RUFUS C BURLESON EL vs C A TATUM JR EL
C A TATUM JR EL has a higher overall rating of 9.3/10 compared to 8.6/10. In math proficiency, C A TATUM JR EL leads at 42.0%.
RUFUS C BURLESON EL
Dallas, TX
513 students
C A TATUM JR EL
Dallas, TX
417 students
Ratings Comparison
| Metric | RUFUS C BURLESON EL | C A TATUM JR EL |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 8.6 / 10 | 9.3 / 10 |
| Academic Score | 7.4 | 9.0 |
| Growth Score | 9.5 | 9.7 |
| Diversity Index | — | — |
| Free/Reduced Lunch | 97.7% | 98.1% |
| Environment Score | 8.2 | 9.0 |
| State Rank | #383 of 8,547 | #48 of 8,547 |
| State Percentile | 96th | 100th |
Test Scores
| Subject | RUFUS C BURLESON EL | C A TATUM JR EL |
|---|---|---|
| Math Proficiency | 28.0% | 42.0% |
| Math (State Avg) | — | — |
| ELA Proficiency | 31.0% | 42.0% |
| ELA (State Avg) | — | — |
School Details
Neighborhood
| Metric | Dallas (75217) | Dallas (75227) |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,987 | $59,395 |
| Median Home Value | $164,800 | $203,000 |
| Median Rent | $1,189 | $1,277 |
| College Educated (Bachelor's+) | 6.2% | 13.7% |
| Poverty Rate | 24.3% | 16.4% |
| Avg Commute | 34 min | 30 min |
The data story: RUFUS C BURLESON EL vs C A TATUM JR EL
C A TATUM JR EL holds a 9.3/10 overall rating against RUFUS C BURLESON EL's 8.5/10 — a 0.8-point gap that carries real weight in state context. C A TATUM JR EL ranks #79 out of 8,547 Texas elementary schools, landing it in the top 1% statewide. RUFUS C BURLESON EL ranks #632 out of 8,547, which still places it in the top 8% — a genuinely strong school, but trailing its Dallas counterpart by a substantial margin when measured against every campus in the state.
The sharpest separation between these two schools is academic achievement. C A TATUM JR EL earns a 9.0/10 academic score versus RUFUS C BURLESON EL's 7.4/10 — a 1.6-point difference that reflects measurably higher tested proficiency. Growth tells a different story: RUFUS C BURLESON EL scores 9.5/10 and C A TATUM JR EL scores 9.7/10, making both schools near-elite at accelerating student progress. The gap there is negligible. Where C A TATUM JR EL separates itself is in the proficiency ceiling students are reaching, not just the pace at which they climb.
On demographics, these two campuses are nearly identical. Both RUFUS C BURLESON EL and C A TATUM JR EL serve 98% free or reduced-price lunch populations, so neither school holds an equity-of-access advantage over the other. RUFUS C BURLESON EL enrolls 513 students compared to C A TATUM JR EL's 417, making it the larger campus by 96 students. Staffing intensity favors C A TATUM JR EL slightly: its 12.3:1 student-teacher ratio edges RUFUS C BURLESON EL's 13.5:1, giving C A TATUM JR EL students incrementally more direct contact with teachers across the school day.
Both schools run the same grade span — prekindergarten through fifth grade — so a family with kids ranging from pre-K to fifth grade loses nothing in program continuity at either campus. The two schools are 4.5 miles apart within Dallas, making commute a real factor. Given matched demographics, matched grade levels, and near-matched growth scores, the decision between them hinges almost entirely on whether higher tested academic proficiency justifies the cross-town drive to C A TATUM JR EL.
Editorial summary generated May 2026 · sonnet
Who each school fits
RUFUS C BURLESON EL
RUFUS C BURLESON EL fits families already in its attendance zone who prioritize strong student growth — its 9.5/10 growth score is elite — and who value a slightly larger, established campus. Its top-8% Texas ranking makes it an objectively strong neighborhood choice. Families unlikely to seek a cross-town option for academic gains of 1.6 points will find it more than adequate.
C A TATUM JR EL
C A TATUM JR EL suits families for whom tested academic achievement is the deciding factor. A #79 state rank and 9.0/10 academic score among a 98% free-and-reduced-lunch population is exceptional — this school outperforms its demographics at a rate very few Texas campuses match. Smaller class sizes at 12.3:1 add an additional draw for students who benefit from closer teacher attention.