The top reported proficiency rate is 6% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Academy for Academic Excellence
Academy for Academic Excellence is a specialized charter district operated by the Dallas County Juvenile Department, serving youth in juvenile justice institutions and residential placements. It is not a typical residential choice district. The district operates four campuses: Dallas County Juvenile Justice, LeTot Campus, Medlock Youth Village, and DRC Campus. It serves grades five through twelve, with enrollment concentrated heavily in the ninth and tenth grades.
The student body is approximately half Black and half Hispanic, with smaller shares of white, Asian, and multiracial students. Most of the district's tested students are in middle and high school grades, where state assessment data is available.
Performance on state assessments is very low across the board. In math, no students in grades seven or eight met or exceeded proficiency on STAAR. In grade eight, only a small fraction of English language arts test-takers scored at proficiency. Science and social studies results at grade eight show no proficiency. A small portion of eighth-graders approached proficiency in English language arts, and about half the district approached proficiency in math overall, but reaching proficiency and mastery levels remains rare. When comparing across Dallas County's districts, Academy for Academic Excellence ranks in the bottom quartile on overall proficiency. The district does not report a graduation rate, a gap that likely reflects the justice-involved population it serves; not all students move through a traditional four-year secondary pathway.
Chronic absenteeism sits above the midpoint in the county, at a rate consistent with or slightly better than the county median. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range among the county's districts, well above typical levels. This higher expenditure likely reflects the resource-intensive nature of serving justice-involved youth in secure and residential settings.
A parent or guardian should understand that Academy for Academic Excellence serves a distinct population with specific legal status and placement circumstances. Academic proficiency is currently very low, and a reader concerned with test scores should expect this context to persist given the population served. The environment differs fundamentally from a standard public or charter school. If a young person is involved with the juvenile justice system in Dallas County and is assigned to one of these campuses, this is the educational pathway available within those institutions.
See more original research from School Decision →