Cityscape Schools

The Cityscape Schools district in Dallas, TX, is a small, urban charter district serving students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade across two elementary schools: East Grand Preparatory Academy and Buckner Preparatory. Both schools serve a student population with extremely high economic disadvantage, with over 96% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and the district ranks in the 25th percentile statewide.

East Grand Preparatory Academy is the clear standout, ranking in the 39th percentile of Texas elementary schools and consistently outperforming Buckner Preparatory across nearly every academic metric. For example, in 8th Grade Math, East Grand achieved a 72.55% proficiency rate, dramatically exceeding both Buckner's 42.86% and the state average of 44.81%. However, East Grand has a concerning 2.9% dropout rate for a PK-8 school, which is higher than the district average. In contrast, Buckner Preparatory ranks in the bottom quarter of Texas elementary schools (23rd percentile) and shows extreme volatility in test scores, such as dropping from 57.14% proficiency in 4th Grade Math to just 24.24% in 5th Grade Math the same year.

A key paradox is that Buckner Preparatory spends $837 more per student ($11,309) than East Grand Preparatory Academy ($10,472), yet achieves significantly worse results, suggesting challenges beyond funding. Additionally, both schools show a notable gap in Spanish-language STAAR tests, with Buckner's 3rd Grade Reading Spanish proficiency at just 8.33% compared to 32.14% in English, indicating that English learners may need more targeted support. Overall, while East Grand shows promising bright spots, both schools face significant hurdles in improving student outcomes.