Enrollment
854
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Sanford, NC
Highland Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 370201002630
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #7 of 9
- elementary schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14:1
- students per teacher
- 49.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Elementary has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary ranks #7 of 9 elementary schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Harnett County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370201002630 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
61.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.4%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Elementary compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Elementary
Highland Elementary is a large elementary school in Sanford, North Carolina, enrolling 854 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 49.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 854 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Among 397 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #310, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (45%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 427 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 24.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Sanford's elementary schools, it stands alongside Wb Wicker Elementary (588 students): Highland Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14:1 vs 14.7:1).
Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students) and Harnett Central High (1,522 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 North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.4% | ▼ 25% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 854 | top 15% | - | - |
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.
854
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 35% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
44.5%
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
$11,026
per pupil, district-wide
- below North Carolina avg of $12,017
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 427 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 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 44.7%
Hispanic or Latino 27.9%
African American 18.0%
Two or More 7.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.9%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 44.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.4, Highland Elementary is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Harnett County Schools, which includes Highland Elementary.
$11,026
Per student
-8%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.4%
State 62.0%
Federal 24.6%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overhills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harnett Central High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Western Harnett High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Triton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benhaven Elementary | Similar size | Lower 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
- 1,981
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,522
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,324
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,274
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,065
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Sanford
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Wb Wicker Elementary
Standard public school
588 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
J Glenn Edwards Elementary
Standard public school
587 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Greenwood Elementary
Standard public school
571 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Tramway Elementary
Standard public school
559 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Deep River Elementary
Standard public school
557 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Bt Bullock Elementary
Standard public school
511 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~854 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Harnett County 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 854 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Sanford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary is 14:1, which is 11% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 11% 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?
49.4% of students at Highland Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Elementary is White at 44.7% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Elementary?
Highland Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 elementary schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary ranks #7 of 9 elementary schools in Sanford, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Sanford on the city page.
Is Highland Elementary a good school?
Highland Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. 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 Harnett County Schools?
Besides Highland Elementary, Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students), Harnett Central High (1,522 students), and Western Harnett High (1,324 students). See the Harnett County 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.