Enrollment
290
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Clarkston, WA
Highland Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530132000236
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 73
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Clarkston · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.1:1
- students per teacher
- 62.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Elementary has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Clarkston, WA.
School address
District: Clarkston School District · Washington
NCES ID 530132000236 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.8%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+40% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Elementary compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Elementary
Highland Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Clarkston, Washington, enrolling 290 students.
At 16.1:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 290 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 90% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 290 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #26, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
11.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Clarkston School District spends $15,221 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 20.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Clarkston's elementary schools, it stands alongside Heights Elementary (358 students): Highland Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.1:1 vs 17.9:1).
Clarkston School District also operates Charles Francis Adams High School (670 students) and Heights Elementary (358 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 Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.1:1 | ▼ 9% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.8% | ▲ 40% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 290 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.1:1
Leaner classes than 37% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
290
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.1:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 48% in Washington - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$15,221
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.7 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 80.0%
Hispanic or Latino 13.4%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
African American 0.3%
Largest group: White at 80.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.0, Highland Elementary is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Clarkston School District, which includes Highland Elementary.
$15,221
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 11.2%
State 68.7%
Federal 20.1%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Francis Adams High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heights Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Parkway Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grantham Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower 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
- 670
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 358
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 346
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 330
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 252
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Clarkston
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~290 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Clarkston School District'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 290 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Clarkston, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Elementary is 16.1:1, which is 9% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 3% higher 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?
62.8% of students at Highland Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Elementary is White at 80.0% of enrollment, in Clarkston, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Elementary?
Highland Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highland Elementary rank among elementary schools in Clarkston?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Elementary ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Clarkston, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Clarkston on the city page.
Is Highland Elementary a good school?
Highland Elementary earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington 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 Clarkston School District?
Besides Highland Elementary, Clarkston School District also operates Charles Francis Adams High School (670 students), Heights Elementary (358 students), and Lincoln Middle School (346 students). See the Clarkston School District 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.