Making the Grade

Dallas-Fort Worth dominates list of best public high schools in Texas

Five Dallas-area public high schools are among the 10 best in the state, according to a survey by Niche.

Courtesy photo

Austin might have the top two public high schools in Texas, but half of the 10 best reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to rankings by Niche.

Niche ranked 14,431 public high schools across the United States, taking into consideration survey answers from students, parents and recent alumni. In addition to millions of survey results, researchers also graded each school in the following seven categories: academics, health and safety, student culture and diversity, teachers, extracurriculars and activities, resources and facilities, and sports and fitness.

Dallas' School for the Talented & Gifted ranked third in the state behind Westlake High School and Austin's Liberal Arts & Science Academy, and it landed at No. 15 nationally thanks to A+ marks in academics, teachers, and student culture and diversity. It was hurt by a D grade for sports and fitness, but come on.

Plano West, Carroll and Plano Senior High took the five through seven spots with B or better letter grades — save for Carroll's C in student culture and diversity. Highland Park High School took the No. 10 spot; it was also hurt by a C grade for student culture and diversity.

Dallas' School of Science & Engineering, Flower Mound High School, Westlake Academy and Coppell High School all made the top 20 in Texas. On the national list, Plano West came in at No. 28, Carroll took the No. 51 spot, Plano Senior High ranked No. 59 and Highland Park squeaked into the top 100 at No. 99.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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