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Vernal Lister Elementary

Q: Is Vernal Lister Elementary a good school?

Vernal Lister Elementary ranks 1683 rd of 4643 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1683^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,643 Texas Elementary Schools

Better than 64% of Texas elementary schools

Summary

Vernal Lister Elementary is a PK-5 school in the Garland Independent School District (Isd) serving 586 students, and it has experienced a remarkable turnaround, jumping from the 24th percentile statewide in 2021-2022 to the 64th percentile for the 2025-2026 school year—a 40-point improvement that sets it apart from many nearby schools.

This school stands out for its exceptional progress with specific student groups. African American students at Vernal Lister now rank in the 81st percentile statewide, a dramatic leap from the 37th percentile just a year prior. Similarly, students from low socio-economic backgrounds—who make up nearly 80% of the student body—jumped to the 76th percentile, earning a 4-star rating. This performance far exceeds that of other high-poverty schools in the area, such as Shorehaven Elementary and Cooper Elementary, which have similar poverty rates but lower overall rankings. The school also excels in its bilingual program, with students consistently outperforming district and state averages on the STAAR Spanish Reading exam.

However, the turnaround is not complete. While reading scores are strong and improving, mathematics remains a significant challenge, with 3rd and 5th-grade math scores hovering around 46% proficiency—below the district average. Additionally, 5th-grade science scores, though improved, still lag behind the state average. The school also shows some year-to-year volatility for English Language Learner and Special Education students, suggesting that while high performance is possible, it is not yet consistent. Overall, Vernal Lister is a high-needs school that is clearly on an upward trajectory, outperforming its demographic peers like Weaver Elementary and Abbett Elementary, though it still has work to do in math and science.

586

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,249

Per pupil spending ?

79.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3131 Mars Dr
Garland, TX 75040-3852

(972) 675-3030

District: Garland Independent School District (Isd)

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

35.2%

Asian:

30.7%

African American:

19.8%

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Compare Vernal Lister Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 65th percentile in 2018 → 64th in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Texas median (64th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school52%

District avg54%

Texas avg50%

1,683^rd of 4,643

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 36%▼ down 2 pts since 2018

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

18^th of 43Elementary Schools in the Garland Independent School District (Isd)

394^th of 947Garland 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	58.5	1683 of 4643	63.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.0	2388 of 4651	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.5	3176 of 4710	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	33.6	3184 of 4647	31.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	28.1	3471 of 4581	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	33.1	2964 of 4578	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	51.0	1974 of 4479	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.6	1508 of 4359	65.4%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	70.7	464 of 2414	80.8%	★★★★☆
2025	38.4	1199 of 1905	37.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	38.1	1570 of 2443	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	39.3	1481 of 2443	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	33.5	1738 of 2421	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	37.3	1526 of 2444	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.5	1239 of 2515	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.3	583 of 2483	76.5%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	30.8	837 of 1000	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	33.6	632 of 814	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.3	935 of 1045	10.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.7	849 of 1015	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	17.6	864 of 957	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	15.3	874 of 967	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	26.9	851 of 1009	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.0	792 of 1005	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	51.1	2014 of 4461	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.9	1764 of 4331	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	78.6	469 of 4295	89.1%	★★★★☆
2018	66.5	954 of 4240	77.5%	★★★★☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	26.1	1378 of 1646	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	74.6	506 of 2918	82.7%	★★★★☆
2024	50.3	1643 of 3668	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	51.5	1602 of 3556	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.2	1638 of 3487	53.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	47.3	1630 of 3446	52.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	67.8	731 of 3333	78.1%	★★★★☆
2018	65.6	813 of 3226	74.8%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	61.0	1529 of 4588	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	59.2	1316 of 3744	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	36.0	3100 of 4658	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.3	2889 of 4588	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	23.8	3816 of 4561	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	25.5	3495 of 4499	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	50.9	1999 of 4348	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.9	1435 of 4306	66.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	38.8	2867 of 4425	35.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.3	2233 of 3644	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2024	22.2	3875 of 4465	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.8	3494 of 4401	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	25.7	3666 of 4376	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	35.8	2857 of 4329	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	50.8	1933 of 4188	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.2	2115 of 4168	49.3%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	66.4	1073 of 4535	76.3%	★★★★☆
2025	58.3	1297 of 3705	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	35.1	3261 of 4594	29.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.6	3357 of 4521	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.5	3420 of 4477	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	43.9	2468 of 4451	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	62.2	1223 of 4309	71.6%	★★★★☆
2018	63.3	1193 of 4264	72.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	54.9	1825 of 4597	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	38.3	2362 of 3739	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	32.7	3273 of 4647	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.4	3377 of 4585	26.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.0	3069 of 4563	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	41.9	2438 of 4498	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.3	2055 of 4357	52.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	55.3	1724 of 4319	60.1%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2025	15.6	898 of 975	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	47.6	1898 of 4308	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	21.2	3165 of 3549	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.4	3998 of 4292	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	32.3	2960 of 4086	27.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	53.8	1356 of 3952	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.9	2565 of 3799	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	58.2	1021 of 3684	72.3%	★★★★☆
2018	76.5	382 of 3558	89.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	35.5	2149 of 3015	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.1	2095 of 2612	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.9	2469 of 3108	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.7	2576 of 3106	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	24.9	2585 of 3082	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.8	2677 of 3082	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	53.8	1418 of 3142	54.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	56.7	1272 of 3127	59.3%	★★★☆☆

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)

African American (2026)81st percentile+17 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)76th percentile+13 vs school

Female (2026)67th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2026)60th percentile-3 vs school

Special Education (2026)56th percentile-8 vs school

At Risk (2022)55th percentile+31 vs school

Hispanic (2026)35th percentile-29 vs school

White (2026)29th percentile-35 vs school

Asian (2026)16th percentile-47 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)16th percentile-47 vs school

Multi-racial (2025)8th percentile-41 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

Reading56%~ state avg

Mathematics49%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Vernal Lister 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 Spanish Mathematics (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 (2025)	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 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Spanish Mathematics 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
Vernal Lister Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3131 Mars Dr	Garland	75040	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 675-3030	586	40	14.7	79.4%	55 (9.4%)	116 (19.8%)	206 (35.2%)	180 (30.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.6%)	58.5	1683^rd of 4643 public elementary schools	63.8%		46	2388^th of 4651 public elementary schools	48.7%	705	25.0	75.0	55.6				45.1	56.5	69.6		46.0	54.7	46.1		$10,249
Harmony Science Academy - Garland	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	2302 Firewheel Pkwy	Garland	77077	Harris County	Harmony Public Schools - North Texas	Yes	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 212-4777	759	47	16.1	61.5%	173 (22.8%)	210 (27.7%)	208 (27.4%)	145 (19.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.9%)	63.5	1442^nd of 4643 public elementary schools	68.9%		59.9	1586^th of 4651 public elementary schools	65.9%	144							52.3	59.3	61.3	66.4	48.2	38.1	58.7	52.6	$10,455
Weaver Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	805 Pleasant Vly Rd	Garland	75040	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 494-8311	460	31	14.8	85.2%	28 (6.1%)	58 (12.6%)	330 (71.7%)	21 (4.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.6%)	44	2451^st of 4643 public elementary schools	47.2%		51.5	2054^th of 4651 public elementary schools	55.8%	397	9.1						39.6	42.2	50.7		42.4	51.6	49.3		$10,567
Northlake Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1626 Bosque Dr	Garland	75040	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 494-8359	526	32	16.2	85.6%	53 (10.1%)	38 (7.2%)	399 (75.9%)	22 (4.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.3%)	48.7	2188^th of 4643 public elementary schools	52.9%		47.5	2289^th of 4651 public elementary schools	50.8%	101	16.7	38.5		14.3	11.1		48.1	46.3	48.5		42.9	60.6	44.1		$9,507
John W Armstrong Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4750 Ben Davis Rd	Sachse	75048	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 414-7480	724	41	17.7	41.2%	244 (33.7%)	98 (13.5%)	173 (23.9%)	154 (21.3%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	47 (6.5%)	87.1	504^th of 4643 public elementary schools	89.1%		88.5	427^th of 4651 public elementary schools	90.8%	77							69.3	74.8	77.1		69.3	81.6	53.3		$8,411
Shorehaven Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	600 Shorehaven Dr	Garland	75040	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 494-8346	350	26	13.4	91.7%	16 (4.6%)	40 (11.4%)	274 (78.3%)	9 (2.6%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	6 (1.7%)	75.6	922^nd of 4643 public elementary schools	80.1%		63.5	1410^th of 4651 public elementary schools	69.7%	488	55.0	58.3	55.6				68.4	58.1	76.7		56.4	53.7	60.5		$11,959
Cooper Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 Kingsbridge Dr	Garland	75040	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 675-3010	398	29	13.7	88.4%	50 (12.6%)	54 (13.6%)	252 (63.3%)	28 (7.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.3%)	33.4	3204^th of 4643 public elementary schools	31.0%		28.1	3547^th of 4651 public elementary schools	23.7%	343	27.8	45.5	25.0				37.0	49.1	50.0		31.7	39.1	36.8		$11,866
Robert B Sewell Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4400 Hudson Park	Sachse	75048	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 675-3050	709	41	17.2	49.1%	205 (28.9%)	149 (21.0%)	174 (24.5%)	135 (19.0%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.6%)	54.4	1897^th of 4643 public elementary schools	59.1%		57	1723^rd of 4651 public elementary schools	63.0%	174							50.5	53.2	56.8		53.7	51.8	38.4		$8,269
Spring Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1510 Spring Creek Dr	Garland	75040	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 675-3060	673	40	16.8	71.5%	115 (17.1%)	108 (16.0%)	277 (41.2%)	138 (20.5%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.3%)	58.8	1665^th of 4643 public elementary schools	64.1%		61.4	1512^th of 4651 public elementary schools	67.5%	153	52.9	42.9	38.5			25.0	52.5	50.0	63.2		45.7	55.5	50.0		$8,302
Abbett Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	730 W Muirfield Rd	Garland	75044	Dallas County	Garland Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(972) 675-3000	710	41	17.5	61.3%	163 (23.0%)	127 (17.9%)	283 (39.9%)	88 (12.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (6.3%)	71.1	1092^nd of 4643 public elementary schools	76.5%		60	1580^th of 4651 public elementary schools	66.0%	488	11.1		57.1				57.5	61.7	62.7		49.4	59.8	60.3		$8,090

Frequently Asked Questions about Vernal Lister Elementary

How many students attend Vernal Lister Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 586 students attended Vernal Lister Elementary.

Is Vernal Lister Elementary a good school?

Vernal Lister Elementary ranks 1683^rd of 4643 Texas elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Vernal Lister Elementary in?

Garland Independent School District (Isd)

What is the racial makeup of Vernal Lister Elementary?

Students at Vernal Lister Elementary are 35% Hispanic, 31% Asian, 20% African American, 9% White, 5% Two or more races.

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2024–25 dropout rates & graduation ratesNewSep 30, 2026

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

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.