1920 McKinney Ave #5213
Dallas, TX 75201

My child, who scored in the top 1% on the STAAR test, was excited about going to Spence. The TAG Coordinator portrayed it as such an amazing school, but the reality was much different. The school-within-a-school idea is terrible. It’s supposedly the best of both worlds for participating in extracurriculars, but the reality is that DISD didn’t want to build a new TAG academy, so they tried to combine it with a failing community school. The TAG students wear different uniforms than the community students, making them easy targets for bullies who resent them being there in the first place. The biggest problem we experienced was how the school treats students with disabilities. Usually, 504/ILP meetings are conducted at the start of every school year, so teachers know what the accommodations are & can follow them. Spence didn’t conduct a 504 meeting until I insisted & none of the teachers were aware of any accommodations until I gave them a list. But it didn’t matter since they refused to follow them anyway. We witnessed this same treatment given to other students with disabilities. I got the impression the TAG teachers felt disabled students were a waste of time. When I requested meetings with the faculty, it just made things worse. Teachers failed to show up for parent/teacher conferences & the few who did attend only did so to repeatedly tell me how all the problems had nothing to do with them or the school. When I wouldn’t stop trying to get help, the school began saying my child was a “discipline problem.” Previously, the only issue my child had ever had was talking too much in class. But Spence accusations ranged from insubordination to fighting. This is a common ploy to keep 504 numbers down & probably why Spence has such a high suspension rate. The one saving grace was the school’s counselor. She was caring person who let my child hide in her office when the situation became too overwhelming. On the day I withdrew my child from Spence, she told me how glad she was not to have to watch Spence destroy another sensitive kid. So, if your child is gifted, has no disabilities, can tolerate bullying & doesn’t require any help from the faculty or staff, Spence might be a good fit. If not, avoid this school & save yourself the heartache.

I was looking for a condo unit around Uptown and saw this school in the realtor's page. The name sounds familiar so I search a little bit. Guess what, my grandfather graduated from North Dallas! My dad and his family turned out great. Thanks to my grandad's education from this school. I will definitely check it out one of these days.

We have been blown away by our experience at Ben Milam, with the principal and staff, and the services provided to our special needs kiddo. We absolutely love how small the school is and that all the teachers call the children by name, not just the children in their classroom. The principal is UNBELIEVABLY gifted and a pleasure to work with!!! In the 3 years we have been on campus, I have never once seen her flustered or unkind to anyone. She is patient, wise, generous with her time, and exceptionally gifted in working with children as well as managing an incredible team of teachers. We moved across town and still drive to this school (even though it is much further away) because of the principal, size of the school, and the heart of the teachers. I just wish there was a way to sing their praises more.