Enrollment
457
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Oakland, CA
Highland Community
Federal NCES profile for Highland Community, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 12/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 062805004274
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 3
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Community earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools.
- #52 of 67
- elementary schools in Oakland · Resource Index
- 12
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.1:1
- large classes for California
- 91.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Community has class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Community ranks #52 of 67 elementary schools in Oakland, CA.
School address
District: Oakland Unified · California
NCES ID 062805004274 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.1:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
91.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Community compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Community
Highland Community is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Oakland, California, enrolling 457 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.1:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 91.1% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the California average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 457 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 9,998 California schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 1,307 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,200, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (78%) and African American (16%) (diversity index 36/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 38.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Oakland Unified spends $20,552 per pupil, 24% above the California average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Oakland's elementary schools, it stands alongside Yu Ming Charter (959 students): Highland Community is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24.1:1 vs 24:1).
Oakland Unified also operates Oakland Technical High (1,812 students) and Oakland High (1,579 students) alongside Highland Community.
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 Community compares
Highland Community on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.1:1 | ▲ 12% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 91.1% | ▲ 64% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 457 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.1:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
457
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
91.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% above the California average of 55.5%
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
24.1:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 72% in California - lower ratio than 28% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
38.9%
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
$20,552
per pupil, district-wide
- above California avg of $16,509
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 78.1%
African American 16.0%
Two or More 3.7%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 78.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.3, Highland Community is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Oakland Unified, which includes Highland Community.
$20,552
Per student
+24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
+24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 42.8%
State 42.5%
Federal 14.7%
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 Community Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland Technical High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Oakland High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Skyline High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Fremont High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Coliseum College Prep Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Community's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,812
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,579
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,250
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,166
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 861
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools in Oakland
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Yu Ming Charter
Standard public school
959 students 24:1 students per teacher
Melrose Leadership Academy
Standard public school
722 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Lockwood Steam Academy Elementary
Standard public school
678 students 27.1:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
664 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
American Indian Public Charter School Ii
Standard public school
617 students 36.3:1 students per teacher
Greenleaf
Standard public school
613 students 21.9:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~457 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Community's federal record.
- Compare Highland Community against another school. Compare schools
- Oakland Unified'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 Community
How many students attend Highland Community?
Highland Community has 457 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Oakland, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Community?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Community is 24.1:1, which is 12% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Community?
91.1% of students at Highland Community are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Community?
The largest demographic group at Highland Community is Hispanic or Latino at 78.1% of enrollment, in Oakland, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Community?
Highland Community has a Resource Investment Index of 12/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highland Community rank among elementary schools in Oakland?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Community ranks #52 of 67 elementary schools in Oakland, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Oakland on the city page.
Is Highland Community a good school?
Highland Community earns 12/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 72% of California schools. 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 Oakland Unified?
Besides Highland Community, Oakland Unified also operates Oakland Technical High (1,812 students), Oakland High (1,579 students), and Skyline High (1,250 students). See the Oakland Unified 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.