A recent analysis featured by The New York Times highlighted a concerning national trend: student achievement in reading and math has declined across much of the United States over the last decade — but not in Highland Park ISD.
According to the report, reading scores declined in 83% of U.S. school districts, while math scores declined in 70% of districts nationwide over the last decade. Highland Park ISD stood out as one of the few districts in the country to demonstrate academic growth over the past 10 years.
The analysis found that HPISD students are now performing more than three grade levels above the national average in both reading and math. In reading, HPISD improved from +2.8 grade levels above the national average in 2015 to +3.2 in 2025. In math, the district increased from +3.0 to +3.5 grade levels above the national average during the same period.
The report also compared HPISD to similar districts across Texas, where Highland Park continued to lead in overall academic growth. At a time when many districts nationwide are seeing declines in student performance, HPISD continues to move forward.
These findings reflect the extraordinary work happening across HPISD classrooms each day and the shared commitment of our teachers, staff, students, and families to academic excellence!