Highland Park ISD students finished the school year on a high note by beating their growth projections in every grade and subject tested on one standardized achievement test.
HPISD students surpassed that mark — one they also bested this winter — with their scores on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment from the Northwest Evaluation Association, according to data presented by deputy superintendent Shorr Heathcote at the May 19 Board of Trustees meeting.
Highland Park ISD students take the MAP test three times annually, in the fall, winter, and spring. Kindergarten through seventh-grade students are tested in math and reading, second through seventh graders are evaluated on language usage, and third through seventh graders take the test for science.
“Our kids are thriving. They’re learning,” board vice president Bryce Benson said after viewing the data. “That’s exciting to see as a school board member.”
“This is a vast improvement over where we have been in years past,” added board member Blythe Koch. “Thank you again for the continued diligence and for making sure that every one of our students is growing and thriving.”
Benson noted that the MAP is just one metric used to measure student achievement. Students took 3,845 advanced placement exams in 33 subjects in May, Heathcote said during her presentation. Students also took STAAR tests this spring.
Also during the meeting, the HPISD board of trustees heard an update on the 2025-26 budget and planning for the 2026-27 budget.
Interim assistant superintendent of business services Scott Drillette told the board that the district is projected to end its fiscal year with additional dollars in its unassigned fund balance when compared to the start of the fiscal year.
He told the board that the district has paid over $2.1 billion to the state in recapture since 1995.
Drillette credited investment earnings, staffing efficiencies, and community support — including the district’s Golden Pennies revenue, the Stephens Greth Endowment, gifts from the Highland Park Education Foundation, and commitments from parent teacher associations and organizations — for enabling the district to increase teacher salaries despite a decrease in state funding due to declining enrollment.
“We as a community should be so darn proud of what we’ve been able to pull together,” board finance officer Doug Woodward said after the presentation. “I would venture to say that there is a very, very small percentage of districts anywhere that could have a financial situation this strong.”
In addition, the board:
- Received updates on grammar and writing instruction, assessment, and professional development.
- Heard from University Park resident Maddie Choi, who has founded the nonprofit Rally for Squash with the goal of increasing awareness of the sport and making it more accessible in Dallas.
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