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Lake Highlands Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5
125th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 4,627 Texas Elementary Schools
Better than 97% of Texas elementary schools
Summary

Lake Highlands Elementary in Dallas, TX, is a high-performing PK-5 school in the Richardson Independent School District (Isd) with 704 students, and it has shown remarkable growth over the past decade, climbing from the 67th to the 97th percentile statewide by 2026. This school stands out for its exceptional academic results, with STAAR test scores consistently 25-35 percentage points above district averages—for example, 5th grade math proficiency reached 84.91% compared to the district's 51.85%. It also excels in supporting special education students, ranking in the 99th percentile for this subgroup, and operates efficiently with a per-student spending of $9,964, lower than many nearby schools that don't achieve similar outcomes.

Compared to its neighbors, Lake Highlands is the top-ranked school in its immediate area, outpacing White Rock Elementary (94th percentile) and Merriman Park Elementary (82nd percentile), while schools like Skyview Elementary (1st percentile) and Northlake Elementary (below 50th percentile) struggle significantly. This divide highlights a broader pattern in the area, where schools with lower poverty rates, like Lake Highlands (25% free/reduced lunch), tend to perform much higher than those with higher poverty rates, such as Skyview (88% free/reduced lunch). The school's rapid improvement from the 67th percentile in 2016 to its current elite status suggests a dynamic and effective instructional program that has been consistently refined.

However, Lake Highlands faces a notable equity challenge: while it excels with white students (98th percentile) and female students (98th percentile), it is far less effective with African American students (43rd percentile), English Language Learners (34th percentile), and low-income students (48th percentile). Additionally, the Spanish-language STAAR test results are concerning, with some grades showing 0% proficiency in math and reading, indicating potential issues with the instructional model for these students. For parents, this school offers top-tier academics and strong special education support, but it's important to be aware of these gaps and ask about targeted programs to ensure all students thrive.

704
Students ?
14.4
Student/teacher ratio ?
$9,332
Per pupil spending ?
25%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 9501 Ferndale Rd
       Dallas, TX  75238-4107

(469) 593-2100

District: Richardson Independent School District (Isd)


Students who attend Lake Highlands Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Lake Highlands Middle
High:    Lake Highlands High School
Racial breakdown:

White:
61.4%
Hispanic:
31.7%
African American:
3.0%
more
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 Compare Lake Highlands Elementary to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 67th percentile in 2016 → 97th in 2026
Strengths
✓Test scores above the Texas average (79% vs 50% meeting standards)
✓Ranks in the top 3% of Texas elementary schools
✓Ranking is trending up — up 30 percentile points since 2016
Worth a look
!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school79%
District avg52%
Texas avg50%
125th of 4,627
Texas public elementary schools ?
Top 3%▲ up 30 pts since 2016
From top 33% (2016) to top 3% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
4th of 36Elementary Schools in the Richardson Independent School District (Isd)
356th of 951Richardson 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

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202696.1125 of 462797.3%★★★★★
202593.1266 of 465194.3%★★★★★
202491.6312 of 471093.4%★★★★★
202386.8499 of 464789.3%★★★★☆
202287.0471 of 458189.7%★★★★☆
202181.1703 of 457884.6%★★★★☆
201975.2868 of 447980.6%★★★★☆
201876.5795 of 435981.8%★★★★☆
201770.41040 of 432976.0%★★★★☆
201667.31405 of 428667.2%★★★☆☆
201572.91104 of 432074.4%★★★★☆
201475.4944 of 426077.8%★★★★☆
201380.7624 of 422185.2%★★★★☆
201274.0930 of 420677.9%★★★★☆
201174.1894 of 409578.2%★★★★☆
201080.9417 of 393789.4%★★★★☆
200978.0612 of 388484.2%★★★★☆
200870.8999 of 376873.5%★★★★☆
200779.5473 of 372487.3%★★★★☆
200660.91484 of 347657.3%★★★☆☆
200538.12556 of 347526.4%★☆☆☆☆
200433.82729 of 346521.2%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202442.91383 of 244343.4%★★☆☆☆
202334.41676 of 244331.4%★★☆☆☆
201931.31903 of 251524.3%★☆☆☆☆
201824.52117 of 248314.7%★☆☆☆☆

At Risk

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202251.51988 of 446155.4%★★★☆☆
202142.62373 of 433145.2%★★☆☆☆
201936.72927 of 429531.9%★★☆☆☆
201841.52540 of 424040.1%★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202536.21940 of 291833.5%★★☆☆☆
202437.32381 of 366835.1%★★☆☆☆
202333.82592 of 355627.1%★☆☆☆☆
202225.32978 of 348714.6%★☆☆☆☆
202127.02850 of 344617.3%★☆☆☆☆
201922.42993 of 333310.2%★☆☆☆☆
201826.02764 of 322614.3%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202696.098 of 457597.9%★★★★★
202590.1257 of 374493.1%★★★★★
202484.9497 of 465889.3%★★★★☆
202383.8561 of 458887.8%★★★★☆
202283.8523 of 456188.5%★★★★☆
202179.2714 of 449984.1%★★★★☆
201977.6723 of 434883.4%★★★★☆
201876.8754 of 430682.5%★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202674.6348 of 307588.7%★★★★☆
202569.4755 of 261971.2%★★★★☆
202370.7768 of 298074.2%★★★★☆
202263.41220 of 295858.8%★★★☆☆
202177.2524 of 300682.6%★★★★☆
201970.6769 of 318475.8%★★★★☆
201866.51124 of 310663.8%★★★☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202677.2619 of 441386.0%★★★★☆
202553.81527 of 364458.1%★★★☆☆
202460.01455 of 446567.4%★★★☆☆
202354.91771 of 440159.8%★★★☆☆
202254.51785 of 437659.2%★★★☆☆
202152.61776 of 432959.0%★★★☆☆
201942.52475 of 418840.9%★★☆☆☆
201850.81891 of 416854.6%★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202668.0994 of 452078.0%★★★★☆
202547.61909 of 370548.5%★★☆☆☆
202444.42587 of 459443.7%★★☆☆☆
202340.62826 of 452137.5%★★☆☆☆
202243.92555 of 447742.9%★★☆☆☆
202132.63207 of 445127.9%★☆☆☆☆
201923.53822 of 430911.3%★☆☆☆☆
201832.93184 of 426425.3%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202691.6258 of 458294.4%★★★★★
202585.6408 of 373989.1%★★★★☆
202489.2352 of 464792.4%★★★★★
202386.1474 of 458589.7%★★★★☆
202285.6481 of 456389.5%★★★★☆
202179.2717 of 449884.1%★★★★☆
201970.01015 of 435776.7%★★★★☆
201873.2885 of 431979.5%★★★★☆

Special Education

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202697.659 of 430198.6%★★★★★
202583.1268 of 354992.4%★★★★★
202469.7816 of 429281.0%★★★★☆
202369.2726 of 408682.2%★★★★☆
202274.3534 of 395286.5%★★★★☆
202181.5301 of 379992.1%★★★★★
201964.4765 of 368479.2%★★★★☆
201866.4676 of 355881.0%★★★★☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankTexas percentileRating
202692.750 of 300698.3%★★★★★
202590.979 of 261297.0%★★★★★
202486.6191 of 310893.9%★★★★★
202388.3160 of 310694.8%★★★★★
202284.8250 of 308291.9%★★★★★
202177.1468 of 308284.8%★★★★☆
201976.2534 of 314283.0%★★★★☆
201878.7479 of 312784.7%★★★★☆
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)
Special Education (2026)99th percentile~ school
White (2026)98th percentile~ school
Female (2026)98th percentile~ school
Male (2026)94th percentile-3 vs school
Gifted and Talented (2026)89th percentile-9 vs school
Hispanic (2026)86th percentile-11 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)78th percentile-19 vs school
At Risk (2022)55th percentile-34 vs school
African American (2024)43rd percentile-50 vs school
English Language Learner (2025)34th percentile-61 vs school
By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?
Reading81%+27 vs state
Mathematics81%+34 vs state

5.0
4 ratings · 4 written reviews
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What people are saying
by a student
Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Open Quote I went there and transferred from a private school. I cannot give this school a good enough rating. There is a great level of diversity and acceptance of all, unlike at White Rock Elementary. I experienced no bullying at LHE and neither did anyone I knew. I was a peer mediator from 4th to 6th grade and we never came across a case of bullying and all conflicts were resolved. This school really changed my life and shaped me into the person I am today. All of my teachers will forever have an impact on my life and I will never forget their impact on my upbringing. What a wonderful school. What a wonderful community. What a wonderful support system. Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Open Quote We love LHE! It is an excellent elementary school where teachers work with students to excel academically and socially. The neighborhood is wonderful, with the majority of students walking to school, and parents are very active in the PTA and volunteer projects. Close Quote


by a parent
Monday, September 4, 2017

Open Quote The new principle Becky Stevens is amazing at maintaining a positive culture at the school. Great school with a healthy mix of kids. My kids go biking around the neighborhood with friends from the school-- great vibe Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Open Quote The principal, Ms. Sullivan, is amazing. All the teachers are extremely caring and I have found there is really good camaraderie with the parents. The dad's club is active, as is the PTA. My son loves LHE and is excelling. Both my wife & I work full time downtown and send our son to PACE the after-school program at LHE.

LHE has a great offering of after-school programming to extend enrichment, such as theater classes run by the Dallas Children's Theater at LHE after school, Karate classes also at the school run by a nearby studio, Chess club, etc... My son loves his REACH class. REACH is a pullout g/t program that further challenges identified g/t kids.

I recently volunteered as a WatchDOG at the school (google it). I got to see firsthand all the teacher-student interactions across various classrooms. The school is extremely well-run and the kids respond. The 2015 theme was 'Choose Kind' -- putting children in positions to show compassion towards others.

LHE is the center of the community. Weekends and days with great weather you will see numerous kids playing on the playground. Altogether a really great school. Close Quote




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Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Highlands Elementary

Yes! Lake Highlands Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 125th of 4627 Texas elementary schools.

Students who attend Lake Highlands Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lake Highlands Middle
High : Lake Highlands High School

Students at Lake Highlands Elementary are 61% White, 32% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2024-25 school year, 704 students attended Lake Highlands Elementary.


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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.




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