Public and Private Dallas Schools

The Dallas Independent School District, which manages the majority of schools located in Dallas, is the 12^th largest school district in the U.S. Since Dallas schools span a wide range of neighborhoods, one can expect them to represent a variety educational opportunities. Several Dallas schools have received awards as top educational institutions.

Top Public Dallas Schools

In 2006, Newsweek named The School for the Talented and Gifted, located in Oak Cliff, as the best public school in the United States. The school was voted as the top school again in 2007 and 2009. The curriculum at TAG Magnet focuses on a liberal arts education that includes math, science, social studies, language arts, and fine arts. The school is noted for its small class sizes. Foreign language classes have just five or six students. Social studies classes usually have the largest student to teacher ratio. Even these classes, though, have fewer than 17 students.

While TAG is the most distinguished of Dallas schools, several others have been given mention in the same Newsweek list. The Science and Engineering Magnet, for instance, received the number two spot in 2007. Hillcrest, Woodrow Wilson, and W.T. White high schools have also earned mentions on the list.

Private Dallas Schools

Dallas has an excellent public educational system, but it also gives students the opportunity to enroll in private schools. Some of the most recognizable names include the Lamplighter School, Dallas Lutheran School, and Dallas Christian School. Some Dallas residents choose to send their children to private schools in neighboring communities. Among these institutions, The Highlands School and Cistercian Preparatory School in Irving are popular chooses. Some parents also send their children to Trinity Christian Academy, located in nearby Addison.

Dallas Schools Outside of DISD

Dallas is a rapidly expanding city with a metropolitan area that spreads into Fort Worth and Arlington. This large area means that some local public schools are not managed by the Dallas Independent School District. Other school districts in the area are comparatively small, but some of them oversee the operation of several schools. The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School System, for instance, consists of 25 elementary schools, six middle schools, and four high schools.

Dallas Universities and Colleges

Dallas is the home of at least nine universities and colleges. There are also several colleges and universities located in the outside of Dallas in the surrounding metropolitan area. These schools vary significantly in terms of population and educational focus.

Criswell College is a very small Dallas school that only has about 400 enrolled students. Graduate and undergraduate students at this school study Biblical and Christian topics. These subjects are also taught at the nearby Dallas Theological Seminar, which currently has more than 2,000 graduate students.

Dallas has two well-known schools that offer significant support to students who have historically been denied solid educational backgrounds. The Paul Quinn College is a historically black school with about 3,000 students. Texas Women’s University, although co-educational, was created as an educational resource for women. The school currently has three campuses, one of which focuses on occupational therapy and physical therapy.