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W H Gaston Middle

Q: Is W H Gaston Middle a good school?

W H Gaston Middle ranks 1420 th of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

1420^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,335 Texas Middle Schools

Better than 39% of Texas middle schools

Summary

W H Gaston Middle is a public school in Dallas, TX, serving 757 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Dallas Independent School District (Isd), with over 94% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

This school has a fascinating story of bright spots and challenges. Its most standout feature is exceptional performance in Algebra I, with 77.69% of students proficient—far exceeding district and state averages. This is a major strength compared to nearby schools like Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle (59.04%) and Ann Richards Steam Academy (71.96%). However, this success creates a "two-tiered" experience: while advanced math students thrive, the majority in standard math classes struggle, with only 32.95% proficient in 8th-grade math. The school also excels in supporting specific student groups, ranking in the 74th percentile for African American students (a remarkable jump from 39th percentile two years prior) and the 81st percentile for English Language Learners. Yet, it critically underperforms for Gifted and Talented students, ranking in the 9th percentile, suggesting a need for more enrichment for its highest achievers.

Overall, W H Gaston Middle is a relative standout in its immediate area, outperforming Harold Wendell Lang Senior Middle (11th percentile) and O'Banion Middle (10th percentile). Its recent improvement to a 2-star rating (39th percentile) signals an upward trajectory, but it still lags behind more affluent schools like J L Long Middle. The school's dropout rate (1.6%) is notably lower than the district average (3.2%), indicating strong student retention. For parents, this school offers powerful advanced math opportunities and targeted support for certain groups, but families should be aware of the uneven performance in core subjects and the need for stronger gifted programming.

757

Students ?

15.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,772

Per pupil spending ?

94.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

9565 Mercer Dr
Dallas, TX 75228-3753

(972) 502-5400

District: Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend W H Gaston Middle usually attend:

High:

Bryan Adams H S Leadership Academy

Feeder schools for W H Gaston Middle:

Elementary:	Alex Sanger Preparatory School
	Bayles Elementary
	Edwin J Kiest Elementary
	Larry G Smith Elementary
	More...
	Reinhardt Elementary

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

82.7%

African American:

12.4%

White:

2.9%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare W H Gaston Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 21st percentile in 2016 → 39th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 18 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (44% vs 49% meeting standards)

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

!Mathematics scores 14 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school44%

District avg47%

Texas avg49%

1,420^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Bottom 39%▲ up 18 pts since 2016

From bottom 21% (2016) to bottom 39% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^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	39.2	1420 of 2335	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.1	1835 of 2344	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.9	1831 of 2372	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.2	1767 of 2330	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.7	1716 of 2254	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.9	1942 of 2252	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.8	1640 of 2193	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.0	1583 of 2080	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	24.0	1647 of 2027	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	29.0	1574 of 1987	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	20.9	1773 of 2043	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	23.8	1650 of 1987	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	28.4	1586 of 1973	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	29.1	1527 of 1951	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	33.7	1551 of 1895	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	42.4	1293 of 1803	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	43.1	1203 of 1763	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	43.1	1164 of 1718	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	17.2	1531 of 1684	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	9.3	1514 of 1585	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	13.9	1455 of 1582	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	12.7	1469 of 1573	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	63.2	340 of 1295	73.7%	★★★★☆
2025	47.8	472 of 997	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	38.5	775 of 1280	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	34.5	836 of 1273	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.4	862 of 1251	31.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.3	1038 of 1213	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.3	910 of 1193	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	33.0	787 of 1167	32.6%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	49.1	910 of 2182	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.8	1220 of 2118	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	60.5	532 of 2058	74.1%	★★★★☆
2018	53.3	699 of 2008	65.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	66.8	260 of 1390	81.3%	★★★★☆
2025	51.9	563 of 1428	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.8	854 of 1770	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.8	604 of 1720	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.9	547 of 1643	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	52.6	549 of 1592	65.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	73.6	198 of 1445	86.3%	★★★★☆
2018	70.5	186 of 1376	86.5%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	38.4	1392 of 2240	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	34.8	1226 of 1825	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.9	1553 of 2242	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.7	1636 of 2241	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.9	1634 of 2221	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.1	1939 of 2151	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	29.6	1560 of 2047	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.6	1544 of 2008	23.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.9	1365 of 1497	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	20.6	1108 of 1230	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.3	1372 of 1481	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	18.3	1337 of 1488	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	7.8	1433 of 1501	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.2	1372 of 1446	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.9	1305 of 1430	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	45.7	1071 of 2141	50.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	47.4	862 of 1731	50.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.4	1035 of 2119	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	35.0	1448 of 2116	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.9	1396 of 2077	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	23.6	1711 of 2043	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	38.6	1207 of 1935	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.3	1259 of 1895	33.6%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	52.6	916 of 2253	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	51.9	770 of 1820	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.8	992 of 2235	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	38.7	1420 of 2251	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.9	1422 of 2220	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	24.4	1822 of 2172	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.6	1235 of 2073	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.5	1193 of 2039	41.5%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	39.5	1365 of 2253	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.5	1075 of 1818	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.5	1359 of 2246	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.7	1762 of 2245	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.4	1776 of 2228	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	20.9	1818 of 2168	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	27.0	1630 of 2069	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.0	1619 of 2030	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	46.2	842 of 1956	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.3	267 of 1568	83.0%	★★★★☆
2024	69.3	309 of 1891	83.7%	★★★★☆
2023	48.2	717 of 1815	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	49.5	670 of 1757	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	40.9	885 of 1712	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.2	926 of 1626	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.9	776 of 1597	51.4%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	37.8	1180 of 1749	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	22.2	1503 of 1723	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.4	1593 of 1700	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.2	1471 of 1684	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.7	1398 of 1673	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆

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)81st percentile+42 vs school

African American (2026)74th percentile+35 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)59th percentile+20 vs school

At Risk (2022)58th percentile+34 vs school

Special Education (2026)57th percentile+18 vs school

Hispanic (2026)50th percentile+11 vs school

Male (2026)39th percentile~ school

Female (2026)38th percentile~ school

White (2023)33rd percentile+8 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)9th percentile-30 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I78%+24 vs state

Reading51%-6 vs state

Mathematics33%-14 vs state

Social Studies28%-3 vs state

★

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Schools Near W H Gaston Middle

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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 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
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
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
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
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
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
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
Lake Highlands Middle	Public	6-8	10301 Walnut Hill Ln	Dallas	75238	Dallas County	Richardson Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(469) 593-1600	1,114	84	13.2	40.1%	484 (43.4%)	213 (19.1%)	323 (29.0%)	57 (5.1%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (3.0%)	78.8	342^nd of 2335 public middle schools	85.4%		71.2	507^th of 2344 public middle schools	78.4%	165	58.9	70.0	64.6	72.0	59.9		58.4	41.6	$13,264
O'Banion Middle	Public	6-8	700 Birchwood Dr	Garland	75043	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 279-6103	784	56	14.0	92.7%	28 (3.6%)	95 (12.1%)	606 (77.3%)	34 (4.3%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	14 (1.8%)	17.3	2107^th of 2335 public middle schools	9.8%		27.7	1810^th of 2344 public middle schools	22.8%	297	82.7	31.0	32.8	36.8	27.4		25.8	9.3	$10,527
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

Frequently Asked Questions about W H Gaston Middle

How many students attend W H Gaston Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 757 students attended W H Gaston Middle.

What is the racial makeup of W H Gaston Middle?

Students at W H Gaston Middle are 83% Hispanic, 12% African American, 3% White, 1% Two or more races.

Is W H Gaston Middle a good school?

W H Gaston Middle ranks 1420^th of 2335 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of W H Gaston Middle attend?

Students who attend W H Gaston Middle usually go on to attend Bryan Adams H S Leadership Academy

What district is W H Gaston Middle in?

Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

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.