Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Summary:

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy is a public magnet middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Dallas Independent School District (ISD), with a student population of 599 located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a predominantly Hispanic (64.94%) and African American (28.88%) student body.

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy consistently outperforms the Dallas ISD and Texas state averages in STAAR test scores, particularly in Reading, where it exceeds the district and state by a wide margin. However, the school's performance in Mathematics and Science lags behind, with proficiency rates below 35% in most grade levels. The school also struggles to support its Gifted and Talented, Special Education, and English Language Learner student populations, with these groups ranking in the bottom quartile of Texas middle schools. Despite maintaining relatively low dropout rates, the school's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, suggesting challenges in maintaining its academic standards.

The school's proximity to several high-performing neighboring schools, such as William B Travis Vanguard Academy of Academically Talented and Highland Park Middle School, highlights the stark contrast in academic achievement between Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy and its higher-performing peers within the same district. This underscores the need for the school to continuously evaluate and improve its instructional practices and support systems to better meet the needs of its diverse student population and ensure equitable academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 4001 Capitol Ave
       Dallas, TX  75204-3617


(972) 925-2300

District: Dallas Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
1424th of 2,361 Texas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,424 Help


Students who attend Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy usually attend:

High:    North Dallas High School

Feeder schools for Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy:

Elementary:    Ben Milam Elementary
    Cesar Chavez Learning Center
    Ignacio Zaragoza Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  13.6 Help
Number of students:  599

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
64.9%
African American:
28.9%
White:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84% Help


 See top rated Texas middle schools

 Compare Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy ranks worse than 60.3% of middle schools in Texas. It also ranks 11th among 37 ranked middle schools in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (64.9%), African American (28.9%), White (3.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 84% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy is 13.6. 23 middle schools in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy employs 44 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy is $10,424. 34 middle schools in the Dallas Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy 1424th of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy in the ranking list.)

Dallas Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Dallas Independent School District (Isd) 557th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 18.20 1414th 1573 10.1%
2005 17.75 1411th 1582 10.8%
2006 26.76 1294th 1585 18.4%
2007 36.41 1244th 1684 26.1%
2008 37.31 1303rd 1718 24.2%
2009 35.51 1368th 1763 22.4%
2010 19.08 1671st 1803 7.3%
2011 30.97 1601st 1895 15.5%
2012 32.52 1446th 1951 25.9%
2013 33.78 1470th 1973 25.5%
2014 22.06 1686th 1987 15.1%
2015 25.40 1689th 2043 17.3%
2016 28.67 1580th 1987 20.5%
2017 48.20 934th 2027 53.9%
2018 55.47 767th 2080 63.1%
2019 52.82 894th 2193 59.2%
2021 51.69 979th 2252 56.5%
2022 34.95 1476th 2254 34.5%
2023 31.32 1683rd 2330 27.8%
2024 39.00 1424th 2361 39.7%
See the entire list of Texas Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 78.41 113th 753 85.0%
2023 59.58 288th 817 64.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.41 177th 1376 87.1%
2019 66.95 282nd 1445 80.5%
2021 80.42 120th 1592 92.5%
2022 56.47 495th 1643 69.9%
2023 48.64 768th 1720 55.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.46 994th 1597 37.8%
2019 36.03 1048th 1626 35.5%
2021 29.66 1334th 1712 22.1%
2022 34.51 1187th 1757 32.4%
2023 25.83 1574th 1815 13.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.36 386th 2039 81.1%
2019 58.77 661st 2073 68.1%
2021 58.69 692nd 2172 68.1%
2022 42.21 1260th 2220 43.2%
2023 39.26 1405th 2251 37.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.97 1050th 2008 47.7%
2019 51.83 901st 2047 56.0%
2021 54.23 866th 2151 59.7%
2022 37.88 1388th 2221 37.5%
2023 27.01 1766th 2241 21.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.28 947th 1430 33.8%
2019 38.76 1077th 1446 25.5%
2021 29.54 1194th 1501 20.5%
2022 15.27 1366th 1488 8.2%
2023 11.72 1395th 1481 5.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.91 875th 2008 56.4%
2019 66.48 399th 2058 80.6%
2021 61.81 524th 2118 75.3%
2022 41.72 1207th 2182 44.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.13 609th 2030 70.0%
2019 52.37 834th 2069 59.7%
2021 49.72 990th 2168 54.3%
2022 32.23 1558th 2228 30.1%
2023 36.33 1445th 2245 35.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.30 434th 587 26.1%
2019 11.18 557th 594 6.2%
2021 39.48 393rd 589 33.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.94 651st 1167 44.2%
2019 46.88 555th 1193 53.5%
2021 42.87 624th 1213 48.6%
2022 30.39 938th 1251 25.0%
2023 21.95 1089th 1273 14.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.81 427th 1895 77.5%
2019 61.71 564th 1935 70.9%
2021 69.33 412th 2043 79.8%
2022 50.36 906th 2077 56.4%
2023 45.55 1091st 2116 48.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.20 124th 1673 92.6%
2019 81.09 228th 1684 86.5%
2021 81.66 186th 1700 89.1%
2022 42.43 1037th 1723 39.8%
2023 49.65 871st 1749 50.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Texas Education Agency

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
0%

0%

100%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
Facebook Profile Picture by a student on FaceBook
Monday, July 19, 2010

Open Quote 1 more year and im out this school class of 2015 woo Close Quote



Enrollment information for Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 93 98 83 393 4 n/a n/a 0 671
1989 90 117 57 443 5 n/a n/a 0 712
1990 79 114 45 415 4 n/a n/a 0 657
1991 75 111 45 448 3 n/a n/a 0 682
1992 75 123 55 477 5 n/a n/a 0 735
1993 78 104 50 507 1 n/a n/a 0 740
1994 77 109 67 551 5 n/a n/a 0 809
1995 71 113 73 557 5 n/a n/a 0 819
1996 71 113 73 557 5 n/a n/a 0 819
1997 65 139 68 585 3 n/a n/a 0 860
1998 73 155 68 644 4 n/a n/a 0 944
1999 71 155 70 621 4 n/a n/a 0 921
2000 73 177 63 697 4 n/a n/a 0 1014
2001 18 152 42 773 4 n/a n/a 0 989
2002 28 151 33 729 1 n/a n/a 0 942
2003 28 151 33 729 1 n/a n/a 0 942
2004 28 167 41 640 3 n/a n/a 0 879
2005 26 174 40 618 6 n/a n/a 0 864
2006 17 173 35 576 3 n/a n/a 0 804
2007 22 211 56 907 2 n/a n/a 0 1198
2008 23 212 41 856 6 n/a n/a 0 1138
2009 30 201 42 812 6 n/a n/a 0 1091
2010 36 188 35 809 4 n/a n/a 0 1072
2011 32 205 31 830 7 0 3 0 1108
2012 25 198 29 846 6 1 7 0 1112
2013 36 217 29 848 6 3 14 0 1153
2014 39 205 29 746 8 2 7 0 1036
2015 31 172 26 664 9 1 11 0 914
2016 25 169 18 603 8 0 9 0 832
2017 38 152 17 568 4 0 8 0 787
2018 42 173 19 490 5 1 5 0 735
2019 42 162 20 481 0 1 7 0 713
2020 33 172 16 496 2 0 5 0 724
2021 24 225 14 510 1 0 9 0 783
2022 22 187 7 455 0 1 8 0 680
2023 20 173 6 389 0 0 11 0 599

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 671 51.0 13.1 n/a
1989 712 n/a n/a n/a
1990 657 57.0 11.5 n/a
1991 682 56.6 12.0 n/a
1992 735 52.6 13.9 68.2
1993 740 55.0 13.5 73.1
1994 809 54.7 14.8 68.9
1995 819 59.3 13.8 74.2
1996 819 59.3 13.8 74.2
1997 860 63.1 13.6 76.3
1998 944 62.4 15.1 71.5
1999 921 62.0 14.9 74.3
2000 1014 68.1 14.9 63.5
2001 989 69.9 14.1 79
2002 942 74.7 12.6 70.2
2003 942 74.7 12.6 70.2
2004 879 67.6 13.0 74.5
2005 864 61.6 14.0 80.3
2006 804 58.6 13.7 88.4
2007 1198 106.6 11.2 90.4
2008 1138 107.5 10.6 90.4
2009 1091 103.0 10.6 89
2010 1072 81.0 13.2 89.4
2011 1108 80.3 13.7 89.7
2012 1112 78.4 14.1 86.3
2013 1153 75.1 15.3 90.5
2014 1036 70.0 14.8 92.1
2015 914 69.0 13.2 87.7
2016 832 61.0 13.6 91.1
2017 787 56.3 13.9 89.2
2018 735 51.0 14.4 80
2019 713 44.2 16.1 83.6
2020 724 45.5 15.9 81.6
2021 783 46.6 16.7 77.5
2022 680 45.5 14.9 85.6
2023 599 44.0 13.6 84

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 671 51.0 13.1 n/a
1989 712 n/a n/a n/a
1990 657 57.0 11.5 n/a
1991 682 56.6 12.0 n/a
1992 735 52.6 13.9 68.2
1993 740 55.0 13.5 73.1
1994 809 54.7 14.8 68.9
1995 819 59.3 13.8 74.2
1996 819 59.3 13.8 74.2
1997 860 63.1 13.6 76.3
1998 944 62.4 15.1 71.5
1999 921 62.0 14.9 74.3
2000 1014 68.1 14.9 63.5
2001 989 69.9 14.1 79
2002 942 74.7 12.6 70.2
2003 942 74.7 12.6 70.2
2004 879 67.6 13.0 74.5
2005 864 61.6 14.0 80.3
2006 804 58.6 13.7 88.4
2007 1198 106.6 11.2 90.4
2008 1138 107.5 10.6 90.4
2009 1091 103.0 10.6 89
2010 1072 81.0 13.2 89.4
2011 1108 80.3 13.7 89.7
2012 1112 78.4 14.1 86.3
2013 1153 75.1 15.3 90.5
2014 1036 70.0 14.8 92.1
2015 914 69.0 13.2 87.7
2016 832 61.0 13.6 91.1
2017 787 56.3 13.9 89.2
2018 735 51.0 14.4 80
2019 713 44.2 16.1 83.6
2020 724 45.5 15.9 81.6
2021 783 46.6 16.7 77.5
2022 680 45.5 14.9 85.6
2023 599 44.0 13.6 84

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,317 (13.8%) $8,208 (86.2%) $9,525
2020 $2,044 (19.5%) $8,412 (80.5%) $10,456
2021 $1,483 (14.2%) $8,940 (85.8%) $10,424

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 894th of 2193 Middle schoolsRanks 1683rd of 2330 Middle schools
 31.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)4545
   6th Grade Reading (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))2644
 18%
   6th Grade Reading (Texas)3550
 15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)5339
 14%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))3836
 2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4537
 8%
7th Grade Reading (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)4946
 3%
   7th Grade Reading (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))3744
 7%
   7th Grade Reading (Texas)4752
 5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)106
 4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))208
 12%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4129
 12%
8th Grade Reading (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)5512
 43%
   8th Grade Reading (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))4048
 8%
   8th Grade Reading (Texas)5356
 3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)4925
 24%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))5440
 14%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5544
 11%
8th Grade Science (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)4518
 27%
   8th Grade Science (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))3634
 2%
   8th Grade Science (Texas)4945
 4%
8th Grade Social Studies (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)3027
 3%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))2624
 2%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Texas)3531
 4%
End of Course Algebra I (Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy)9974
 25%
   End of Course Algebra I (Dallas Independent School District (Isd))6440
 24%
   End of Course Algebra I (Texas)6245
 17%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students713599
 16%
African American162173
 6.8%
American Indian00
Asian206
 70%
Hispanic481389
 19.1%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White4220
 52.4%
Two or More Races711
 57.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients83.6%84%
 0.4%


Schools Near Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy









Frequently Asked Questions about Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy

Students who attend Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy usually go on to attend North Dallas High School

Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy ranks 1424th of 2361 Texas middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 599 students attended Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy.

Students at Alex W Spence Talented/Gifted Academy are 65% Hispanic, 29% African American, 3% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.


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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.





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