Summary:
The five schools in Dallas's 75236 zip code serve a diverse range of students from elementary through high school, split between the La Academia De Estrellas and Ume Preparatory Academy charter networks and the Duncanville Independent School District (Isd). The area is predominantly low-income, with an average of 70% of students receiving free or reduced lunch, but academic performance varies dramatically across the schools.
The standout performer is Ume Dallas Secondary, which ranks in the 76th percentile statewide and boasts a 0% dropout rate with test scores far exceeding state averages. Its feeder school, Ume Preparatory Academy, also performs well at the 68th percentile, creating a strong K-12 pathway. In stark contrast, James R Bilhartz Junior Elementary is the lowest-ranked school in the zip code at the 9th percentile, despite having the highest per-student spending ($11,054) and a low student-teacher ratio. This creates a clear "spending vs. performance" paradox, suggesting that factors like curriculum and school culture matter more than raw funding.
The La Academia De Estrellas network shows a troubling middle school drop-off: its elementary school ranks near the state average (47th percentile), but La Academia De Estrellas Middle plummets to the 25th percentile, with 7th-grade math proficiency at just 7.59%. Overall, the Ume network's lower poverty rates (40-49% free lunch) correlate with much higher achievement, while the other schools, with poverty rates above 85%, struggle significantly. For parents, the Ume schools offer the clearest path to academic success in this zip code.
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