Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas), Texas, elections
| Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 7 |
| Students: 6,437 (2023-2024) |
| Schools: 10 (2023-2024) |
| Website: Link |
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) is a school district in Texas (Dallas County). During the 2024 school year, 6,437 students attended one of the district's 10 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
Incumbent Bryce Benson won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3 on May 3, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bryce Benson (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 3,780 | |
| Total votes: 3,780 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4
Michael Denton Jr. defeated Jon Altschuler in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4 on May 3, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Michael Denton Jr. (Nonpartisan) | 63.2 | 3,029 | |
| Jon Altschuler (Nonpartisan) | 36.8 | 1,764 | ||
| Total votes: 4,793 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5
Incumbent Ellen Lee won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5 on May 3, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ellen Lee (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 3,814 | |
| Total votes: 3,814 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1
General election
The general election was canceled. Doug Woodward (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2
General election
The general election was canceled. Maryjane Bonfield (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 6
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 6
Blythe Koch defeated Paul Calce and Alexander Stein in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 6 on May 6, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Blythe Koch (Nonpartisan) | 81.2 | 3,034 | |
| Paul Calce (Nonpartisan) | 17.6 | 656 | ||
| Alexander Stein (Nonpartisan) | 1.3 | 47 | ||
| Total votes: 3,737 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 7
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 7
Peter Flowers won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 7 on May 6, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Peter Flowers (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 3,193 | |
| Total votes: 3,193 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Alexander Stein (Nonpartisan)
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
Incumbent Bryce Benson won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3 on May 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bryce Benson (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 6,314 | |
| Total votes: 6,314 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4
Incumbent Jae Ellis defeated Tyler Beeson in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4 on May 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jae Ellis (Nonpartisan) | 50.9 | 4,184 |
| Tyler Beeson (Nonpartisan) | 49.1 | 4,041 | ||
| Total votes: 8,225 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5
Ellen Lee defeated Spencer Siino in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5 on May 7, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ellen Lee (Nonpartisan) | 58.8 | 4,825 | |
| Spencer Siino (Nonpartisan) | 41.2 | 3,378 | ||
| Total votes: 8,203 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1
Doug Woodward defeated Kelli Macatee in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1 on May 1, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Doug Woodward (Nonpartisan) | 58.0 | 4,845 | |
| Kelli Macatee (Nonpartisan) | 42.0 | 3,509 | ||
| Total votes: 8,354 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2
Maryjane Bonfield won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2 on May 1, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Maryjane Bonfield (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 7,009 | |
| Total votes: 7,009 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
General election
Special general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
Bryce Benson won election in the special general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3 on May 1, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bryce Benson (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 7,002 | |
| Total votes: 7,002 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 6
General election
The general election was canceled. Stacy Kelly (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 7
General election
The general election was canceled. Tom Sharpe (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3
Incumbent Kelly Walker won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 3 on May 4, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kelly Walker (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 2,607 | |
| Total votes: 2,607 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4
Jae Ellis defeated Phillip Philbin and Renee Bottoms in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 4 on May 4, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jae Ellis (Nonpartisan) | 66.3 | 2,275 |
| Phillip Philbin (Nonpartisan) | 31.9 | 1,093 | ||
| Renee Bottoms (Nonpartisan) | 1.8 | 63 | ||
| Total votes: 3,431 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5
Incumbent Edward Herring won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 5 on May 4, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Edward Herring (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 2,672 | |
| Total votes: 2,672 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1
Incumbent Jim Hitzelberger won election in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 1 on May 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Jim Hitzelberger (Nonpartisan) | 100.0 | 1,818 | |
| Total votes: 1,818 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Tatum (Nonpartisan)
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2
General election
General election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2
Incumbent Lee Michaels defeated Renee Arumugam in the general election for Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas County), Place 2 on May 5, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lee Michaels (Nonpartisan) | 83.5 | 1,586 |
 | Renee Arumugam (Nonpartisan) | 16.5 | 314 | |
| Total votes: 1,900 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
About the district
School board
The Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) consists of seven members serving three-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Seat | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Denton Jr. | Place 4 | 2025 | 2028 |
| Ellen Lee | Place 5 | 2022 | 2028 |
| Bryce Benson | Place 3 | 2021 | 2028 |
| Maryjane Bonfield | Place 2 | 2021 | 2027 |
| Doug Woodward | Place 1 | 2021 | 2027 |
| Peter Flowers | Place 7 | 2023 | 2026 |
| Blythe Koch | Place 6 | 2023 | 2026 |
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District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $2,863,000 | $426 | 3% |
| Local: | $100,331,000 | $14,921 | 91% |
| State: | $6,990,000 | $1,040 | 6% |
| Total: | $110,184,000 | $16,387 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $204,897,000 | $30,472 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $79,023,000 | $11,752 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $49,630,000 | $7,381 | 24% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $8,162,000 | $1,213 | 4% |
| Administration: | $9,798,000 | $1,457 | 5% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $11,433,000 | $1,700 | 6% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $9,869,000 | $1,467 | |
| Construction: | $5,295,000 | $787 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $12,000 | $1 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $14,876,000 | $2,212 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 78 | 90-94 | 40-59 | 65-69 | >=50 | 80-84 | 78 |
| 2020-2021 | 77 | 90-94 | 40-59 | 65-69 | >=50 | 85-89 | 77 |
| 2018-2019 | 82 | 90-94 | 60-69 | 75-79 | >=50 | 85-89 | 82 |
| 2017-2018 | 84 | 90-94 | 60-69 | 75-79 | >=50 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2016-2017 | 98 | >=95 | >=80 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | 98 |
| 2015-2016 | 98 | >=95 | >=80 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | 98 |
| 2014-2015 | 97 | >=95 | >=80 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=90 | 97 |
| 2013-2014 | 98 | >=95 | >=50 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=90 | 98 |
| 2012-2013 | 97 | >=95 | >=80 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=95 | 98 |
| 2011-2012 | >=99 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | PS | >=90 | >=99 |
| 2010-2011 | >=99 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | >=50 | >=99 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 84 | 90-94 | 40-59 | 75-79 | >=80 | 85-89 | 84 |
| 2020-2021 | 79 | 85-89 | 40-59 | 70-74 | >=50 | 85-89 | 79 |
| 2018-2019 | 83 | 85-89 | 70-79 | 70-74 | >=50 | 90-94 | 82 |
| 2017-2018 | 83 | 90-94 | 50-59 | 75-79 | >=50 | 85-89 | 82 |
| 2016-2017 | 97 | >=95 | >=80 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=95 | 97 |
| 2015-2016 | 97 | >=95 | >=80 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=95 | 98 |
| 2014-2015 | 98 | >=95 | >=80 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | 98 |
| 2013-2014 | 98 | >=95 | >=80 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=95 | 98 |
| 2012-2013 | 98 | >=95 | >=80 | 90-94 | >=50 | >=90 | 98 |
| 2011-2012 | >=99 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | PS | >=90 | >=99 |
| 2010-2011 | >=99 | >=95 | >=50 | >=95 | >=50 | >=99 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | >=99 | >=90 | PS | >=90 | PS | >=50 | >=99 |
| 2020-2021 | >=99 | >=90 | PS | >=90 | PS | >=50 | >=99 |
| 2018-2019 | 98 | >=90 | PS | >=80 | PS | PS | 98 |
| 2017-2018 | 98 | >=80 | PS | >=80 | PS | >=50 | 98 |
| 2016-2017 | 98 | >=80 | PS | >=80 | PS | >=50 | 98 |
| 2015-2016 | 97 | >=80 | PS | >=80 | PS | >=50 | 97 |
| 2014-2015 | 98 | >=80 | PS | >=80 | PS | PS | 98 |
| 2013-2014 | 98 | >=50 | PS | >=80 | >=50 | >=99 | |
| 2012-2013 | >=99 | >=50 | PS | >=80 | PS | >=50 | >=99 |
| 2011-2012 | >=99 | >=50 | PS | >=80 | PS | >=50 | >=99 |
| 2010-2011 | >=99 | >=50 | PS | >=80 | PS | >=50 | >=99 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 6,437 | -1.8 |
| 2022-2023 | 6,551 | -2.6 |
| 2021-2022 | 6,724 | 1.1 |
| 2020-2021 | 6,648 | -3.2 |
| 2019-2020 | 6,864 | 0.3 |
| 2018-2019 | 6,840 | -2.2 |
| 2017-2018 | 6,991 | -0.8 |
| 2016-2017 | 7,044 | -0.5 |
| 2015-2016 | 7,081 | -0.1 |
| 2014-2015 | 7,091 | 0.8 |
| 2013-2014 | 7,037 | 2.7 |
| 2012-2013 | 6,848 | 0.6 |
| 2011-2012 | 6,804 | 1.7 |
| 2010-2011 | 6,689 | 3.6 |
| 2009-2010 | 6,448 | 1.8 |
| 2008-2009 | 6,331 | 0.1 |
| 2007-2008 | 6,324 | 0.5 |
| 2006-2007 | 6,293 | 0.3 |
| 2005-2006 | 6,276 | 1.8 |
| 2004-2005 | 6,166 | 1.5 |
| 2003-2004 | 6,074 | 1.4 |
| 2002-2003 | 5,986 | 1.6 |
| 2001-2002 | 5,893 | 0.8 |
| 2000-2001 | 5,848 | 0.1 |
| 1999-2000 | 5,842 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) (%) | Texas K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.7 | 5.4 |
| Black | 0.8 | 12.8 |
| Hispanic | 6.6 | 53.2 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 3.5 | 3.1 |
| White | 81.8 | 25.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]
As of the 2023-2024 school year, Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) had 462.35 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 13.92.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 4.50 |
| Kindergarten: | 27.17 |
| Elementary: | 175.28 |
| Secondary: | 215.15 |
| Total: | 462.35 |
Highland Park Independent School District (Dallas) employed 9.00 district administrators and 24.53 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 9.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 21.90 |
| School Administrators: | 24.53 |
| School Administrative Support: | 32.20 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 105.15 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 5.87 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 18.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 0.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 6.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 60.64 |
| Other Support Services: | 142.02 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
About school boards
Education legislation in Texas
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Texas |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2021-22 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed October 18, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
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