Daugherty El, Garland TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Daugherty El

Daugherty Elementary is a prekindergarten-through-fifth-grade school in Garland serving a student body that is almost entirely Hispanic and economically disadvantaged. The vast majority of enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the school's enrollment is typical for an elementary school in its size range. The student population tested in Spanish literacy, reflecting a significant Spanish-speaking or dual-language learner presence.

Academically, Daugherty's performance sits above the midpoint for proficiency among schools tested in Dallas County, but the picture varies substantially by grade and subject. In math, the school shows a clear progression with grade level: third grade proficiency is low, fourth grade improves modestly, and fifth grade reaches a more solid level. English language arts performance is stronger overall, with fourth and fifth graders meeting state proficiency standards at a meaningful rate, though the low performance on the Spanish literacy assessment at third grade reflects challenges students face early in the assessed bilingual pathway. Science proficiency at fifth grade is notably low. The school also reports that a solid share of students reach the "approaching standard" level across subjects, suggesting students are making academic movement, though proficiency gaps remain.

Garland itself is a mature, built-out Dallas suburb with a mixed-income residential character. The city combines mid-century ranch neighborhoods with newer planned-community development, centered on a historic downtown with a DART rail station, civic institutions, and the growing 5th Street Crossing mixed-use project. The area is largely car-dependent but offers some walkable downtown amenities. The wider economy is anchored by manufacturing, distribution, and service sectors, with major employers including Kraft Heinz, Sherwin-Williams, and the school district itself.

Garland ISD has faced structural pressures in recent years. The district passed a substantial bond in 2023 to address aging facilities and approved a voter-approved tax rate increase in late 2025 to close budget shortfalls and fund staffing and special education. More directly relevant to families, the district implemented campus consolidations beginning in 2024-25 that merged or closed multiple elementary schools, including Freeman, Hillside, and Montclair, affecting which building students attend. The district has also adopted a new curriculum framework emphasizing explicit instruction, high-quality materials, and aligned assessments spanning STAAR formats, i-Ready diagnostics, and state standards.

For a family considering Daugherty, the key practical questions would be whether the school's bilingual or language pathway aligns with their needs, how comfortable they are with lower early-grade math proficiency and science proficiency knowing the school does improve by fifth grade, and whether the consolidations or any future facility changes affect their commute or building stability. The school's low proficiency rates in some areas suggest families may want to explore with the school what interventions or supports exist for students not yet meeting grade-level standards.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 328%

School 28% · District 30% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 436%

School 36% · District 21% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 553%

School 53% · District 52% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 316%

School 16% · District 54% · ▼ 38 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 21 pts below county median

Grade 449%

School 49% · District 39% · ▲ 10 pts above district

even with state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

Grade 550%

School 50% · District 62% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · even with county median

Science

Grade 512%

School 12% · District 26% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

This schoolGARLAND ISD, 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.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 4Lower-income46%Higher-income88%42 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income11%Higher-income22%11 pp gap