Dillingham Elementary

Dillingham Elementary is a K-5 school in Sherman, TX, serving 710 students within the Sherman Independent School District (Isd), and it has recently shown a dramatic turnaround that makes it a school to watch.

After several years ranking in the bottom 10th to 15th percentile statewide, Dillingham jumped to the 34th percentile in the 2025-2026 school year, earning a 2-star rating. This positive momentum is unique in the area—its nearest neighbor, Percy W Neblett Elementary, dropped to the 7th percentile during the same period, while Fairview Elementary fell from a 3-star to a 1-star rating. Dillingham now outperforms the district average in 4 out of 6 core subject and grade combinations (3rd Math, 4th Math, 4th Reading, and 5th Reading). The school’s success is especially notable with specific groups: its Gifted and Talented students rank in the 92nd percentile statewide (5-star rating), and its English Language Learners rank in the 74th percentile (4-star rating)—a massive leap from the 10th percentile just a few years ago.

However, Dillingham operates as a "two-speed" school. While its highest-needs and highest-potential subgroups thrive, other groups like Low Socio-Economic Status students remain in the 22nd percentile. A persistent challenge is the performance of students taking the STAAR Spanish exam, where proficiency is near 0%. Interestingly, Dillingham achieves these gains with a higher student-to-teacher ratio (14.1) than nearby schools like Fairview (10.6) and Neblett (9.6), suggesting that instructional strategies and targeted programs—rather than just more staff—are driving the improvement. Parents should view this upward trend with cautious optimism, as the volatility seen at Fairview (which dropped sharply after a peak) reminds us that one year’s data may not guarantee a lasting trend.