51.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	32.1	1022 of 1428	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.7	1289 of 1770	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.8	1125 of 1720	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.3	1185 of 1643	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	36.7	1017 of 1592	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	55.5	449 of 1445	68.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.6	235 of 1376	82.9%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	15.1	2100 of 2240	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	23.9	1518 of 1825	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	25.5	1807 of 2242	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.9	1876 of 2241	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.2	2036 of 2221	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	16.1	1938 of 2151	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	17.7	1853 of 2047	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.6	1805 of 2008	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	12.4	1430 of 1497	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.5	1169 of 1230	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	8.9	1421 of 1481	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	9.9	1416 of 1488	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.8	1377 of 1501	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.8	1340 of 1446	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.9	1380 of 1430	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	23.2	1858 of 2141	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.3	1360 of 1731	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.3	1729 of 2119	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.2	1750 of 2116	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.0	1882 of 2077	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	18.3	1854 of 2043	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	29.6	1485 of 1935	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.1	1478 of 1895	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	26.2	1860 of 2253	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.6	1298 of 1820	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	33.0	1597 of 2235	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.2	1764 of 2251	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.0	1979 of 2220	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.9	1938 of 2172	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	29.7	1639 of 2073	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.0	1646 of 2039	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	1944 of 2253	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	24.3	1495 of 1818	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	23.1	1867 of 2246	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	20.1	1925 of 2245	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.4	2058 of 2228	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	14.9	1997 of 2168	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	25.6	1671 of 2069	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.0	1688 of 2030	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	24.2	582 of 676	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	46.2	421 of 818	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	14.8	763 of 817	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.7	731 of 813	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	11.8	710 of 743	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	14.6	709 of 753	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	10.1	699 of 720	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.8	1405 of 1956	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	80.7	119 of 1568	92.4%	★★★★★
2024	63.3	447 of 1891	76.4%	★★★★☆
2023	30.7	1390 of 1815	23.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.7	1339 of 1757	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	30.7	1287 of 1712	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.8	1223 of 1626	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.0	1040 of 1597	34.9%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	4.2	1722 of 1749	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	11.5	1644 of 1723	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	9.1	1639 of 1700	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	41.3	1031 of 1684	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	10.7	1619 of 1673	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)52nd percentile+41 vs school

Special Education (2026)28th percentile+18 vs school

African American (2026)22nd percentile+12 vs school

At Risk (2022)19th percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)17th percentile+7 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)14th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)14th percentile+3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)13th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)6th percentile-4 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)4th percentile-6 vs school

White (2023)2nd percentile-14 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I59%+5 vs state

Reading33%-23 vs state

Mathematics27%-16 vs state

Social Studies13%-19 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, December 28, 2009

This is a GREAT School I don't know why people from downtown keep saying these students are cheating in there TAKS scores especially their writing test that's IMPOSSIBLE! They have wonderful teachers and a nice responsible principle not Mr. Peters! I just want to say keep up the good work! This school will prove the district WRONG! Close Quote

Schools Near Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle

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
Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle	Public	6-8	1678 Chenault	Dallas	75228	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 925-2400	740	49	15.1	96.1%	24 (3.2%)	237 (32.0%)	457 (61.8%)	9 (1.2%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	8 (1.1%)	18.1	2087^th of 2335 public middle schools	10.6%		15.5	2143^rd of 2344 public middle schools	8.6%	56	59.0			33.7	27.8	36.6			22.7		30.1	12.6	$12,534
Uplift Luna Prep Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	9743 E Rl Thornton Fwy	Dallas	75228	Dallas County	Uplift Education	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 445-3300	591	31	19.1	84.3%	12 (2.0%)	76 (12.9%)	484 (81.9%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.5%)	44.9	1213^th of 2335 public middle schools	48.1%		48.5	1126^th of 2344 public middle schools	52.0%	87	70.3			50.5	49.5	54.3			29.8	0.0	59.4	17.4	$10,040
W H Gaston Middle	Public	6-8	9565 Mercer Dr	Dallas	75228	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-5400	757	49	15.4	94.7%	22 (2.9%)	94 (12.4%)	626 (82.7%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.1%)	39.2	1420^th of 2335 public middle schools	39.2%		27.1	1835^th of 2344 public middle schools	21.7%	415	77.7				48.3	52.7					33.0	28.3	$10,772
Ann Richards Steam Academy	Public	6-8	3831 N Prairie Creek	Dallas	75227	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 892-5400	1,010	64	15.7	96.5%	23 (2.3%)	166 (16.4%)	814 (80.6%)	3 (0.3%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23.2	1964^th of 2335 public middle schools	15.9%		25.9	1868^th of 2344 public middle schools	20.3%	96	72.0			39.6	43.5	41.2			15.1		29.2	15.9	$9,880
McDonald Middle	Public	6-8	2930 Town E Blvd	Mesquite	75150	Dallas County	Mesquite Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 882-5700	787	55	14.3	82.2%	71 (9.0%)	152 (19.3%)	530 (67.3%)	5 (0.6%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.7%)	31.9	1666^th of 2335 public middle schools	28.7%		28.6	1780^th of 2344 public middle schools	24.1%	114	77.9			42.0	38.5	41.9			35.2	3.8	44.6	21.4	$10,085
Vanston Middle	Public	6-8	3230 Karla Dr	Mesquite	75150	Dallas County	Mesquite Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 882-5801	728	60	12.1	84.5%	64 (8.8%)	94 (12.9%)	548 (75.3%)	10 (1.4%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.1%)	26.8	1824^th of 2335 public middle schools	21.9%		31.4	1684^th of 2344 public middle schools	28.2%	140	65.5			43.9	37.6	50.0			27.2	7.8	34.1	11.3	$10,112
Piedmont Global Academy	Public	6-8	7625 Hume Dr	Dallas	75227	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 749-4100	692	47	14.7	98.6%	14 (2.0%)	62 (9.0%)	608 (87.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	17.3	2106^th of 2335 public middle schools	9.8%		21.7	1980^th of 2344 public middle schools	15.5%	126	71.3				27.5	42.6					24.0	14.6	$11,637
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
Robert T Hill Middle	Public	6-8	505 Easton Rd	Dallas	75218	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 502-5700	762	52	14.7	92.4%	65 (8.5%)	60 (7.9%)	613 (80.4%)	17 (2.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	43.5	1257^th of 2335 public middle schools	46.2%		40.9	1376^th of 2344 public middle schools	41.3%	119	74.8				51.5	56.0					38.4	24.9	$9,824
School For The Talented & Gifted In Pleasant Grove	Public	4-8	9610 Bruton Rd	Dallas	75217	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 925-3700	385	24	16.0	92.7%	6 (1.6%)	5 (1.3%)	370 (96.1%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	99.1	9^th of 2335 public middle schools	99.6%		99.1	10^th of 2344 public middle schools	99.6%	1	96.2	95.1	93.8	97.7	98.7	97.5	93.6	96.9	97.7		88.3	78.5	$10,926

Frequently Asked Questions about Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle

Is Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle a good school?

Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle ranks in the bottom 10.6% of Texas middle schools.

What district is Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle in?

Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

What high school do graduates of Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle attend?

Students who attend Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle usually go on to attend Skyline High School

How many students attend Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 740 students attended Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle?

Students at Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle are 62% Hispanic, 32% African American, 3% White, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

Rate Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

TXTexas Middle School Rankings

TXTexas District Rankings

Schools in Dallas, TX

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle!

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.