Dean Highland Elementary

Summary:

Dean Highland Elementary is a public elementary school in Waco, Texas, serving 598 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Waco Independent School District, which is ranked 901 out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Dean Highland Elementary has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 67.89% Hispanic, 21.74% African American, and 6.35% White.

Despite additional funding, Dean Highland Elementary consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Texas, with only 8.43% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in STAAR Reading, compared to 48.85% statewide and 23.54% in the Waco ISD. The school's performance is particularly low for African American, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students, as well as for English Language Learners and students with special needs. This is in stark contrast to nearby Hillcrest Pds Magnet and Lake Air Montessori School, both public magnet schools in the district that significantly outperform Dean Highland Elementary.

Despite the high poverty rates, with 93.14% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and the additional funding spent per student ($12,255 in 2020-2021), Dean Highland Elementary's academic performance has remained consistently low over the past several years, with little to no improvement in STAAR test scores or statewide rankings. This suggests that the school requires significant and targeted interventions, such as intensive teacher training, evidence-based instructional practices, and comprehensive student support services, to address the complex challenges facing its student population and improve educational outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 3300 Maple
       Waco, TX  76707


(254) 752-3751

District: Waco Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
4645th of 4,675 Texas Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,255 Help


Students who attend Dean Highland Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    G W Carver Middle
High:    Waco High School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.2 Help
Number of students:  598

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
67.9%
African American:
21.7%
White:
6.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  93.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Dean Highland Elementary ranks worse than 99.4% of elementary schools in Texas. It also ranks 14th among 15 ranked elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 5.06. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (67.9%), African American (21.7%), White (6.4%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 93.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dean Highland Elementary is 18.2, which is the highest among 15 elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd)! (See more...)
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Compare Dean Highland Elementary employs 32.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dean Highland Elementary is $12,255, which is the 7th highest among 15 elementary schools in the Waco Independent School District (Isd).
Schooldigger Rankings:

Dean Highland Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Waco Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Waco Independent School District (Isd) 901st of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Dean Highland Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 64.37 1268th 3465 63.4%
2005 62.65 1388th 3475 60.1%
2006 64.22 1306th 3476 62.4%
2007 45.30 2441st 3724 34.5%
2008 36.02 2862nd 3768 24.0%
2009 49.83 2264th 3884 41.7%
2010 55.07 2054th 3937 47.8%
2011 51.31 2325th 4095 43.2%
2012 40.78 2847th 4206 32.3%
2013 24.02 3646th 4221 13.6%
2014 30.62 3377th 4260 20.7%
2015 17.22 3875th 4320 10.3%
2016 23.00 3601st 4286 16.0%
2017 16.69 3944th 4329 8.9%
2018 18.04 3906th 4359 10.4%
2019 11.70 4288th 4479 4.3%
2021 15.78 4161st 4578 9.1%
2022 11.40 4356th 4581 4.9%
2023 5.90 4583rd 4647 1.4%
2024 5.06 4645th 4675 0.6%
See the entire list of Texas Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 4.16 1094th 1099 0.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 22.48 2888th 3226 10.5%
2019 22.36 3000th 3333 10.0%
2021 38.51 2164th 3446 37.2%
2022 17.27 3288th 3487 5.7%
2023 11.50 3468th 3556 2.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.35 2967th 3558 16.6%
2021 18.09 3799th 3799 0.0%
2022 19.01 3728th 3952 5.7%
2023 17.22 3904th 4086 4.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.05 3662nd 4264 14.1%
2019 14.11 4165th 4309 3.3%
2021 19.63 4050th 4451 9.0%
2022 18.48 4110th 4477 8.2%
2023 7.21 4464th 4521 1.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.46 3816th 4306 11.4%
2019 10.08 4260th 4348 2.0%
2021 16.76 4100th 4499 8.9%
2022 11.08 4401st 4561 3.5%
2023 8.66 4482nd 4588 2.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.86 3053rd 3106 1.7%
2019 27.78 2751st 3184 13.6%
2021 21.95 2552nd 3006 15.1%
2022 9.06 2874th 2958 2.8%
2023 9.68 2868th 2980 3.8%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.40 3925th 4240 7.4%
2019 21.36 3909th 4295 9.0%
2021 24.31 3768th 4331 13.0%
2022 21.28 4009th 4461 10.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.18 3917th 4319 9.3%
2019 16.54 4014th 4357 7.9%
2021 17.14 4049th 4498 10.0%
2022 14.38 4252nd 4563 6.8%
2023 5.23 4540th 4585 1.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.72 1761st 2483 29.1%
2019 19.49 2311th 2515 8.1%
2021 18.80 2267th 2444 7.2%
2022 14.22 2334th 2421 3.6%
2023 13.61 2364th 2443 3.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.03 3581st 4168 14.1%
2019 18.24 3903rd 4188 6.8%
2021 24.97 3567th 4329 17.6%
2022 21.51 3884th 4376 11.2%
2023 9.19 4314th 4401 2.0%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Dean Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.46 2434th 3127 22.2%
2019 52.10 1513th 3142 51.8%
2021 5.09 3036th 3082 1.5%
2022 6.30 3036th 3082 1.5%
2023 5.02 3060th 3106 1.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Dean Highland Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Dean Highland Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 162 164 2 58 0 n/a n/a 0 386
1990 135 129 2 59 0 n/a n/a 0 325
1991 158 140 3 66 0 n/a n/a 0 367
1992 155 149 3 78 0 n/a n/a 0 385
1993 150 172 4 90 0 n/a n/a 0 416
1994 124 116 5 75 1 n/a n/a 0 321
1995 147 133 4 88 0 n/a n/a 0 372
1996 147 133 4 88 0 n/a n/a 0 372
1997 130 179 7 114 0 n/a n/a 0 430
1998 115 175 4 120 0 n/a n/a 0 414
1999 123 122 8 169 0 n/a n/a 0 422
2000 115 129 8 166 0 n/a n/a 0 418
2001 103 125 6 173 0 n/a n/a 0 407
2002 74 100 5 192 0 n/a n/a 0 371
2003 74 100 5 192 0 n/a n/a 0 371
2004 71 123 6 210 0 n/a n/a 0 410
2005 68 137 4 201 0 n/a n/a 0 410
2006 65 132 2 221 0 n/a n/a 0 420
2007 58 122 1 248 0 n/a n/a 0 429
2008 52 127 1 216 0 n/a n/a 0 396
2009 41 132 1 205 0 n/a n/a 0 379
2010 32 121 1 207 0 n/a n/a 0 361
2011 35 104 2 146 0 0 4 0 291
2012 42 149 2 260 2 0 4 0 459
2013 82 257 3 424 5 0 9 0 780
2014 87 226 3 463 0 0 13 0 792
2015 74 236 3 433 1 0 15 0 762
2016 74 233 3 460 1 0 22 0 793
2017 77 226 2 493 1 0 16 0 815
2018 57 205 0 457 3 0 17 0 739
2019 55 209 1 444 4 0 14 0 727
2020 47 188 1 469 1 0 14 0 720
2021 42 167 0 405 0 0 20 0 634
2022 53 162 0 421 1 0 25 0 662
2023 38 130 1 406 1 0 22 0 598

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Dean Highland Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 386 n/a n/a n/a
1990 325 21.0 15.4 n/a
1991 367 21.0 17.4 n/a
1992 385 24.4 15.7 59.2
1993 416 26.0 16.0 74.3
1994 321 26.6 12.1 61.1
1995 372 24.4 15.2 65.9
1996 372 24.4 15.2 65.9
1997 430 26.1 16.5 70.7
1998 414 27.3 15.2 68.8
1999 422 28.6 14.8 81.5
2000 418 29.3 14.3 77.3
2001 407 27.9 14.6 75.9
2002 371 27.2 13.6 83.6
2003 371 27.2 13.6 83.6
2004 410 26.3 15.6 86.3
2005 410 26.2 15.6 83.4
2006 420 26.2 16.0 81.9
2007 429 26.5 16.2 88.8
2008 396 24.5 16.2 89.1
2009 379 22.4 16.9 87.6
2010 361 22.8 15.7 93.9
2011 291 21.9 13.2 92.1
2012 459 25.0 18.3 93.5
2013 780 41.8 18.6 92.1
2014 792 41.9 18.8 92.2
2015 762 45.0 16.9 91.7
2016 793 45.0 17.6 92.1
2017 815 45.4 17.9 92.1
2018 739 44.4 16.6 90.1
2019 727 43.2 16.8 88.4
2020 720 44.6 16.1 95.4
2021 634 43.1 14.6 93.2
2022 662 40.3 16.4 94.7
2023 598 32.6 18.2 93.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Dean Highland Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 386 n/a n/a n/a
1990 325 21.0 15.4 n/a
1991 367 21.0 17.4 n/a
1992 385 24.4 15.7 59.2
1993 416 26.0 16.0 74.3
1994 321 26.6 12.1 61.1
1995 372 24.4 15.2 65.9
1996 372 24.4 15.2 65.9
1997 430 26.1 16.5 70.7
1998 414 27.3 15.2 68.8
1999 422 28.6 14.8 81.5
2000 418 29.3 14.3 77.3
2001 407 27.9 14.6 75.9
2002 371 27.2 13.6 83.6
2003 371 27.2 13.6 83.6
2004 410 26.3 15.6 86.3
2005 410 26.2 15.6 83.4
2006 420 26.2 16.0 81.9
2007 429 26.5 16.2 88.8
2008 396 24.5 16.2 89.1
2009 379 22.4 16.9 87.6
2010 361 22.8 15.7 93.9
2011 291 21.9 13.2 92.1
2012 459 25.0 18.3 93.5
2013 780 41.8 18.6 92.1
2014 792 41.9 18.8 92.2
2015 762 45.0 16.9 91.7
2016 793 45.0 17.6 92.1
2017 815 45.4 17.9 92.1
2018 739 44.4 16.6 90.1
2019 727 43.2 16.8 88.4
2020 720 44.6 16.1 95.4
2021 634 43.1 14.6 93.2
2022 662 40.3 16.4 94.7
2023 598 32.6 18.2 93.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dean Highland Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,331 (13.4%) $8,581 (86.6%) $9,912
2020 $1,440 (13.6%) $9,158 (86.4%) $10,598
2021 $1,803 (14.7%) $10,452 (85.3%) $12,255

Data source: Texas Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dean Highland Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 4288th of 4479 Elementary schoolsRanks 4583rd of 4647 Elementary schools
 2.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Reading (Dean Highland Elementary)2314
 9%
   3rd Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2727
   3rd Grade Reading (Texas)4450
 6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dean Highland Elementary)2610
 16%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2520
 5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Texas)4843
 5%
4th Grade Reading (Dean Highland Elementary)1918
 1%
   4th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2525
   4th Grade Reading (Texas)4347
 4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dean Highland Elementary)207
 13%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))2717
 10%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4647
 1%
5th Grade Reading (Dean Highland Elementary)2719
 8%
   5th Grade Reading (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3437
 3%
   5th Grade Reading (Texas)5156
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dean Highland Elementary)3611
 25%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3829
 9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5650
 6%
5th Grade Science (Dean Highland Elementary)2816
 12%
   5th Grade Science (Waco Independent School District (Isd))3423
 11%
   5th Grade Science (Texas)4834
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students727598
 17.7%
African American209130
 37.8%
American Indian41
 75%
Asian11
Hispanic444406
 8.6%
Pacific Islander00
White5538
 30.9%
Two or More Races1422
 57.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients88.4%93.1%
 4.7%


Schools Near Dean Highland Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Dean Highland Elementary

Dean Highland Elementary ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Texas elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 598 students attended Dean Highland Elementary.

Students at Dean Highland Elementary are 68% Hispanic, 22% African American, 6% White, 4% Two or more races.

Students who attend Dean Highland Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : G W Carver Middle
High : Waco High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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