- Enrollment
- 1,411
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Ridgeland, MS
Highland Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 280279000937
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 37
📋 Attendance 43
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Mississippi median.
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 72.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 629
- students enrolled
Highland Elementary has class sizes near the Mississippi median. Computed live against every Mississippi school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Madison Co School Dist · Mississippi
NCES ID 280279000937 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-48 students YoY
Highland Elementary shrank from 644 students in 2022-23 to 596 in 2023-24 (-7.5%).
Teacher FTE added 45.8 → 47.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-48 students YoY 280279000937 · Ridgeland, MS Elementary · MID · TRAD
629 enr · 14:1 · 72.0% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Germantown High School (1,411 students)
Highland Elementary shrank from 644 students in 2022-23 to 596 in 2023-24 (-7.5%). Teacher FTE added 45.8 → 47.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Mississippi schools → · Find another →
Highland Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Germantown Hig
Germantown High School
1,411 students
- Madison Centra
Madison Central High School
1,260 students
- Madison Middle
Madison Middle School
1,180 students
- Germantown Mid
Germantown Middle School
1,008 students
- Ridgeland High
Ridgeland High School
995 students
- This school
Highland Elementary
629 students
What this shows Highland Elementary reports 629 students on the CCD universe file.
How Highland Elementary compares
Highland Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Mississippi and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Mississippi | Mississippi avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▲ 5% | 13.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.0% | ▼ 11% | 80.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 629 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14:1
Leaner classes than 57% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
629
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
72.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the Mississippi average of 80.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 65% in Mississippi - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.9%
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
$12,248
per pupil, district-wide
- below Mississippi avg of $13,683
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 315 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
180
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 45.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 8 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 62.0%
Hispanic or Latino 22.7%
White 8.6%
Asian 4.5%
Two or More 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 62.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, Highland Elementary is more mixed than the Mississippi school average of 41.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Madison Co School Dist reports $12,248 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Highland Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germantown High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Germantown Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridgeland High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar 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
- 1,260
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,180
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,008
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 995
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~629 students)
Frequently asked questions about Highland Elementary
How many students attend Highland Elementary?
Highland Elementary has 629 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Ridgeland, MS. CCD year-over-year: 644 (2022-23) → 596 (2023-24), down 48.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary is 14:1, which is 5% higher than the Mississippi average of 13.3:1 and 11% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Elementary?
72.0% of students at Highland Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Mississippi average of 80.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Elementary is African American at 62.0% of enrollment, in Ridgeland, MS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Elementary?
Highland Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Madison Co School Dist?
Besides Highland Elementary, Madison Co School Dist also operates Germantown High School (1,411 students), Madison Central High School (1,260 students), and Madison Middle School (1,180 students). See the Madison Co School Dist district page for the complete list.