Enrollment
440
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Owensboro, KY
Highland Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 210147000299
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 83
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Elementary School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median.
- #5 of 14
- schools in Owensboro · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 38.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Elementary School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary School ranks #5 of 14 schools in Owensboro, KY.
School address
District: Daviess County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210147000299 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
38.0%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Elementary School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Elementary School
Highland Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Owensboro, Kentucky, enrolling 440 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Kentucky median, within a few percentage points of the 15.2:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 38.0% free-meal eligibility runs 36% below the Kentucky average.
With 440 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kentucky median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Against 211 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #39.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Asian (11%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 440 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 17.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Owensboro's public schools, it stands alongside Tamarack Elementary School (564 students): Highland Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.7:1 vs 17.1:1).
Daviess County also operates Daviess County High School (1,750 students) and Apollo High School (1,265 students) alongside Highland Elementary 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 Elementary School compares
Highland Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 38.0% | ▼ 36% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 440 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
440
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
38.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 46% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 54% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
6.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,546
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kentucky avg of $13,211
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 440 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 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 74.3%
Asian 10.9%
Two or More 7.7%
African American 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 74.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.8, Highland Elementary School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Daviess County, which includes Highland Elementary School.
$12,546
Per student
-5%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.1%
State 47.6%
Federal 17.3%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daviess County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Apollo High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Daviess County Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| College View Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| F T Burns Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,750
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 870
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 821
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 757
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Owensboro
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Tamarack Elementary School
Standard public school
564 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Estes Elementary School
Standard public school
492 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Deer Park Elementary School
Standard public school
480 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Meadow Lands Elementary School
Standard public school
479 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Country Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
462 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
F T Burns Elementary School
Standard public school
440 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~440 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Daviess County'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 School
How many students attend Highland Elementary School?
Highland Elementary School has 440 students enrolled. It is a public school in Owensboro, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary School is 14.7:1, which is 3% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 6% 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 School?
38.0% of students at Highland Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Elementary School is White at 74.3% of enrollment, in Owensboro, KY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Elementary School?
Highland Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 School rank among schools in Owensboro?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary School ranks #5 of 14 schools in Owensboro, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Owensboro on the city page.
Is Highland Elementary School a good school?
Highland Elementary School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky 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 Daviess County?
Besides Highland Elementary School, Daviess County also operates Daviess County High School (1,750 students), Apollo High School (1,265 students), and Daviess County Middle School (870 students). See the Daviess County 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.