Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 75220

This analysis examines six elementary schools in the 75220 zip code of Dallas, Texas, serving Pre-Kindergarten through 5th or 6th grade, where all schools face the significant challenge of serving student populations with over 95% economic disadvantage.

Among these schools, David G Burnet Elementary stands out as the most consistent performer, maintaining a 2-star rating for three consecutive years and showing exceptional strength in its bilingual program, where Spanish-language Reading scores dramatically exceed district and state averages. Jose 'joe' May Elementary represents the most dramatic turnaround, jumping from the 2nd percentile to the 42nd percentile in a single year, with remarkable gains in Mathematics and Spanish Reading. Stephen C Foster Elementary shows a clear upward trend and excels in 6th-grade Mathematics, where nearly half of students are proficient—significantly outperforming both district and state averages. The Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa Md Elementary has the highest spending per student but does not achieve the highest performance, while Julian T Saldivar Elementary serves the largest enrollment. The charter school, Uplift Triumph Prep Ps (part of Uplift Education), consistently underperforms relative to the Dallas Independent School District (Isd) schools, with the lowest state ranking, highest student-teacher ratio, and lowest spending.

A critical finding is that bilingual programs are a major strength across the Dallas ISD schools, with students taking the Spanish STAAR test often outperforming their English-testing peers and exceeding district and state averages. However, 5th-grade Science is a universal weakness, with proficiency rates as low as 0% at multiple schools, well below the state average. While spending varies from $10,877 to $13,630 per student, there is no direct correlation between higher spending and better performance, suggesting that how funds are allocated—such as toward effective bilingual programs—matters more than the total amount.