Top of the Class

4 North Texas high schools graduate to best in the nation

Just in time for the first day of school, Newsweek has revealed the top 500 high schools in the country — and four Dallas-Fort Worth schools make the cut.

Newsweek and research partner Westat assessed high schools on six factors: graduation rate, college-bound rate, enrollment in college preparedness classes, SAT/ACT scores, student retention, and counselor-to-student ratio. According to the publication, Carroll Senior High School, Plano West, Highland Park High School, and School for the Talented and Gifted are the best in the region.

The magnet school known as TAG leads the pack in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The well-regarded school ranks No. 1 in Texas and No. 26 overall. It boasts an impressive graduation rate of 100 percent and a college-bound rate of 98.2 percent.

Highland Park High School ranks No. 6 in Texas and No. 112 overall, with a 100 percent graduation rate and a 99.8 percent college-bound rate. Plano West, coming in at No. 8 in the state and No. 130 overall, has a nearly 97 percent rate of graduation with 97 percent of the kids college-bound. In Southlake, Carroll Senior High's 100 percent graduation rate and 95 percent college-bound score land it at the No. 10 spot in Texas and No. 145 overall.

Three of the schools — Plano West, TAG and Carroll Senior — also earned a "gold star" from Newsweek for having low-income students score at or above the average on standardized tests.

According to Newsweek, the other two top-rated schools in Texas besides School for the Talented and Gifted are Cedar Hill Collegiate High School at No. 76 (Cedar Hill) and DeBakey High School for Health Professionals at No. 91 (Houston).

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Park News

Neighborhood greenspace penciled in for north Dallas

Google

Dallas Fire Station 10 at 18201 Gibbons Dr.

Everyone loves a park and now a new greenspace is coming to North Dallas, next to Dallas Fire Station 10 at 18201 Gibbons Dr., on the northeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and Frankford Road.

The new greenspace is the latest via a partnership between Dallas and Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit that promotes the benefits of the outdoors, along with Dallas Fire-Rescue. It's part of the Dallas Greening Initiative, which aims to build 15 new parks across Dallas over the next five years.

Design will rely on community engagement via community meetings and a pop-up park activation with Better Block, a nonprofit that empowers communities to reactivate built environments in neighborhoods.

Several element options will be presented, ensuring that the features of the space fit the neighborhood's desires. Elements to choose from will include options for active recreation, such as a playground and flex lawn, or for passive recreation, such as gathering spaces and a trail.

They're labeling the space "a vacant lot" — however, it is already a greenspace, even with some trees. However, Dallas likes its greenspace to be a designated greenspace. A grassy area is not enough.

The project is targeted for completion in 2027.

The Dallas Greening Initiative was launched in 2022 to expand access to nature for residents and provide environmental and health benefits in neighborhoods across Dallas. Affordability is a consideration with budget capped at $750,000 for each greenspace. Ten percent of each site’s budget is allocated for ongoing maintenance, which will be carried out by Dallas Park & Recreation in partnership with local volunteers.

Construction is already underway at Bushmills Neighborhood Green, the first DGI project to move into construction and is expected to be completed in early 2026. The other four confirmed locations for DGI sites are expected to begin in 2026.

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