Enrollment
387
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Highland Community School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Community School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960001847Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Community School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #18 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 39.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Community School has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Community School ranks #18 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960001847 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.0%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+1% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Community School compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Community School
Highland Community School is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 387 students.
At 13.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Wisconsin median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.0% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 387 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 487 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #220.
Its student body is led by White (39%) and African American (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 774 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Milwaukee School District spends $17,847 per pupil, 20% above the Wisconsin average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Milwaukee's public schools, it stands alongside Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students): Highland Community School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 30.8:1).
Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students) and Hamilton High (1,472 students) alongside Highland Community 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 Community School compares
Highland Community School on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 4% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.0% | ▲ 1% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 387 | top 35% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
387
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 1% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 58% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$17,847
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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
White 38.8%
African American 36.7%
Hispanic or Latino 12.1%
Two or More 10.9%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 38.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.8, Highland Community School is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Milwaukee School District, which includes Highland Community School.
$17,847
Per student
+20%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 57.7%
Federal 15.0%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| King International | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Obama School of Career and Technical Education | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Community School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,372
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Milwaukee
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12
Standard public school
1,974 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee Academy of Science
Standard public school
1,711 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Bruce Guadalupe
Standard public school
1,364 students 15:1 students per teacher
Obama School of Career and Technical Education
Standard public school
1,294 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
Golda Meir School
Standard public school
1,192 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee School of Languages
Standard public school
964 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~387 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Community School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Community School against another school. Compare schools
- Milwaukee School District'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 School
How many students attend Highland Community School?
Highland Community School has 387 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Community School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Community School is 13.8:1, which is 4% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Community School?
39.0% of students at Highland Community School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Community School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Community School is White at 38.8% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Community School?
Highland Community School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Community School rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Community School ranks #18 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Milwaukee on the city page.
Is Highland Community School a good school?
Highland Community School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin 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 Milwaukee School District?
Besides Highland Community School, Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students), Hamilton High (1,472 students), and Reagan College Preparatory High (1,372 students). See the Milwaukee School District 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.