Highland Free School (79061)

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Tucson, Arizona - 1 schools

At $10,591 per pupil, Highland Free School (79061) ranks #398 of 633 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending (Arizona districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

44
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$10,591
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Highland Free School (79061) operates 1 public schools serving 44 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Arizona. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Pima County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,591 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 633 Arizona districts by per-pupil spending. See how Arizona compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 11.9% local, 68.4% state, and 19.8% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles.

and 48.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 38.7% Hispanic or Latino, 35.5% White, 12.9% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Highland Free School, enrolling 31 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Highland Free School accounts for 70.5% of all Highland Free School (79061) student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Highland Free School (79061) a distant remainder — means Highland Free School (79061)-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Highland Free School (79061) chronic absenteeism rate is 48.4% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

19.8%
Federal
68.4%
State
11.9%
Local

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Highland Free School (79061).

White 35.5%
Hispanic or Latino 38.7%
African American 12.9%
Multiracial 12.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

48.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Highland Free School (79061)

School Enrollment
Highland Free School
Charter
31

How Highland Free School (79061) Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Arizona districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Arizona Department of Corrections (8336) Similar size No spending data No revenue-mix data
Bouse Elementary District (4513) Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Mcneal Elementary District (4181) Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Pinnacle Education-Kino Inc. (81009) Similar size Lower spending No revenue-mix data
Mountain Institute Cted #2 (90090) Similar size Higher spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Highland Free School (79061)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Arizona

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Highland Free School (79061)

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Mesa Unified District (4235) →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Highland Free School (79061)?

Highland Free School (79061) has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 44 students.

How much does Highland Free School (79061) spend per student?

Highland Free School (79061) spends $10,591 per student.

What is the demographic composition of Highland Free School (79061)?

Highland Free School (79061) students are 38.7% Hispanic or Latino, 35.5% White, 12.9% African American, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.