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William Hawley Atwell Law Academy

Public | 6-8 | 759 students

 

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Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

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2013:
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2012:
Based on 4 ratings
2011:
Based on 3 ratings
2010:
Based on 4 ratings

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23 reviews of this school


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Posted July 20, 2012

who ever is saying atwell is not a good school there just lying because maybe there kid is a bad kid because i go there and all my teachers push to my limits yea it get boring from all the work but you are still learning and the sport we got good couches hat show us discipline


Posted May 24, 2012

atwell has the top students in disd so all you who talking about how sad atwell is think again we work hard


Posted February 13, 2012

So sad. Lack of leadership and discipline from admiistraters. Teachers selling bootleg videos to students. Only could stand teaching there one year.


Posted February 11, 2012

first of all Atwell is the best middle school a preteen could ever go to and i believe that if you send your child there they will become one of the most successful adult....... my child is now a lawyer and he went to Atwell for three years and i will never let you people disrespect that good school.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted December 6, 2011

Goodness! I was so excited to finally find a school that I thought my daughter would be comfortable with in the 6th grade, but after reading the reviews of students and parents, I am seriously considering not even attending the open house this week. I seriously expected to hear more postive reviews than negative. I expect professionalism and respect from teaches and adminstrators, and if I am not going to see this, then its not the school for us. Thank you to those who have written reviews and your honesty.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 19, 2011

The worst public school in the state of Texas I have encountered! Unprofessional and ignorant staff and administrators. They are verbally abusive to the students and lack control and supervision. You would do better home schooling.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 27, 2011

i have been to William H. Atwell and even though the school isn't the best, it is still a good school. it has taught me a lot about smarts. Yeah there are fights up there but what school doesn't have a fight. If you raised your child well then they wouldn't be in drama!! I love W.H.Atwell! W.H.Atwell helped me get to the best magnet school ever.....YVONNE EWELL TOWNVIEW MAGNET CENTER


Posted September 9, 2010

I am currently a student attending Atwell Middle School and although it pains me to say this, i can not be dishonest. If you are a parent/guardian and you're considering sending a minor to this school PLEASE RECONSIDER!! Of all my years at this school I have yet to understand it's disciplinary system, code of conduct, and over all lack of professionalism to say the least. Most teachers and/or staff act as children themselves and participate in the "buddy system" or "clicking up". If you love your child... do no put them through this magnitude of pure hell. Do not say you were not sincerely warned.


Posted July 9, 2010

I was very surprised to know that Atwell has tremendously gone down hill. I thought that the schools name speaks for itself ACADEMY!. The parent/teacher communication was terrible. Receiving a respond from an administrator would never occur as well. My child will not be attending Atwell next year due to teachers showing that they do not care about the students there. I am an educator myself and was very displeased with the overall outlook of my child's education this past school year. No consistency, no communication, and unaware of students performance on a six weeks basis.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 17, 2010

I am a student at William Hawley Atwell Middle School, and this school ios nothing but drama, almost everyday there is a fight, sometimes they just hit random people for fun, and telling Youth Action or the Assistant Principal wont do anything but make the sistuation worse, they go back and tell the person you are complaining about, what you've said... that adds more torouble. If you are a parent who loves your child and wants them to be in a safe loving enviornment... PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM HERE!
—Submitted by a student


Posted April 16, 2010

I abolutely agree. My child has been at Atwell one year and will not be going back. The teachers treat me like I'm one of the students and some teachers have told me that it was not a good school. My child comes home with drama everyday. I have been totally disappointed. I was warned, but did not listen.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted April 13, 2010

I allowed my daughter to attend this school thinking she would receive an excellent education from wonderful teachers. This has not been the case. Teachers curse at the students, yell, and have attitudes as if they are not dealing with kids. I have had to speak with the principal about several teachers because of their lack of care. My daughter is being taught language arts in a class full of reading students because there is no other class for her to attend due to her other high test scores. The office staff is very poor I have had problems with them not following simple instructions or following protocal. This will be the last year my child is at this school and I have discouraged other parents who are considering sending their children their.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted August 27, 2009

i have been at atwell for years it is fair some teacher are good and the others are great it was a okay school it is more than i expected.
—Submitted by a student


Posted August 15, 2009

This is a great school and I love it and they have great activites.
—Submitted by a student


Posted December 27, 2008

I attended this school and it was the best!!!!!!!!!! Atwell rocks....... Keep it up!!!!!!!!
—Submitted by a student


Posted December 12, 2008

This school is awesome!!! It's the best school I've ever been to!!!I'm happy to be an Atwell Archer!The teachers are great! The principal is too. I love the way this school works. They have everything so organized.
—Submitted by a student


Posted February 28, 2008

Atwell is a wonderful school. I'm president and I love Atwell. I think it's wonderful and we got good sports, too.
—Submitted by a student


Posted February 3, 2008

I love the school. Everyone is friendly and the athletics are outstanding.
—Submitted by a student


Posted June 18, 2007

I don't have any problems at Atwell.I really like this school, the teachers are nice,well educated and they will help you with any thing if you need help.
—Submitted by a student


Posted January 8, 2007

This school has been a big disappointment. It is probably fine for kids who do not care about receiving a good education. My child was attending there and we have found it to be at best mediocre. The caliber of most of his teachers has been shockingly poor. It has therefore given none of the advantages of a huge school, with all of the disadvantages. I can recommend it only as a last resort.
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 83% in 2011.

273 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
54%

2010

 
 
70%

2009

 
 
64%

2008

 
 
72%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 84% in 2011.

272 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
77%

2010

 
 
76%

2009

 
 
84%

2008

 
 
83%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

The state average for Math was 81% in 2011.

289 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
64%

2010

 
 
69%

2009

 
 
67%

2008

 
 
62%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 86% in 2011.

288 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
80%

2010

 
 
75%

2009

 
 
84%

2008

 
 
81%
Writing

The state average for Writing was 94% in 2011.

286 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
90%

2010

 
 
89%

2009

 
 
91%

2008

 
 
89%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

The state average for Math was 73% in 2011.

263 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
76%

2010

 
 
75%

2009

 
 
75%

2008

 
 
76%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 85% in 2011.

264 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
88%

2010

 
 
92%

2009

 
 
95%

2008

 
 
93%
Science

The state average for Science was 79% in 2011.

260 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
69%

2010

 
 
64%

2009

 
 
66%

2008

 
 
66%
Social Studies

The state average for Social Studies was 95% in 2011.

260 students were tested at this school in 2011.

2011

 
 
86%

2010

 
 
91%

2009

 
 
89%

2008

 
 
90%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students54%
Female59%
Male48%
Black or African American47%
Asiann/a
Hispanic65%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged54%
Not economically disadvantaged55%
Special education8%
Not special education56%
Limited English proficient (LEP)53%
Proficient in English52%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant54%
Gifted/talented91%

Reading

All Students77%
Female83%
Male70%
Black or African American75%
Asiann/a
Hispanic82%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged77%
Not economically disadvantaged76%
Special education38%
Not special education79%
Limited English proficient (LEP)63%
Proficient in English78%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant77%
Gifted/talented96%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students64%
Female64%
Male65%
Black or African American63%
Asiann/a
Hispanic69%
American Indian or Alaska Native70%
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged65%
Not economically disadvantaged61%
Special education15%
Not special education67%
Limited English proficient (LEP)55%
Proficient in English65%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant64%
Gifted/talented97%

Reading

All Students80%
Female81%
Male79%
Black or African American81%
Asiann/a
Hispanic79%
American Indian or Alaska Native78%
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged80%
Not economically disadvantaged80%
Special education23%
Not special education83%
Limited English proficient (LEP)50%
Proficient in English83%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant80%
Gifted/talented100%

Writing

All Students90%
Female94%
Male87%
Black or African American91%
Asiann/a
Hispanic87%
American Indian or Alaska Native90%
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged89%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Special education30%
Not special education92%
Limited English proficient (LEP)68%
Proficient in English92%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant90%
Gifted/talented100%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Math

All Students76%
Female76%
Male76%
Black or African American76%
Asiann/a
Hispanic76%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged75%
Not economically disadvantaged78%
Special education18%
Not special education80%
Limited English proficient (LEP)50%
Proficient in English78%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant76%
Gifted/talented96%

Reading

All Students88%
Female91%
Male85%
Black or African American89%
Asiann/a
Hispanic85%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged87%
Not economically disadvantaged90%
Special education39%
Not special education91%
Limited English proficient (LEP)56%
Proficient in English90%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant88%
Gifted/talented100%

Science

All Students69%
Female66%
Male72%
Black or African American68%
Asiann/a
Hispanic74%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged67%
Not economically disadvantaged78%
Special education11%
Not special education74%
Limited English proficient (LEP)44%
Proficient in English71%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant69%
Gifted/talented89%

Social Studies

All Students86%
Female92%
Male80%
Black or African American87%
Asiann/a
Hispanic84%
American Indian or Alaska Nativen/a
Whiten/a
Economically disadvantaged85%
Not economically disadvantaged88%
Special education22%
Not special education90%
Limited English proficient (LEP)69%
Proficient in English87%
Migrantn/a
Non-migrant86%
Gifted/talented96%
Scale: % meeting or exceeding standards

About the tests


In 2010-2011, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was used to test students in reading in grades 3 through 9; in writing in grades 4 and 7; in English language arts in grades 10 and 11; in mathematics in grades 3 through 11; in science in grades 5, 8, 10 and 11; and in social studies in grades 8, 10 and 11. TAKS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Texas. The grade 11 Exit Level TAKS is a high school graduation requirement. The goal is for all students to score at or above the state standard.

The different student groups are identified by the Texas Education Agency; if there are a small number of students in a particular group, the state doesn't report data for that group.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

  • In 2010-2011, this school was rated "Academically Acceptable".
  • In 2009-2010, this school was rated "Recognized".
  • In 2008-2009, this school was rated "Academically Acceptable".

About the tests


Texas uses Accountability Ratings to indicate the overall performance of each school and district. The ratings are based on TAKS test results, dropout rates for grades 7 and 8 and school completion rates for grades 9 through 12. Schools and districts rated under standard accountability procedures are designated as Exemplary, Recognized, Academically Acceptable or Academically Unacceptable. Schools and districts rated under alternative education accountability (AEA) procedures are designated as either AEA: Academically Acceptable or AEA: Academically Unacceptable.

See Texas' state standards

Source: Texas Education Agency

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
Black 68% 13%
Hispanic 29% 50%
American Indian/Alaska Native 2% 0%
White 1% 31%
Asian 0% 3%
Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0% 0%
Two or more races 0% 2%
Source: NCES, 2010-2011

Student subgroups

  This school District averageState average
Special education 8%N/A10%
Gifted/talented students 11%N/A8%
Economically disadvantaged 71%N/A55%
Limited English proficient (LEP) 4%N/A17%
Source: TX Education Agency, 2007-2008

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 13N/A15
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Teacher experience

  This school District averageState average
Beginning teachers 17%N/A8%
1 to 5 years 30%N/A30%
6 to 10 years 17%N/A20%
11 to 20 years 15%N/A23%
21 or more years 21%N/A19%
Source: TX Education Agency, 2007-2008

School basics

School Leader's name
  • Selena Deboskie
Fax number
  • (972) 794-6401

Resources

Extra learning resources offered
  • Title I Schoolwide program (SWP)
School leaders can update this information here.

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1303 Reynoldston Ln
Dallas, TX 75232
Phone: (972) 794-6400

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