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Needs Improvement

#8469 of 8,552 schools in TX

Dean Highland EL

Elementary School · Waco ISD · Waco, TX

A Waco ISD elementary school where students score 19 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3300 MAPLE, Waco, TX 76707

  • Math 11% vs TX 44% (2024)
  • Reading 20% vs TX 54% (2024)
  • 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.5Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-5.55 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics1.9Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency11% (2024 STAAR)
Reading/ELA Proficiency20% (2024 STAAR)
Math vs. State Avg-32.6 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-34.3 pts
Overall Proficiency16% (2024 STAAR, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)35% (model expectation from 2024 STAAR)
vs. Expected-19.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile4th
Resources & Environment5.5Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.6:1
District spending per student$14,294
Chronic Absenteeism23.3%

Students at Dean Highland EL score 16% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 35%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 STAAR proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. TX average.

Math Proficiency11%(2024 STAAR)
School
State
44%(2024 STAAR)
ELA Proficiency20%(2024 STAAR)
School
State
54%(2024 STAAR)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 72 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 16% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
92%
2012
Math
60%
ELA
70%
2013
Math
62%
ELA
70%
2014
Math
58%
ELA
61%
2015
Math
63%
ELA
64%
2016
Math
59%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
28%
ELA
29%
2018
Math
27%
ELA
24%
2019
Math
27%
ELA
24%
2020*
Math
15%
ELA
20%
2021*
Math
15%
ELA
20%
2022
Math
15%
ELA
35%
2024
Math
11%
ELA
20%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 47% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 30 test records from TX state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

93.6%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Dean Highland EL sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 47Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,558/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Waco), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$38,208

Median home value

$113,600

Median rent

$1,055/mo

College educated

15.1%

Homeownership

57.2%

Poverty rate

31.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 76707; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Reicher Catholic High SchoolPrivate · tuition6.7privatePK–120.8 mi316Compare →
Hillcrest Pds MagnetEnrollment path unverified5.3PK–50.9 mi433Compare →
Provident Heights ELEnrollment path unverified4.9PK–50.9 mi398Compare →
St Louis Catholic SchoolPrivate · tuition6.0privatePK–120.9 mi315Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Waco ISD

Schools in district
24
Rank in district
#23 of 23
District spending per student
$14,294NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
27.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Dean Highland EL is listed in WACO ISD; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Dean Highland EL

Dean Highland EL is a public elementary school in Waco, TX, part of Waco ISD, serving approximately 597 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10 and ranks #8,469 of 8,552 schools in TX. State assessment records show 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Dean Highland EL

What grades does Dean Highland EL serve?

Dean Highland EL serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Dean Highland EL?

Dean Highland EL has an enrollment of approximately 597 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Dean Highland EL?

The student-teacher ratio at Dean Highland EL is 16.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Dean Highland EL rank in TX?

Dean Highland EL ranks #8,469 of 8,552 schools in TX.

What is Dean Highland EL's MySchoolScout rating?

Dean Highland EL has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Dean Highland EL?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Dean Highland EL has 47% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 50% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Dean Highland EL a charter school?

No, Dean Highland EL is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Dean Highland EL a Title I school?

No, Dean Highland EL is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Dean Highland EL?

93.6% of students at Dean Highland EL qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
597
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
36
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
McLennan County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.3%
Area population (ZIP 76707)
16,602
Area average commute
17.2 min
Area median age
29.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 STAAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 STAAR · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 STAAR. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 76707; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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