Enrollment
453
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Montgomery, AL
Highland Avenue Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Avenue Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010243001021
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Avenue Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median.
- #10 of 28
- schools in Montgomery · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 87.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Avenue Elementary School has class sizes near the Alabama median. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Avenue Elementary School ranks #10 of 28 schools in Montgomery, AL.
School address
District: Montgomery County · Alabama
NCES ID 010243001021 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.7%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Avenue Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Avenue Elementary School
Highland Avenue Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Montgomery, Alabama, enrolling 453 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 87.7% of students qualify for free meals, 49% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 453 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 207 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #114.
Its student body is led by African American (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 25.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Montgomery's public schools, it stands alongside Dalraida Elementary School (711 students): Highland Avenue Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 20.9:1).
Montgomery County also operates Jefferson Davis High School (1,587 students) and Carver Senior High School (1,553 students) alongside Highland Avenue Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Highland Avenue Elementary School compares
Highland Avenue Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.7% | ▲ 49% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 62% in Alabama - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
30.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,430
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 60.0%
Hispanic or Latino 36.6%
Two or More 1.8%
White 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 60.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.6, Highland Avenue Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County, which includes Highland Avenue Elementary School.
$11,430
Per student
-8%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.1%
State 55.2%
Federal 25.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Highland Avenue Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Davis High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carver Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lee High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Park Crossing High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brewbaker Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Avenue Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,587
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 1,553
- Students per teacher
- 32.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
- Enrollment
- 1,282
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 882
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 806
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar other schools in Montgomery
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Dalraida Elementary School
Standard public school
711 students 20.9:1 students per teacher
Halcyon Elementary School
Standard public school
694 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Brewbaker Primary School
Standard public school
651 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Garrett Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Dannelly Elementary School
Standard public school
588 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Crump Elementary School
Standard public school
575 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~453 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Avenue Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Avenue Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery County's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Highland Avenue Elementary School
How many students attend Highland Avenue Elementary School?
Highland Avenue Elementary School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Montgomery, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Avenue Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Avenue Elementary School is 18.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Avenue Elementary School?
87.7% of students at Highland Avenue Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Avenue Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Avenue Elementary School is African American at 60.0% of enrollment, in Montgomery, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Avenue Elementary School?
Highland Avenue Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highland Avenue Elementary School rank among schools in Montgomery?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Avenue Elementary School ranks #10 of 28 schools in Montgomery, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Montgomery on the city page.
Is Highland Avenue Elementary School a good school?
Highland Avenue Elementary School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alabama median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Montgomery County?
Besides Highland Avenue Elementary School, Montgomery County also operates Jefferson Davis High School (1,587 students), Carver Senior High School (1,553 students), and Lee High School (1,282 students). See the Montgomery County district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.