The top reported proficiency rate is 53% in English language arts. The lowest is 32% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on William Lipscomb El
William Lipscomb Elementary serves pre-K through fifth grade in Dallas, located in a neighborhood where the median home value is well above the statewide benchmark and reflects a more affluent area, though rental costs are moderate relative to purchase prices. The school has a small enrollment, with roughly equal representation in each elementary grade and a larger pre-K cohort. About seven in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that despite higher property values nearby, economic need among families attending the school is substantial.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a meaningful share of white and Black students, and small numbers of Asian and multiracial children. While available demographic data does not distinguish English learners or special-education enrollment by number, the school's enrollment profile and the nature of Dallas ISD's student population suggest these are likely present.
In state testing across grades three through five, William Lipscomb shows mixed performance. Third grade performs in the upper range for the school on both English language arts and math, with most students meeting proficiency standards. Fourth grade declines noticeably in reading, where less than three in five students reach proficiency in English, though math performance remains moderate. Fifth grade performance drops further. In language arts, fewer than one in three fifth graders meet proficiency when tested in Spanish, and in math on Spanish-language STAAR, no students achieved proficiency, though the tested group was very small. Fifth grade science proficiency is also well below half.
The school's overall proficiency index, which averages its results across tested subjects and grades, places it in the top quartile among Dallas County districts on this measure. This reflects strength in the lower grades that outweighs the decline in fifth grade. Across all tested subjects, most students meet or approach state standards; the gap widens when looking at students who master content rather than simply meet it. Social studies mastery is particularly low, with only a small share of tested students reaching that level.
A reader parent should understand that this school shows the typical early-elementary strength common in many schools, where third and fourth graders perform better than older students. The notable performance gap between grades four and five, and the very small cohort of Spanish-language tested students in grades four and five, suggests either that the school has a small Spanish-immersion or bilingual track serving only a handful of students, or that very few fifth graders were assessed in Spanish. Parents may want to ask the school directly about language support, bilingual programming, and the reasons for the dramatic change in tested population between grades. The school's position in the county and its third-grade strength are genuine anchors, but the fifth-grade results invite closer conversation about what happens as students progress and what academic support looks like in the upper elementary years.
Dallas ISD recently approved a large bond for facility improvements and has shifted advanced coursework to an opt-out enrollment model, expanding access to honors courses for eligible students. The district has also adopted a new math curriculum and reduced reliance on test preparation, which affect day-to-day instruction. For William Lipscomb specifically, the neighborhood offers good economic stability and the school itself is small and neighborhood-based, characteristics that can support close community connection but may also limit course and program variety at the elementary level.
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