- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ambridge, PA
Highland El Sch
Federal NCES profile for Highland El Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 420244000800
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland El Sch earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 80% of Pennsylvania schools.
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 99.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 284
- students enrolled
Highland El Sch has class sizes smaller than 80% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Ambridge Area Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 420244000800 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-13 students YoY
Highland El Sch held near 303 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 25.8 → 24.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-13 students YoY 420244000800 · Ambridge, PA Other · SMALL · TRAD
284 enr · 11.4:1 · 99.1% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: Ambridge Area Hs (705 students)
Highland El Sch held near 303 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-13 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 25.8 → 24.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
Highland El Sch in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Ambridge Area
Ambridge Area Hs
705 students
- Ambridge Area
Ambridge Area Ms
500 students
- Economy El Sch
Economy El Sch
456 students
- This school
Highland El Sch
284 students
- State Street E 241
State Street El Sch
241 students
What this shows Highland El Sch reports 284 students on the CCD universe file.
How Highland El Sch compares
Highland El Sch held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 16% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 99.1% | ▲ 71% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 284 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
284
Bigger than 30% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
99.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 20% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 80% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
45.1%
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
$14,965
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 60.2%
African American 25.7%
Two or More 12.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.1%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 60.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.7, Highland El Sch is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
District finance for Ambridge Area Sd reports $14,965 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Highland El Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambridge Area Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ambridge Area Ms | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Economy El Sch | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| State Street El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland El Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 500
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 456
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 241
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~284 students)
Frequently asked questions about Highland El Sch
How many students attend Highland El Sch?
Highland El Sch has 284 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ambridge, PA. CCD year-over-year: 316 (2022-23) → 303 (2023-24), nearly flat (-13).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland El Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland El Sch is 11.4:1, which is 16% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 27% 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 El Sch?
99.1% of students at Highland El Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland El Sch?
The largest demographic group at Highland El Sch is White at 60.2% of enrollment, in Ambridge, PA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland El Sch?
Highland El Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Ambridge Area Sd?
Besides Highland El Sch, Ambridge Area Sd also operates Ambridge Area Hs (705 students), Ambridge Area Ms (500 students), and Economy El Sch (456 students). See the Ambridge Area Sd district page for the complete list.