The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in English language arts. The lowest is 76% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Park Middle
Highland Park Middle serves the seventh and eighth grades in Highland Park, an affluent residential enclave of Dallas. The school sits in a housing market where property values are among the highest in the county, and rental costs track upward accordingly. The surrounding district, Highland Park ISD, serves a small, relatively stable population in one of North Texas's most established suburbs.
On the most recent state assessments, Highland Park Middle shows strong overall proficiency. Seventh-grade math proficiency sits below the school's other tested areas, with a meaningful share of students not yet at the proficient level; eighth-grade math is substantially stronger. In English language arts, both grades report proficiency in the high range. Eighth-grade science and social studies proficiency are solid, though not as high as English. When you look at the school's performance relative to other Dallas County districts, the school places in the top quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial students. The school draws from a selective residential area, and that composition reflects the neighborhood. Data on free- or reduced-price lunch eligibility and on students with disabilities were not available in the reporting.
A notable recent change in the district has been the elimination of middle and high school theatre arts programs in March 2023, a decision that drew significant opposition from students, parents, and teachers. The district did, however, approve a substantial bond in November 2024 for new construction, renovations, and equipment without requiring a property tax rate increase. Earlier, in November 2021, voters authorized additional funding specifically for teacher and staff compensation through what is commonly called "golden pennies"—revenue sources not subject to state recapture. That measure substantially raised teacher pay, moving the district from a lower ranking among North Texas districts to substantially higher first-year salaries. For the 2025-2026 school year, the district's tax rate declined, driven by rising property values, though it remains relatively high in absolute terms.
Highland Park Middle serves a student population from an affluent neighborhood where houses command premium prices and rents follow accordingly. This context means the school's peer environment differs markedly from most Texas middle schools. The testing data shows eighth graders performing well across subjects, while seventh graders show more mixed results, particularly in math. The school operates in a district that has prioritized teacher compensation and facility investment while making cuts to fine-arts programming. For families already committed to the area, the school offers solid academic grounding; for families considering relocation, the housing costs and property tax burden are central considerations alongside the school's academic and extracurricular profile.
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