Highland Park El, Amarillo TX - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Highland Park El

Highland Park Elementary is a small, entirely pre-K through fifth-grade school in northeast Amarillo serving a community with substantial economic needs. Just under two-thirds of the enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the enrollment is roughly evenly split between Hispanic and white students, with smaller Asian and multiracial populations present.

The school's most recent state assessment results show mixed performance. In reading and language arts, proficiency runs in the mid-range across grades three through five, with about half of third graders and roughly four in ten fourth and fifth graders meeting or exceeding state standards. Mathematics proficiency is lower, particularly in fourth grade where fewer than one in four students achieved proficiency; third and fifth grades perform somewhat better but still show room for growth. Science proficiency in fifth grade is notably weak, with only about one in four students meeting standards. In its overall academic profile, the school sits above the midpoint for proficiency among the county's districts, though the county itself is small.

The school's testing data includes only what is tested at these grades in Texas. No graduation rate is available because the school serves only early elementary and elementary grades. Chronic absenteeism data and enrollment numbers by special populations such as students with individualized education plans or English learners were not provided.

The larger context is worth noting. Highland Park Independent School District, the very small district that operates this school, has undergone substantial change. Voters approved a major bond in 2023 that funded a Career and Technology Center, athletic facilities, and security upgrades. The district is now developing a new neighborhood campus for pre-K through second grade at a site called Buffalo Highlands in northeast Amarillo, with construction underway and housing development set to begin in 2027 over a period of years. This expansion and housing development aim to address declining enrollment and create a neighborhood school anchor. For families considering this school, the arrival of a brand-new early elementary campus nearby may reshape enrollment patterns and the character of the current school within a few years.

Amarillo itself is growing modestly but steadily, with most growth concentrated in newer south and southwest suburbs. The city's downtown is undergoing revitalization with walkable cultural offerings and food venues, while neighborhoods range from historic tree-lined districts to newer family-oriented subdivisions. Housing values in the area are below the Texas average, and the local economy is anchored by healthcare, food processing, defense, energy, and aerospace manufacturing, with major employers including Baptist St. Anthony's Health Care, Pantex nuclear weapons assembly, and Tyson Foods.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 39%

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 423%

School 23% · District 23%

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

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 50%

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

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 44%

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

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 46%

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 6 pts below county median

Science

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 28%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

This schoolHIGHLAND PARK 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.