The School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center
Ben Torres/Special Contributor
A Dallas ISD school ranked eighth in the latest U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools list.
The School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center is the only Texas school to make the top ten nationally. In total, four Dallas ISD schools — all magnet schools — were recognized among the top 100.
“It’s a big, proud moment,” said Arnoldo Zuñiga, the principal of TAG. “It’s because of our students, our parents, our teachers, our community. It’s their hard work that’s really showing there.”
Article continues below this ad
Related: North Texas schools’ A-F scores are out. See how your district did
School of Science and Engineering at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center was ranked No. 36, while Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School was No. 45. Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet earned No. 49.
The list identifies top public schools, including charter and magnet ones. U.S. News and RTI International, a research firm, ranked nearly 18,000 high schools after reviewing more than 27,000.
“Every student deserves a pathway to success, and that journey often begins with selecting the right school,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News, in a news release. “The 2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings empower families with the valuable data and transparency they need to help make the best educational choices for them.”
Related: See how D-FW-area districts’ A-F ratings compare
Article continues below this ad
Researchers evaluated schools based on state assessment scores, graduation rates and college readiness. They considered how well they serve underserved populations, as well as results on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests.
Schools needed to have a 12th grade enrollment of at least 15 students to be considered. Researchers relied on data from the 2023-24 school year.
Analysts compare standardized test scores to modeled projections for a school of its demographics. If a school with a high percentage of low-income, Black or Hispanic students scores higher than expected, that will be reflected in the school’s ranking.
Related: How did Collin County districts fare in this year’s A-F accountability ratings?
At the top of the list was Central Magnet School, located in Tennessee. Signature School in Indiana and Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Pennsylvania followed.
Article continues below this ad
Out of all states, Texas was ranked sixteenth for its high schools. Nearly 450 Texas schools were recognized in the top 25% nationally, and 115 schools in the top 5%.
Last year, TAG ranked ninth nationally and taught 553 students. Students must apply to attend. It shares a building with five other magnet high schools, including School of Science and Engineering and Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet.
While TAG has historically performed well on this list, it is always striving to be better, Zuñiga said. The rankings are a testament to the district’s success, he said.
“Dallas ISD has some fantastic schools in this entire district, not just here at Townview, but throughout our district,” he said.
See North Texas’ top 100 high schools
The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.
Article continues below this ad
The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.