Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Summary:

Dr. Dolores Silas High School is a public high school in Tacoma, Washington, serving 1,114 students in grades 9-12 and part of the Tacoma School District.

The school has a relatively diverse student population, with 53.05% White, 10.86% African American, 13.11% Hispanic, and 6.91% Asian students. However, its academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally lower than the district and state averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 10th-grade proficiency rates in SBAC English Language Arts (56.71%) and SBAC Math (18.06%) were below the district and state averages. The school has shown improvement in its graduation rates, with a 97.1% four-year graduation rate in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the district and state averages. However, its dropout rate of 2.0% in the same year is still higher than the district and state averages.

When compared to nearby schools in the Tacoma School District, such as Stadium High School and Foss High School, Dr. Dolores Silas High School generally performs worse academically, with lower test scores and graduation rates. The school's performance also varies significantly among different student subgroups, with Asian students outperforming African American and Hispanic students on standardized tests. Despite increased spending per student, from $10,763 in the 2019-2020 school year to $17,246 in the 2021-2022 school year, the school has not seen a significant improvement in its academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 1202 N Orchard St
       Tacoma, WA  98406


(253) 571-6000

District: Tacoma School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
278th of 437 Washington High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,246 Help


Feeder schools for Dr. Dolores Silas High School:

Elementary:    Downing Elementary School
    Jefferson Elementary School
    Point Defiance Elementary School
    Skyline Elementary School
Middle:    Truman Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.0 Help
Number of students:  1,114

Racial breakdown:

White:
53.1%
Two or more races:
13.5%
Hispanic:
13.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.9% Help


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 Compare Dr. Dolores Silas High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Dr. Dolores Silas High School ranks worse than 63.6% of high schools in Washington. It also ranks 6th among 9 ranked high schools in the Tacoma School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.64. (See more...)
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The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Dr. Dolores Silas High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Dr. Dolores Silas High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (53.1%), two or more races (13.5%), Hispanic (13.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dr. Dolores Silas High School is 23. 10 high schools in the Tacoma School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Dr. Dolores Silas High School employs 48.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dr. Dolores Silas High School is $17,246, which is the 7th highest among 9 high schools in the Tacoma School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dr. Dolores Silas High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Dr. Dolores Silas High School 278th of 437 Washington public high schools. (See Dr. Dolores Silas High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Tacoma School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tacoma School District 152nd of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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Rank History for all students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 44.86 238th 390 39.0%
2005 38.61 272nd 394 31.0%
2006 36.75 286th 395 27.6%
2007 52.04 227th 399 43.1%
2008 46.26 254th 396 35.9%
2009 48.61 239th 402 40.5%
2010 62.20 179th 423 57.7%
2011 55.54 179th 440 59.3%
2012 61.43 152nd 450 66.2%
2013 62.63 165th 454 63.7%
2015 48.60 156th 341 54.3%
2016 73.40 66th 306 78.4%
2018 51.26 177th 315 43.8%
2019 35.48 287th 417 31.2%
2021 31.62 313th 455 31.2%
2022 51.40 203rd 434 53.2%
2023 37.58 279th 442 36.9%
2024 37.64 278th 437 36.4%
See the entire list of Washington High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 17.13 147th 163 9.8%
2021 19.16 172nd 195 11.8%
2022 28.91 137th 179 23.5%
2023 11.44 159th 166 4.2%
2024 12.53 149th 161 7.5%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 35.39 46th 69 33.3%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.51 74th 139 46.8%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.25 126th 227 44.5%
2019 34.61 247th 344 28.2%
2021 29.78 292nd 392 25.5%
2022 30.60 266th 370 28.1%
2023 35.20 243rd 362 32.9%
2024 28.58 272nd 356 23.6%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 71.06 12th 43 72.1%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.91 138th 243 43.2%
2019 40.43 231st 358 35.5%
2021 36.97 247th 390 36.7%
2022 54.11 161st 368 56.3%
2023 45.15 195th 357 45.4%
2024 37.54 225th 347 35.2%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 15.87 43rd 47 8.5%
2023 10.55 31st 31 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.71 157th 254 38.2%
2019 28.64 272nd 355 23.4%
2021 25.99 309th 395 21.8%
2022 42.86 208th 363 42.7%
2023 25.92 272nd 358 24.0%
2024 33.45 247th 362 31.8%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.75 44th 87 49.4%
2019 41.78 75th 121 38.0%
2021 24.26 105th 136 22.8%
2022 47.93 67th 124 46.0%
2023 26.84 86th 118 27.1%
2024 48.04 60th 113 46.9%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.97 24th 54 55.6%
2019 12.58 84th 86 2.3%
2021 14.44 105th 111 5.4%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.65 71st 156 54.5%
2019 26.43 188th 241 22.0%
2021 53.48 115th 278 58.6%
2022 37.91 159th 261 39.1%
2023 42.26 131st 249 47.4%
2024 9.95 245th 248 1.2%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools WA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.63 147th 222 33.8%
2019 36.73 264th 382 30.9%
2021 31.62 292nd 413 29.3%
2022 53.60 177th 390 54.6%
2023 33.67 266th 379 29.8%
2024 41.77 229th 374 38.8%
See the entire list of Best Washington High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, 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.

Dr. Dolores Silas High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
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100%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Open Quote My son is just finishing his Junior year at Wilson (he has been enrolled since his Freshman year), and we have had nothing but positive experiences there. I have attended every Open House and been in contact with all of his teachers, and they are of very high quality. My son is involved in AP and Honors classes, so those are the teachers I'm familiar with. The other thing I noticed is that the teachers at this school are mostly all very tenured, meaning they have been with the school for a long time. I think that speaks volumes about the atmosphere itself. Also, I really like that the class sizes are smaller than average. We moved here from the Puyallup district his Freshman year, and I have to admit that I was apprehensive. Puyallup has always had the reputation for some of the best schools around. However, after finishing his Freshman year, even my son had to agree that Wilson was a step up from anything he had experienced in education thus far. I also appreciate that it is a diverse environment, which I think is crucial for all kids to be exposed to. The extracurricular sports are also well organized and participated in. The coaches have been fantastic (Cross-Country and Track). The only department I see a drawback in is the Art department. As an Art major myself, I was sorely disappointed in the Art instruction. However, my son's majors have been in Math, Science, and History so this hasn't played a major role in HIS education. If your child is gifted in the area of the Arts, I would suggest checking out Tacoma School of the Arts, as well. Overall, I've been extremely happy with this school, and I highly recommend it! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1322 238 208 29 22 n/a n/a 0 1819
1989 1323 239 208 37 11 n/a n/a 0 1818
1990 1255 212 205 36 9 n/a n/a 0 1717
1991 1194 221 212 32 11 n/a n/a 0 1670
1992 1201 222 211 38 11 n/a n/a 0 1683
1993 1203 234 200 43 15 n/a n/a 0 1695
1994 1242 284 196 59 17 n/a n/a 0 1798
1995 1241 283 169 63 28 n/a n/a 0 1784
1996 1241 283 169 63 28 n/a n/a 0 1784
1997 1303 342 183 56 27 n/a n/a 0 1911
1998 1281 338 186 52 19 n/a n/a 0 1876
1999 1295 322 186 58 23 n/a n/a 0 1884
2000 1286 337 192 62 22 n/a n/a 0 1899
2001 1283 319 182 65 23 n/a n/a 0 1872
2002 1273 276 162 67 20 n/a n/a 0 1798
2003 1273 276 162 67 20 n/a n/a 0 1798
2004 1230 268 141 61 26 n/a n/a 0 1726
2005 1133 269 119 63 26 n/a n/a 0 1610
2006 1009 250 97 60 18 n/a n/a 0 1434
2007 905 226 81 43 16 n/a n/a 0 1271
2008 861 194 85 48 19 n/a n/a 0 1207
2009 888 236 86 64 22 n/a n/a 0 1296
2010 903 250 86 81 25 n/a n/a 0 1345
2011 916 189 77 86 19 5 100 0 1392
2012 918 187 86 101 19 11 128 0 1450
2013 857 249 87 93 21 5 28 0 1340
2014 781 227 85 103 16 9 46 0 1267
2015 760 239 93 109 15 10 42 0 1268
2016 741 213 93 109 12 13 63 0 1244
2017 766 211 105 114 15 17 74 0 1302
2018 735 185 123 132 11 15 79 0 1280
2019 730 173 122 160 11 15 114 0 1325
2020 688 157 105 159 10 10 143 1 1273
2021 648 146 100 160 14 8 135 3 1214
2022 611 126 84 145 12 11 137 6 1132
2023 591 121 77 146 8 11 150 10 1114

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 Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1819 81.0 22.4 0
1989 1818 77.0 23.6 n/a
1990 1717 77.3 22.2 0
1991 1670 76.6 21.8 n/a
1992 1683 79.2 21.2 n/a
1993 1695 80.2 21.1 n/a
1994 1798 82.2 21.9 n/a
1995 1784 81.0 22.0 n/a
1996 1784 81.0 22.0 n/a
1997 1911 81.2 23.5 n/a
1998 1876 78.4 23.9 n/a
1999 1884 78.0 24.2 n/a
2000 1899 78.4 24.2 n/a
2001 1872 79.2 23.6 n/a
2002 1798 79.2 22.7 32.8
2003 1798 79.2 22.7 32.8
2004 1726 76.0 22.7 28.9
2005 1610 76.1 21.2 29.9
2006 1434 71.3 20.1 31.7
2007 1271 66.1 19.2 30.4
2008 1207 62.2 19.4 30.7
2009 1296 62.2 20.8 31.7
2010 1345 67.4 19.9 33.6
2011 1392 70.8 19.6 30.1
2012 1450 69.3 20.9 28.6
2013 1340 66.6 20.1 43.7
2014 1267 n/a n/a 46.1
2015 1268 57.0 22.2 44.8
2016 1244 58.0 21.4 44.1
2017 1302 59.3 21.9 41.2
2018 1280 58.4 21.9 37.3
2019 1325 57.5 23.0 39.3
2020 1273 58.5 21.7 41.4
2021 1214 53.7 22.6 40.3
2022 1132 52.2 21.6 42.7
2023 1114 48.3 23.0 44.9

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 Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1819 81.0 22.4 0
1989 1818 77.0 23.6 n/a
1990 1717 77.3 22.2 0
1991 1670 76.6 21.8 n/a
1992 1683 79.2 21.2 n/a
1993 1695 80.2 21.1 n/a
1994 1798 82.2 21.9 n/a
1995 1784 81.0 22.0 n/a
1996 1784 81.0 22.0 n/a
1997 1911 81.2 23.5 n/a
1998 1876 78.4 23.9 n/a
1999 1884 78.0 24.2 n/a
2000 1899 78.4 24.2 n/a
2001 1872 79.2 23.6 n/a
2002 1798 79.2 22.7 32.8
2003 1798 79.2 22.7 32.8
2004 1726 76.0 22.7 28.9
2005 1610 76.1 21.2 29.9
2006 1434 71.3 20.1 31.7
2007 1271 66.1 19.2 30.4
2008 1207 62.2 19.4 30.7
2009 1296 62.2 20.8 31.7
2010 1345 67.4 19.9 33.6
2011 1392 70.8 19.6 30.1
2012 1450 69.3 20.9 28.6
2013 1340 66.6 20.1 43.7
2014 1267 n/a n/a 46.1
2015 1268 57.0 22.2 44.8
2016 1244 58.0 21.4 44.1
2017 1302 59.3 21.9 41.2
2018 1280 58.4 21.9 37.3
2019 1325 57.5 23.0 39.3
2020 1273 58.5 21.7 41.4
2021 1214 53.7 22.6 40.3
2022 1132 52.2 21.6 42.7
2023 1114 48.3 23.0 44.9

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.

Immunization Rates

Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedReligious ExemptionMedical ExemptionPersonal ExemptionPolioDiphtheriaHepatitis BVaricellaMMRPertussis
201993.0%0.1%0.5%2.2%98.2%98.6%98.4%97.9%98.6%97.8%

Data source: Washington State Department of Health
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $795 (5.6%) $13,517 (94.4%) $14,312
2020 $790 (7.3%) $9,973 (92.7%) $10,763
2021 $1,226 (8.3%) $13,568 (91.7%) $14,794
2022 $1,696 (9.8%) $15,550 (90.2%) $17,246

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Dr. Dolores Silas High School

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 287th of 417 High schoolsRanks 279th of 442 High schools
 5.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (Dr. Dolores Silas High School)61.562.9
 1.4%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)59.260.4
 1.2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)72.865.9
 6.9%
10th Grade Math (Dr. Dolores Silas High School)30.220.3
 9.9%
   10th Grade Math (Tacoma School District)29.320.8
 8.5%
   10th Grade Math (Washington)42.433.3
 9.1%
11th Grade Science (Dr. Dolores Silas High School)44.342
 2.4%
   11th Grade Science (Tacoma School District)45.144.7
 0.4%
   11th Grade Science (Washington)5050.5
 0.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Dr. Dolores Silas High School)61.562.9
 1.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Tacoma School District)53.447.2
 6.2%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)6152.9
 8.1%
All Grades Math (Dr. Dolores Silas High School)30.220.3
 9.9%
   All Grades Math (Tacoma School District)39.430.5
 8.9%
   All Grades Math (Washington)50.141
 9%
All Grades Science (Dr. Dolores Silas High School)44.342
 2.4%
   All Grades Science (Tacoma School District)45.640
 5.6%
   All Grades Science (Washington)52.748.8
 4%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students13251114
 15.9%
African American173121
 30.1%
American Indian118
 27.3%
Asian12277
 36.9%
Hispanic160146
 8.8%
Pacific Islander1511
 26.7%
White730591
 19%
Two or More Races114150
 31.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients39.3%44.9%
 5.6%


Schools Near Dr. Dolores Silas High School









Frequently Asked Questions about Dr. Dolores Silas High School

Dr. Dolores Silas High School ranks 278th of 437 Washington high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Dr. Dolores Silas High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Downing Elementary School
Elementary : Jefferson Elementary School
Elementary : Point Defiance Elementary School
Elementary : Skyline Elementary School
Middle : Truman Middle School

Students at Dr. Dolores Silas High School are 53% White, 13% Two or more races, 13% Hispanic, 11% African American, 7% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,114 students attended Dr. Dolores Silas High School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

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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