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Curtistene S McCowan Middle

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

2036^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,335 Texas Middle Schools

Better than 13% of Texas middle schools

Summary

Curtistene S McCowan Middle in Glenn Heights, TX, serves 643 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Desoto Independent School District (Isd), with about 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This school presents a unique "two schools" dynamic: it boasts an exceptional advanced math program, yet struggles significantly with grade-level mathematics. For instance, in the 2025-2026 school year, 64.71% of students taking Algebra I were proficient—nearly double the district average and higher than the state average—but only 6.25% of 7th graders were proficient in on-grade-level math, a fraction of the state average of 29.41%. This contrast suggests that while the school excels at accelerating a select group of students, the majority of learners may not be receiving the same level of support in core math skills.

Compared to nearby schools, McCowan Middle has a notably high student-to-teacher ratio of 22.6:1, which is much larger than peers like D A Hulcy Steam Middle (14.8:1) and Bessie Coleman Middle (14.4:1). This larger class size may contribute to the school's overall academic challenges, as it ranks in the 13th percentile statewide. However, McCowan is the stronger of the two middle schools in its district, consistently outperforming Desoto West Middle in subjects like 6th-grade reading (32.92% proficient vs. 29.29%). The school also shows a positive trend in keeping students enrolled, with a dropout rate that dropped from 1.9% in 2020-2021 to 0.0% in 2023-2024, a better record than nearby J Herman Reed Middle (2.4%).

Performance across student groups is inconsistent, with the school serving its African American students relatively well (29th percentile statewide) but struggling with White students (1st percentile) and Hispanic students (11th percentile). Special Education students experienced a dramatic swing from the 75th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 2nd percentile in 2024-2025, indicating a lack of consistent support for this group. For parents, this school offers a standout advanced math program that rivals high-performing schools like Walnut Grove Middle, but families should be aware of the significant gap in grade-level math achievement and the high student-to-teacher ratio that may affect overall learning.

643

Students ?

22.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$6,577

Per pupil spending ?

78.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1500 Majestic Meadows Dr
Glenn Heights, TX 75154

(972) 274-8090

District: Desoto Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Curtistene S McCowan Middle usually attend:

High:

Desoto High School

Feeder schools for Curtistene S McCowan Middle:

Elementary:	Cockrell Hill Elementary
	Frank D Moates Elementary
	Woodridge Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

62.1%

Hispanic:

32.0%

Two or more races:

3.1%

See top rated Texas middle schools

Compare Curtistene S McCowan Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 9th percentile in 2016 → 13th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (29% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (13th percentile)

!Social Studies scores 23 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg31%

Texas avg47%

2,036^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Bottom 13%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 9% (2016) to bottom 13% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2Middle Schools in the Desoto Independent School District (Isd)

701^st of 951Desoto 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	20.3	2036 of 2335	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	21.7	1981 of 2344	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.6	2021 of 2372	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.4	1761 of 2330	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.3	1725 of 2254	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.4	1905 of 2252	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.7	1848 of 2193	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	1760 of 2080	15.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	17.7	1815 of 2027	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	16.3	1803 of 1987	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	29.6	1580 of 2043	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	22.8	1666 of 1987	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	33.7	1474 of 1973	25.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	37.4	1343 of 1951	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	35.9	1510 of 1895	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	33.6	1451 of 1803	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	24.2	1553 of 1763	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.4	925 of 1295	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.9	730 of 997	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	31.6	929 of 1280	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.2	734 of 1273	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.6	739 of 1251	40.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	32.3	861 of 1213	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	35.5	762 of 1193	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.5	730 of 1167	37.4%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	35.3	1492 of 2182	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	27.5	1746 of 2118	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	30.1	1607 of 2058	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.9	1591 of 2008	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	38.6	866 of 1428	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.4	985 of 1770	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.2	777 of 1720	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	58.3	467 of 1643	71.6%	★★★★☆
2021	36.9	1011 of 1592	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	24.1	1286 of 1445	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	24.5	1238 of 1376	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	20.1	1983 of 2240	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	22.9	1534 of 1825	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	26.2	1783 of 2242	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	31.3	1654 of 2241	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	32.3	1550 of 2221	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	22.4	1770 of 2151	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.7	1758 of 2047	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.7	1757 of 2008	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	25.3	1333 of 1497	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	45.9	829 of 1230	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.0	1207 of 1481	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.2	1222 of 1488	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.6	1362 of 1501	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.8	1234 of 1446	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.3	1300 of 1430	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.7	1901 of 2141	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	31.9	1260 of 1731	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.2	1522 of 2119	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	37.9	1361 of 2116	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	44.4	1082 of 2077	47.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.4	1622 of 2043	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.5	1438 of 1935	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.5	1467 of 1895	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	31.9	1670 of 2253	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.4	1445 of 1820	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	29.1	1743 of 2235	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.2	1703 of 2251	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.0	1675 of 2220	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.3	1793 of 2172	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	27.3	1695 of 2073	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.4	1656 of 2039	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	21.5	1956 of 2253	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	19.5	1597 of 1818	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	18.7	1977 of 2246	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.9	1759 of 2245	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.0	1857 of 2228	16.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.3	1922 of 2168	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.0	1754 of 2069	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.4	1700 of 2030	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	30.2	610 of 806	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	20.4	612 of 676	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	29.7	617 of 818	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	39.5	519 of 817	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.4	510 of 813	37.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	21.5	647 of 743	12.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.1	669 of 753	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.6	567 of 720	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	32.0	1438 of 1956	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.4	1531 of 1568	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	62.7	466 of 1891	75.4%	★★★★☆
2023	27.4	1522 of 1815	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.3	1137 of 1757	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	55.0	504 of 1712	70.6%	★★★★☆
2019	42.2	822 of 1626	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.6	906 of 1597	43.3%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	6.5	1709 of 1731	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	5.6	1715 of 1733	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	23.4	1481 of 1749	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	5.8	1659 of 1684	1.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.0	1608 of 1673	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

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 (2025)39th percentile+24 vs school

At Risk (2022)32nd percentile+8 vs school

African American (2026)29th percentile+16 vs school

Special Education (2026)26th percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile+13 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)24th percentile+12 vs school

Male (2026)13th percentile~ school

Female (2026)11th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)11th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2026)11th percentile~ school

White (2026)1st percentile-12 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I65%+11 vs state

Reading41%-15 vs state

Mathematics20%-20 vs state

Social Studies9%-23 vs state

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Schools Near Curtistene S McCowan 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 EOC English I Reading (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 EOC English I Reading 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
Curtistene S McCowan Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1500 Majestic Meadows Dr	Glenn Heights	75154	Dallas County	Desoto Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 274-8090	643	28	22.6	78.5%	12 (1.9%)	399 (62.1%)	206 (32.0%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (3.1%)	20.3	2036^th of 2335 public middle schools	12.8%		21.7	1981^st of 2344 public middle schools	15.5%	55	64.7		32.9	41.1	46.0	26.3	6.3	22.4	9.0	$6,577
Desoto West Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	800 N Westmoreland	Desoto	75115	Dallas County	Desoto Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 230-1820	370	17	21.4	59.7%	5 (1.4%)	283 (76.5%)	68 (18.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.5%)	10.7	2241^st of 2335 public middle schools	4.0%		11.7	2209^th of 2344 public middle schools	5.8%	32	77.1		29.3	21.1	30.7	22.0	7.6	16.7	3.7	$9,234
Bessie Coleman Middle	Public	6-8	1208 Pleasant Run Rd	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 293-4505	488	34	14.4	74.2%	10 (2.0%)	339 (69.5%)	105 (21.5%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	25 (5.1%)	25.9	1850^th of 2335 public middle schools	20.8%		19.5	2034^th of 2344 public middle schools	13.2%	184	17.5		37.9	36.6	56.8	20.7	11.2	34.2	11.0	$8,666
W S Permenter Middle	Public	6-8	431 W Parkerville Rd	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 291-5270	456	34	13.5	77.9%	6 (1.3%)	280 (61.4%)	156 (34.2%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	8 (1.8%)	25.8	1858^th of 2335 public middle schools	20.4%		27.6	1817^th of 2344 public middle schools	22.5%	41	87.0		37.8	32.2	51.6	8.0	2.8	46.9	18.0	$9,411
Grace R Brandenburg Intermediate	Public	5-6	1903 Blueridge Dr	Duncanville	75137	Dallas County	Duncanville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 708-3100	345	28	12.4	84.9%	6 (1.7%)	160 (46.4%)	170 (49.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.0%)								(n/a)										$8,958
Uplift Hampton Prep Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	8915 S Hampton Rd	Dallas	75237	Dallas County	Uplift Education	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 421-1982	510	27	19.1	83.5%	0 (0.0%)	301 (59.0%)	181 (35.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.1%)	30	1720^th of 2335 public middle schools	26.3%		24.9	1894^th of 2344 public middle schools	19.2%	174	44.8		44.0	45.8	61.0	13.7	0.0	28.1	13.8	$9,210
Iltexas Lancaster Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	1900 W Pleasant Run Rd	Lancaster	75146	Dallas County	International Leadership Of Texas (Iltexas)	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(469) 862-4237	379	21	18.2	83.9%	9 (2.4%)	135 (35.6%)	221 (58.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	11 (2.9%)	30.3	1706^th of 2335 public middle schools	26.9%		6.5	2284^th of 2344 public middle schools	2.6%	578	84.9	83.9	36.9	42.9	36.1	30.3	30.3	31.4	18.6	$8,401
D A Hulcy Steam Middle	Public	6-8	9339 S Polk St	Dallas	75232	Dallas County	Dallas Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(214) 932-7400	400	27	14.8	93.3%	5 (1.3%)	144 (36.0%)	246 (61.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	71.6	481^st of 2335 public middle schools	79.4%		65.8	637^th of 2344 public middle schools	72.8%	156	100.0		61.0	55.8	73.9	41.9		53.1	59.4	$11,890
Cedar Hill Collegiate Academy	Public	6-8	1515 W Beltline Rd	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(469) 272-2021	345	18	18.8	41.7%	9 (2.6%)	229 (66.4%)	87 (25.2%)	7 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.5%)	81.7	294^th of 2335 public middle schools	87.4%		81.7	299^th of 2344 public middle schools	87.2%	5	48.6	87.6	90.0	79.7		60.9		46.0	43.8	$5,474
Walnut Grove Middle	Public	6-8	990 N Walnut Grove Rd	Midlothian	76065	Ellis County	Midlothian Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	No	(469) 856-5700	1,012	51	19.6	16.3%	622 (61.5%)	118 (11.7%)	206 (20.4%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.5%)	55 (5.4%)	80.5	314^th of 2335 public middle schools	86.6%		79.4	339^th of 2344 public middle schools	85.5%	25	92.1		72.7	69.1	77.3	61.5	28.4	64.5	40.5	$6,651

Frequently Asked Questions about Curtistene S McCowan Middle

What is the racial makeup of Curtistene S McCowan Middle?

Students at Curtistene S McCowan Middle are 62% African American, 32% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% White.

How many students attend Curtistene S McCowan Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 643 students attended Curtistene S McCowan Middle.

What high school do graduates of Curtistene S McCowan Middle attend?

Students who attend Curtistene S McCowan Middle usually go on to attend Desoto High School

Is Curtistene S McCowan Middle a good school?

Curtistene S McCowan Middle ranks in the bottom 12.8% of Texas middle schools.

What district is Curtistene S McCowan Middle in?

Desoto 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.