Enrollment
263
Oregon · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Salem, OR
Highland Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 411082000789
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% of Oregon schools.
- #19 of 38
- elementary schools in Salem · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.5:1
- small classes for Oregon
- 72.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Oregon schools. Computed live against every Oregon school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary School ranks #19 of 38 elementary schools in Salem, OR.
School address
District: Salem-Keizer Sd 24j · Oregon
NCES ID 411082000789 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 17.6:1 Oregon avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.3%
vs 52.8% Oregon avg
+37% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Elementary School compares with Oregon and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Elementary School
Highland Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Salem, Oregon, enrolling 263 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.5:1, Highland Elementary School is leaner than roughly 89% of Oregon schools and 29% under the state's 17.6:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 263 students, its enrollment sits close to the Oregon median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,273 scored Oregon schools.
Among 244 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Oregon schools statewide, it ranks #192, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (41%) (diversity index 63/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 526 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 87.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Salem's elementary schools, it stands alongside Auburn Elementary School (592 students): Highland Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.5:1 vs 19.1:1).
Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students) and South Salem High School (2,195 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 Oregon and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Oregon | Oregon avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.5:1 | ▼ 29% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.3% | ▲ 37% | 52.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 263 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
263
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% above the Oregon average of 52.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 11% in Oregon - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
87.1%
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
$15,528
per pupil, district-wide
- below Oregon avg of $18,086
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 44.5%
White 40.7%
Two or More 6.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 4.9%
African American 3.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.9, Highland Elementary School is more mixed than the Oregon school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Salem-Keizer Sd 24j, which includes Highland Elementary School.
$15,528
Per student
-14%
vs Oregon
Avg $18,086
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.2%
State 61.3%
Federal 11.5%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mckay High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Salem High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Salem High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcnary High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sprague High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher 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
- 2,380
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 2,195
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,107
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,995
- Students per teacher
- 22.9:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,712
- Students per teacher
- 22.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Salem
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Auburn Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Eyre Elementary School
Standard public school
538 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Harritt Elementary School
Standard public school
498 students 22.6:1 students per teacher
Swegle Elementary School
Standard public school
496 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Pringle Elementary School
Standard public school
488 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Kalapuya Elementary School
Standard public school
483 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Oregon, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~263 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Salem-Keizer Sd 24j'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 263 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Salem, OR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary School is 12.5:1, which is 29% lower than the Oregon average of 17.6:1 and 20% 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?
72.3% of students at Highland Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Oregon average of 52.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.5% of enrollment, in Salem, OR. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Elementary School?
Highland Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 elementary schools in Salem?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary School ranks #19 of 38 elementary schools in Salem, OR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Salem on the city page.
Is Highland Elementary School a good school?
Highland Elementary School earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 89% of Oregon 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 Salem-Keizer Sd 24j?
Besides Highland Elementary School, Salem-Keizer Sd 24j also operates Mckay High School (2,380 students), South Salem High School (2,195 students), and North Salem High School (2,107 students). See the Salem-Keizer Sd 24j 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.