The top reported proficiency rate is 42% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Vernal Lister El
Vernal Lister Elementary is a school of moderate size serving prekindergarten through fifth grade in a diverse, built-out residential neighborhood of Garland. Enrollment spans the full early-elementary range, with the largest grade cohorts in the earliest years and tapering through upper elementary. Three-quarters of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a working-class base, and the student body is ethnically mixed with substantial shares of Asian, Hispanic, Black, and white families.
Test results from the most recent administration show proficiency rates that sit below the middle among Dallas County school districts. In math, grade-three proficiency stands at about half; grade four drops notably lower. Reading proficiency in third grade is lower still, though fifth grade shows modest recovery. Science and social studies data were not available or were too sparse to report. Across all tested areas, the "approaches" band (foundational understanding) runs higher than "meets," and very few students reach "masters" level. The data reflects an early-grades testing situation where readers should understand that third and fourth grade are the primary STAAR points for elementary, and proficiency rates in these grades set the baseline picture. A parent interested in understanding where a child might sit relative to peers should look at the grade-specific results: third grade is the largest tested cohort at this school, and performance there offers the clearest read.
Vernal Lister sits within Garland ISD, a district of more than a handful of schools that has undergone material change in recent years. The district approved a substantial bond for facility modernization and approved a property-tax increase in late 2025 to close an operating shortfall and preserve staffing and special education. More directly relevant to this school's assignment: the district is executing a campus consolidation plan driven by declining enrollment, with several elementary schools being merged or closed. Freeman, Hillside, and Montclair students were relocated in recent school years. Vernal Lister itself does not appear in the published consolidation notices, suggesting it is receiving students rather than closing, though a parent should confirm the school's status in the district's ongoing reorganization.
Garland the city is a mature, built-out Dallas suburb with a working-class foundation anchored by manufacturing and distribution. The housing market in the 75040 ZIP code is accessible relative to North Texas overall, with a mix of mid-century ranch homes, newer planned-community builds, and ongoing infill development. Downtown Garland retains a civic core with a DART rail station, library, arts center, and town square serving as gathering spaces, and newer transit-oriented multifamily housing has begun to rise near the rail line. Growth in the city comes through infill and redevelopment rather than suburban sprawl. Schools here serve families working in construction, retail, manufacturing, and professional services, with Garland ISD itself a major local employer.
Vernal Lister offers a standard elementary program within a regular public school framework. The school's program offerings beyond core instruction were not detailed in available sources, so a parent should contact the school directly to learn about enrichment, intervention, special services, or extracurricular activity available. Data on English learners and special education enrollment were not disclosed, limiting visibility into how deeply those supports run.
The school's position against other Dallas County elementary schools shows it in the upper quartile for overall proficiency. This placement, however, should be read carefully against the actual proficiency rates shown above, which show moderate attainment across grades. The comparison reflects the fact that many elementary schools in the county sit below proficiency targets, so Vernal Lister's position is relatively strong by county membership, even though families seeing the raw numbers will see that most students did not reach proficiency. A parent might want to look into further detail with the school about intervention supports, tutoring, and grade-level goals, particularly in math where grade-four proficiency dips.
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