High Schools in Richardson Independent School District (Isd)

The Richardson Independent School District (Isd) serves over 10,300 students across four comprehensive high schools—Lake Highlands High School, Richardson High School, Berkner High School, and Pearce High School—in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, offering a diverse range of academic outcomes and demographic profiles.

Pearce High School stands out as the top academic performer, consistently ranking in the 68th-71st percentile and earning the district's only 4-star rating. It leads in Biology, English I Reading, and U.S. History proficiency, though its Algebra I scores, like all district schools, are well below the state average. Richardson High School is a close second, with the highest graduation rate (93.1%) and the district's top English II score. In contrast, Berkner High School faces the greatest challenges, with the lowest proficiency rates across most subjects and the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students, despite having the highest per-student spending ($10,152). Lake Highlands High School, the largest school, has the lowest graduation rate (86.2%) and highest dropout rate (3.0%), placing it in the 46th percentile.

A key takeaway is the district-wide struggle with Algebra I, where even the top school, Pearce, has only 22.97% proficiency versus the state average of 54.03%, signaling a systemic issue. Conversely, U.S. History is a strength, with all schools meeting or exceeding the state average. Spending does not directly correlate with results, as Berkner spends the most but performs the lowest, while Richardson spends the least and achieves strong outcomes. Overall, the district ranks in the 63rd percentile, but individual school performance varies widely, from the 32nd percentile (Berkner) to the 70th percentile (Pearce).