Highland Elementary, Vallejo CA - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Highland Elementary

Highland Elementary is a kindergarten through sixth-grade school in Vallejo serving a student body of about five hundred children. The school sits in a city undergoing significant structural change: Vallejo City Unified emerged from state receivership in mid-2025 after nearly two decades of financial oversight, and it is now managing a sharp decline in overall enrollment. As a direct result, Highland is one of five schools scheduled to close at the end of the 2025-26 school year, affecting families who will need to seek enrollment elsewhere.

The immediate academic picture is one of very low proficiency. State testing results for 2024-25 show that across tested grades, roughly one in twelve students is proficient in English language arts overall, and roughly one in fourteen in math. The performance is consistent across the school's upper grades, with some variation: sixth graders score at the low end in both subjects, while fifth graders perform slightly better in English language arts, though still far below typical benchmarks. Science proficiency at fifth grade is similarly minimal. Among the eight districts in Solano County for which comparable data exists, Highland's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. When looking at state performance alone, the gap between Highland and the median district in the county is substantial.

The student body reflects Vallejo's broader demographics. Roughly two-thirds of students identify as Hispanic, roughly one in five as Black, and the remainder spread across other groups. A significant majority of students, about seven in eight, qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, signaling economic strain across the family base the school serves. The school carries a heavy concentration of economic need.

Vallejo itself is a waterfront city in the North Bay with a layered economy built on healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and services. Downtown retains historic character and walkable commercial streets. Housing is affordably priced relative to much of the Bay Area, though property values have declined modestly in the past year, and median rents remain a substantial share of typical household income. The city is poised for major transformation through the Mare Island redevelopment, which could add substantial residential and commercial space over the coming years. For now, Vallejo offers a lower-cost alternative to many neighboring communities, which draws families seeking affordability, though the school system itself is in active contraction.

Parents considering Highland should be aware that the school will not exist as an operating entity beyond June 2026. Students will be reassigned to other district campuses as part of the broader consolidation. The district is simultaneously implementing a new K-12 mathematics curriculum and navigating the aftermath of long-term state control. Highland's academic results, while extremely low, sit within a district and region facing compounded challenges: enrollment pressure, aging facilities built in the 1940s through 1960s, and budget constraints that have driven the school closure decisions. A parent may want to connect directly with the district to understand the transition plan and which school their child would attend, as well as to ask about support and continuity during the shift.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 37%

School 7% · District 24% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 36 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 46%

School 6% · District 19% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 25 pts below county median

Grade 510%

School 10% · District 16% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 65%

School 5% · District 17% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 38%

School 8% · District 25% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Grade 412%

School 12% · District 21% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 514%

School 14% · District 31% · ▼ 17 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 26 pts below county median

Grade 614%

School 14% · District 27% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Science

Grade 59%

School 9% · District 17% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

This schoolVallejo City Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.