The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Math. The lowest is 67% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Park Elementary
Highland Park Elementary sits on Mydland Road in Sheridan, the economic hub for a three-county region in north-central Wyoming. The town mixes a historic downtown along Main Street, with western-themed shops and arts venues, with surrounding residential neighborhoods at the base of the Bighorn Mountains. Sheridan's economy runs on government, healthcare, education, real estate, mining, and financial services, with a growing manufacturing sector. That diversification sets it apart from many Wyoming towns tied mostly to resource extraction or tourism. The Sheridan VA Medical Center, Sheridan College, and local government anchor the employment base. The Sheridan WYO Rodeo each July draws visitors regionwide. Whitney Commons park, the Fulmer Public Library, the WYO Theater, and the Trail End State Historic Site give the town cultural and civic depth that families can tap into beyond the school day.
Highland Park serves pre-kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Sheridan County School District #2. It is a traditional public school, not a charter or magnet. The enrollment is moderate for an elementary building, with class sizes in the tested grades running roughly fifty to sixty students per grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic presence and a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a relatively low share and reflects the working and professional character of the surrounding community. Data on English learners and students with individualized education programs was not available, so families seeking detail on those supports would want to ask the school directly.
On state assessments through the WY-TOPP, Highland Park posts strong results. Math proficiency is the school's clearest strength, with most third and fourth graders scoring proficient or above and fifth grade not far behind. English language arts results are solid across all three tested grades, with a dip in fourth grade that a parent may want to look into further with the school. Science is tested only in fourth grade at this level, and a healthy majority of those students reached proficiency. Every tested grade reported full participation, which means the results reflect the whole student group rather than a subset.
Against its comparison set, relative to districts in Sheridan County, Highland Park's overall proficiency sits in the top quartile. That positioning is based on three districts in the county and reflects the mean of reported proficiency rates across tested subjects and grades. Because Highland Park is an elementary school, graduation rate and chronic absenteeism measures do not apply here; those are high-school or district-level metrics. No multi-year trend data was available, so the read is based on a single year of results rather than a trajectory.
The housing market around the school carries costs above both the Wyoming state benchmark and the national benchmark. Typical home values in the school's zip code run meaningfully higher than the state average, and the price-to-income ratio sits above what most households face nationally. Estimated monthly mortgage costs are steep at current rates. Rent data was not available for this area, so renters considering the zone will need to look elsewhere for local pricing. Home values have been rising modestly year over year, consistent with Sheridan's pattern of attracting new residents drawn to mountain proximity and quality-of-life amenities.
We looked for parent-relevant changes in Sheridan County School District #2, such as recent program launches, boundary shifts, or facility decisions with lasting impact, and found little in publicly reported material that met that bar. The district supports alternative education options, and Sheridan College provides a nearby campus for families thinking longer term about secondary-to-postsecondary pathways.
Highland Park fits families looking for a traditional elementary experience in a town with genuine civic and cultural anchors, solid academic outcomes especially in math, and a peer environment that skews toward working and professional households. The housing costs are a real factor for anyone considering buying into the attendance zone. The missing detail on special populations is the main gap to close with the school before enrolling.
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