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Highlands Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

4235^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 8% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Highlands Elementary in Cedar Hill, TX, is a PK-5 school serving 419 students within the Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd), where over 80% of students come from low socio-economic backgrounds. The school has experienced a sharp decline in overall performance, dropping to the 8th percentile statewide for the 2025-2026 school year, a significant fall from its recent historical rankings. This places it among the lower-performing schools in a district that itself ranks in the bottom third of Texas, with a student-teacher ratio of 15.8:1 and moderate spending per student at $10,095.

A critical area of concern is the school's 5th-grade Science scores, where only 11.84% of students were proficient in the 2024-2025 school year—the lowest rate among nearby schools like Plummer Elementary (16.95%) and Waterford Oaks Elementary (14.93%). Additionally, the school's performance for Special Education students is critically low, ranking in the 0th to 3rd percentile in recent years, indicating that support systems for these students are not effective. However, there is a notable bright spot: Highlands Elementary excels with its English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking in the 58th percentile in 2024-2025, which far exceeds its overall performance and suggests strong targeted support for this group.

Interestingly, just 1.13 miles away, Cedar Hill Collegiate Prep—another school in the same district—ranks in the 85th percentile statewide, with dramatically higher test scores like 82.61% proficient in 5th-grade Reading compared to Highlands' 44.68%. This contrast highlights the significant challenges Highlands faces, particularly with inconsistent grade-level performance, such as 3rd-grade Reading proficiency dropping from 35.38% to 24.53% between school years. The school's "two-speed" profile—strong for ELL students but failing for Special Education and African American students—underscores the need for targeted interventions to address these disparities and improve overall outcomes.

419

Students ?

15.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,707

Per pupil spending ?

80.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

131 Sims Dr
Cedar Hill, TX 75104-0248

(972) 291-0496

District: Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)

Students who attend Highlands Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	W S Permenter Middle
High:	Cedar Hill High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

70.2%

African American:

26.5%

Two or more races:

1.9%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 15th percentile in 2016 → 8th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Texas average (29% vs 50% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (8th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 7 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school29%

District avg38%

Texas avg50%

4,235^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Bottom 8%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 15% (2016) to bottom 8% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 6Elementary Schools in the Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)

689^th of 951Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd) among Texas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	16.0	4235 of 4627	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	29.0	3495 of 4651	24.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	20.7	4027 of 4710	14.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.5	3660 of 4647	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.3	4143 of 4581	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	25.1	3498 of 4578	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	24.5	3662 of 4479	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.0	3322 of 4359	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	30.1	3139 of 4329	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	22.2	3636 of 4286	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	25.8	3540 of 4320	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	30.7	3375 of 4260	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	45.6	2560 of 4221	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	55.2	1981 of 4206	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2011	66.8	1380 of 4095	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2010	42.8	2710 of 3937	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	41.9	2652 of 3884	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2008	32.5	3027 of 3768	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	27.8	3146 of 3724	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	27.1	2954 of 3476	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	38.7	2531 of 3475	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	21.2	3144 of 3465	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	15.3	2301 of 2406	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	30.2	1468 of 1905	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.2	2224 of 2443	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	25.2	2054 of 2443	15.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.1	2011 of 2421	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.2	1980 of 2444	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.4	1661 of 2515	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.6	1399 of 2483	43.7%	★★☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	37.2	3005 of 4461	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	46.0	2114 of 4331	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	47.1	2173 of 4295	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	47.2	2142 of 4240	49.5%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	52.8	1220 of 2918	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	41.6	2113 of 3668	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	59.3	1202 of 3556	66.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	43.1	2058 of 3487	41.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.9	1087 of 3446	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	53.0	1414 of 3333	57.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.2	1368 of 3226	57.6%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	20.6	4021 of 4575	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.7	2756 of 3744	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.4	3998 of 4658	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	28.0	3539 of 4588	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	18.0	4095 of 4561	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.3	3370 of 4499	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.2	3616 of 4348	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.8	3378 of 4306	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	38.6	2308 of 2980	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	39.6	2406 of 3184	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.8	2771 of 3106	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	31.8	3331 of 4413	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	48.3	1848 of 3644	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	33.0	3256 of 4465	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	48.3	2162 of 4401	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	27.4	3555 of 4376	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	45.1	2236 of 4329	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	38.3	2741 of 4188	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.3	2444 of 4168	41.4%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	23.8	3948 of 4520	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	42.6	2209 of 3705	40.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	25.5	3879 of 4594	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	36.3	3140 of 4521	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.0	3579 of 4477	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.7	3140 of 4451	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	36.3	3028 of 4309	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	40.2	2678 of 4264	37.2%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	14.8	4297 of 4582	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	31.8	2713 of 3739	27.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.2	3837 of 4647	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.9	3676 of 4585	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.2	4127 of 4563	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	25.6	3482 of 4498	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.8	3549 of 4357	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.3	3223 of 4319	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2021	12.4	907 of 961	5.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	16.6	4178 of 4301	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	12.8	3454 of 3549	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.9	4277 of 4292	0.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	30.5	3091 of 4086	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	12.8	3936 of 3952	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	69.2	595 of 3799	84.3%	★★★★☆
2019	33.7	2519 of 3684	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	40.0	2021 of 3558	43.2%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

English Language Learner (2025)58th percentile+33 vs school

At Risk (2022)33rd percentile+23 vs school

Hispanic (2026)25th percentile+16 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2023)23rd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)13th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)12th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)6th percentile~ school

Multi-racial (2021)6th percentile-18 vs school

African American (2026)4th percentile-4 vs school

Special Education (2026)3rd percentile-6 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading32%-22 vs state

Mathematics27%-20 vs state

★

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Schools Near Highlands Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				STAAR Spanish Reading (2026)		STAAR Reading (2026)				STAAR Mathematics (2026)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR Spanish Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	Total
Highlands Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	131 Sims Dr	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 291-0496	419	26	15.8	80.4%	4 (1.0%)	111 (26.5%)	294 (70.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.9%)	16	4235^th of 4627 public elementary schools	8.5%		29	3495^th of 4651 public elementary schools	24.9%	740	10.0	40.0	24.5	29.9	44.7		34.9	26.9	19.2		$7,707
Waterford Oaks Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	401 N Waterford Oaks Dr	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 291-5290	521	25	20.9	75.8%	4 (0.8%)	397 (76.2%)	94 (18.0%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.0%)	12.2	4414^th of 4627 public elementary schools	4.6%		17.8	4151^st of 4651 public elementary schools	10.8%	263			25.0	34.9	38.6		11.7	22.7	30.0		$8,030
Cedar Hill Collegiate Prep	Public	PK, KG-5	975 Pickard Dr	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 291-5213	520	29	17.8	45.8%	13 (2.5%)	408 (78.5%)	74 (14.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.2%)	81.6	713^th of 4627 public elementary schools	84.6%		83.6	624^th of 4651 public elementary schools	86.6%	89			66.3	55.7	82.6		62.7	55.7	77.2		$6,979
Plummer Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1203 S Clark Rd	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 291-4058	347	22	15.7	83.3%	10 (2.9%)	255 (73.5%)	67 (19.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	22.1	3936^th of 4627 public elementary schools	14.9%		20	4026^th of 4651 public elementary schools	13.4%	90			34.0	43.1	41.3		23.4	39.0	23.9		$7,619
Cockrell Hill Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-2	425 S Cockrell Hill	Desoto	75115	Dallas County	Desoto Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 230-1692	397	25	15.9	65.0%	13 (3.3%)	199 (50.1%)	167 (42.1%)	3 (0.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.3%)								(n/a)											$7,098
Life School Cedar Hill	Public, Charter	K-6	129 W Wintergreen Rd	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Life School	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 293-2825	450	23	19.9	76.4%	16 (3.6%)	274 (60.9%)	144 (32.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	30.4	3404^th of 4627 public elementary schools	26.4%		33.1	3246^th of 4651 public elementary schools	30.2%	158			40.6	42.2	26.7	48.5	34.4	40.0	34.7	36.4	$8,721
High Pointe Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1351 High Pointe Ln	Cedar Hill	75104	Dallas County	Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 291-7874	411	30	13.6	77.4%	11 (2.7%)	289 (70.3%)	91 (22.1%)	7 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	10.9	4449^th of 4627 public elementary schools	3.8%		21.8	3930^th of 4651 public elementary schools	15.5%	519			27.6	25.4	29.3		20.3	33.3	22.4		$7,363
S Gus Alexander Junior Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	510 Softwood Dr	Duncanville	75137	Dallas County	Duncanville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 708-2500	330	21	15.5	79.1%	7 (2.1%)	174 (52.7%)	133 (40.3%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)	24	3812^th of 4627 public elementary schools	17.6%		8.8	4520^th of 4651 public elementary schools	2.8%	708			53.1	32.7	37.0		40.6	18.2	37.0		$9,035
Clint Q Smith Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1010 Big Stone Gap	Duncanville	75137	Dallas County	Duncanville Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 708-3000	344	23	14.9	82.6%	9 (2.6%)	155 (45.1%)	171 (49.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.6%)	20.2	4027^th of 4627 public elementary schools	13.0%		4.7	4623^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	0.6%	596			44.9	27.8	34.0		36.7	22.2	23.4		$9,594
Ruby Young Talented And Gifted Academy	Public, Magnet	K-8	707 Young Blvd	Desoto	75115	Dallas County	Desoto Independent School District (Isd)	No	Yes	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 223-6505	263	13	19.8	58.6%	4 (1.5%)	193 (73.4%)	56 (21.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.4%)								(n/a)											$9,278

Frequently Asked Questions about Highlands Elementary

What district is Highlands Elementary in?

Cedar Hill Independent School District (Isd)

What schools do graduates of Highlands Elementary attend?

Students who attend Highlands Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : W S Permenter Middle
High : Cedar Hill High School

How many students attend Highlands Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 419 students attended Highlands Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Highlands Elementary?

Students at Highlands Elementary are 70% Hispanic, 26% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Is Highlands Elementary a good school?

Highlands Elementary ranks in the bottom 8.5% of Texas elementary schools.

Rate Highlands Elementary!

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.