Enrollment
509
Maryland · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Silver Spring, MD
Highland Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 240048000850
👥 S:T ratio 57
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 8
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Maryland schools.
- #29 of 31
- schools in Silver Spring · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.8:1
- small classes for Maryland
- 68.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Elementary has class sizes smaller than 89% of Maryland schools. Computed live against every Maryland school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary ranks #29 of 31 schools in Silver Spring, MD.
School address
District: Montgomery County Public Schools · Maryland
NCES ID 240048000850 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.8:1
vs 14.5:1 Maryland avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.0%
vs 49.0% Maryland avg
+39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Elementary compares with Maryland and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Elementary
Highland Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Silver Spring, Maryland, enrolling 509 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.8:1, Highland Elementary is leaner than roughly 89% of Maryland schools and 26% under the state's 14.5:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 68.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 509 students, its enrollment sits close to the Maryland median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,382 scored Maryland schools.
Against 307 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #209.
Its student body is predominantly Hispanic or Latino (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 509 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 36.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Silver Spring's public schools, it stands alongside Joann Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary (756 students): Highland Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.8:1 vs 10.8:1).
Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students) and Walter Johnson High (3,016 students) alongside Highland Elementary.
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 Elementary compares
Highland Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Maryland and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Maryland | Maryland avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.8:1 | ▼ 26% | 14.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.0% | ▲ 39% | 49.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 509 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.8:1
Leaner classes than 84% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
509
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% above the Maryland average of 49.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.8:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 11% in Maryland - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
36.7%
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
$18,101
per pupil, district-wide
- below Maryland avg of $20,446
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 509 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 81.9%
White 5.9%
Asian 5.5%
African American 5.3%
Two or More 1.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 81.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.0, Highland Elementary is less mixed than the Maryland school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montgomery County Public Schools, which includes Highland Elementary.
$18,101
Per student
-11%
vs Maryland
Avg $20,446
+9%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.0%
State 23.7%
Federal 10.3%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Blair High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walter Johnson High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wheaton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaithersburg High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Seneca Valley High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,266
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 3,016
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,794
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,441
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 2,409
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Silver Spring
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Joann Leleck at Broad Acres Elementary
Standard public school
756 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Arcola Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Burnt Mills Elementary
Standard public school
747 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Greencastle Elementary
Standard public school
722 students 12.7:1 students per teacher
Sargent Shriver Elementary
Standard public school
697 students 10.4:1 students per teacher
Galway Elementary
Standard public school
695 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Maryland, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~509 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Montgomery County Public Schools'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 Elementary
How many students attend Highland Elementary?
Highland Elementary has 509 students enrolled. It is a public school in Silver Spring, MD.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary is 10.8:1, which is 26% lower than the Maryland average of 14.5:1 and 31% 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 Elementary?
68.0% of students at Highland Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Maryland average of 49.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 81.9% of enrollment, in Silver Spring, MD.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Elementary?
Highland Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Elementary rank among schools in Silver Spring?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary ranks #29 of 31 schools in Silver Spring, MD. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Silver Spring on the city page.
Is Highland Elementary a good school?
Highland Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Maryland 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 Montgomery County Public Schools?
Besides Highland Elementary, Montgomery County Public Schools also operates Montgomery Blair High (3,266 students), Walter Johnson High (3,016 students), and Wheaton High (2,794 students). See the Montgomery County Public Schools 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.