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What advice would you give to incoming students at THOMAS J RUSK MIDDLE?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
373
Middle
DISTRICT 551 · STATE 643
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·DALLAS ISD·NCES 481623001347
Thomas J Rusk Middle School
2929 INWOOD RD, DALLAS, TX 75235 · (972) 925-2000 · Dallas County
GRADES 06–08MIDDLE11-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL373 STUDENTS
C
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 26% of Texas public middle schools
- C-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- BBeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- DThree-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Texas public middle schools
Student : Teacher
14.9:1
25 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.0:1 · STATE 14.4:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
94%
351 students
DISTRICT 89% · STATE 65%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 123 | 33% |
| Grade 7 | 122 | 33% |
| Grade 8 | 128 | 34% |
Student demographics
48%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 45% · STATE 63% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Thomas J Rusk Middle School→North Dallas High School
Feeds from
Based on published attendance-zone data from DALLAS ISD. Zones change; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
STAAR 2025-26 . % Meets Grade Level or AboveReading
38.0%
TX avg 54.5% . +18.0pp since 2020
Mathematics
32.0%
TX avg 45.3% . +9.0pp since 2020
What this means: On the STAAR, Texas's statewide test, about 38 of every 100 students at this school read at grade level and about 32 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Texas schools, those numbers are about 55 and 45. Reading scores are up about 18 points since 2020, while math scores are up about 9 points.
Performance levels, 2025-26
| Subject | Masters Grade Level | Meets Grade Level | Approaches Grade Level | Did Not Meet Grade Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 14.0% | 24.0% | 34.0% | 28.0% |
| Mathematics | 11.0% | 21.0% | 33.0% | 35.0% |
Share of tested students at each STAAR level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
STAAR results by year
| School year | Reading | Mathematics |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 38.0% | 32.0% |
| 2024-25 | 44.0% | 30.0% |
| 2023-24 | 40.0% | 28.0% |
| 2022-23 | 35.0% | 45.0% |
| 2021-22 | 39.0% | 33.0% |
| 2020-21 | 20.0% | 23.0% |
% Meets Grade Level or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: STAAR. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
32.2%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
33.5%
based on TX schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-1.3pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 32% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 34% typical for Texas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Texas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Thomas J Rusk Middle School
Thomas J Rusk Middle School's state test result (32.2% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas J Rusk Middle School this school | 373 | 94.1% | 32.2% |
| KIPP Voyage Academy for Girls HOUSTON | 368 | 93.2% | 27.3% |
| KIPP Polaris Academy for Boys HOUSTON | 341 | 97.4% | 30.2% |
| Davis Middle School SAN ANTONIO | 314 | 97.1% | 22.0% |
| West Dallas Junior High School DALLAS | 353 | 97.5% | 23.1% |
| Boude Storey Middle School DALLAS | 379 | 97.6% | 29.4% |
Matched among Texas middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Thomas J Rusk Middle School ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Texas | In Dallas County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 32.2% | #1,310 of 1,635 | #84 of 118 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 32.0% | #1,281 of 1,670 ▲ 6 | #89 of 123 ▼ 2 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 38.0% | #1,507 of 1,670 ▼ 272 | #99 of 123 ▼ 36 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest drop first | -5.0pp | #92 of 1,570 | #16 of 121 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 373 | #1,303 of 1,749 | #111 of 126 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 14.9:1 | #851 of 1,542 | #62 of 123 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 47.8% | #961 of 1,543 | #63 of 123 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 94.1% | #135 of 1,648 | #27 of 121 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -42.3% | #42 of 942 | #7 of 80 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
373
-202 (-35%) vs 2020
-41% since 1990-91, when it was 628
Student : Teacher
14.9:1
was 13.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 373 | 25 | 14.9:1 | 94% (351) |
| 2023-24 | 378 | 35 | 10.8:1 | 93% (352) |
| 2022-23 | 443 | 41 | 10.8:1 | 95% (422) |
| 2020-21 | 575 | 44 | 13.1:1 | 94% (539) |
| 2017-18 | 647 | 46.2 | 14.0:1 | 98% (631) |
| 2015-16 | 563 | 40 | 14.1:1 | 96% (540) |
| 2010-11 | 762 | 56 | 13.6:1 | 90% (688) |
| 2000-01 | 692 | 51 | 13.6:1 | 77% (536) |
| 1990-91 | 628 | 45 | 14.0:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Thomas J Rusk Middle School.
Since 2017-18: students down 42% (647 to 373); teachers down 46% (46.2 to 25).
About Thomas J Rusk Middle School
Thomas J Rusk Middle School is a low-enrollment middle school serving families in DALLAS, Texas. The school serves 373 students in grades 6 through 8 in 2024-25. The average among middle schools in Texas is roughly 643 students; this school is 42% smaller than that.
Thomas J Rusk Middle School sits within DALLAS ISD, which has 240 schools and 140,630 students.
Hispanic students make up a majority at Thomas J Rusk Middle School, at 66%. Smaller groups are 30% Black and 2% White. For comparison, the population of Dallas County is roughly 41% Hispanic. Thomas J Rusk Middle School's diversity index is 48%, against a US figure of 70%.
A ratio of 14.9:1 comes from the school's 25 full-time-equivalent teachers. For comparison, middle schools in Texas average 14.4:1. The lunch program counts 94% of students at Thomas J Rusk Middle School as eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Across public schools in Dallas County, the average is 77%.
allk12 grades Thomas J Rusk Middle School a C. The grade compares the school only with Texas public middle schools, because each state gives its own test.
Thomas J Rusk Middle School's average proficiency rate on state tests of 32.2% is 1.3 points below the 33.5% the model predicts from its lunch-eligibility share.
In the county around the school, Dallas County, the median household income is $76,547, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 36% of adults, and the poverty rate is about 11%. Dallas County is home to 771 public schools and about 459,645 public school students.
Of nearby public schools, Maple Lawn Elementary School is the closest, at about 0.2 miles. In all, at least 8 other public schools sit within five miles of Thomas J Rusk Middle School. Its average proficiency rate of 32.2% is below the 50.4% average for nearby schools.
Locale: City: Large. In NCES terms, the school is inside a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more.
Federal data show a 35% enrollment decrease, from 575 in 2020-21 to 373 in 2024-25. The student-to-teacher ratio went up from 13.1:1 to 14.9:1.
To ask about school events, clubs, and volunteer needs, start a discussion on this page. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Dallas County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
2,621,179
Census ACS
Median income
$76,547
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
36%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
771
459,645 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in DALLAS ISD
- Skyline High SchoolHigh · 3,837 students
- Bryan Adams H S Leadership AcademyHigh · 2,208 students
- W T White High SchoolHigh · 2,204 students
- Sunset High SchoolHigh · 2,164 students
- Moises E Molina High SchoolHigh · 2,006 students
- Woodrow Wilson High SchoolHigh · 1,832 students
Other schools in DALLAS
- Skyline High SchoolHigh · 3,837 students
- Lake Highlands High SchoolHigh · 2,972 students
- Oak Cliff Faith Family AcademyCombined · 2,670 students
- Bryan Adams H S Leadership AcademyHigh · 2,208 students
- W T White High SchoolHigh · 2,204 students
- Sunset High SchoolHigh · 2,164 students
Nearby schools
- Maple Lawn Elementary School0.2 mi · 511
- Montessori Academy at Onesimo Hernandez Elementary School0.4 mi · 346
- Biomedical Preparatory at Ut Southwestern0.8 mi · 213
- Callier Center Pre-School Deaf (0-5)1.1 mi · 59
- Esperanza Medrano Elementary School1.2 mi · 349
- K B Polk Center for Academically Talented & Gifted1.3 mi · 427
Frequently asked questions
About Thomas J Rusk Middle SchoolHow many students attend Thomas J Rusk Middle School?
Thomas J Rusk Middle School enrolls approximately 373 students in grades 06-08.
What grades does Thomas J Rusk Middle School serve?
Thomas J Rusk Middle School serves grades 06-08.
How many students per teacher at Thomas J Rusk Middle School?
Approximately 14.9:1 students per teacher at Thomas J Rusk Middle School.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Thomas J Rusk Middle School?
At Thomas J Rusk Middle School, the student body is approximately 2% White, 66% Hispanic, 30% Black, 1% Asian, 1% Two or more.
What district is Thomas J Rusk Middle School in?
Thomas J Rusk Middle School is part of DALLAS ISD.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.