Enrollment
961
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Mesa, AZ
Highland Jr High School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Jr High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 040340001669
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 4
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Jr High School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools.
- #11 of 11
- middle schools in Mesa · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 20.9:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 22.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Jr High School has class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Jr High School ranks #11 of 11 middle schools in Mesa, AZ.
School address
District: Gilbert Unified District (4239) · Arizona
NCES ID 040340001669 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.9:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Jr High School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Jr High School
Highland Jr High School is a large middle school in Mesa, Arizona, enrolling 961 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Arizona schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 22.0% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Arizona, bigger than 90% of state schools at 961 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Among 217 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #163, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 481 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Gilbert Unified District (4239) spends $9,253 per pupil, 30% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Gilbert Unified District (4239) also operates Highland High School (2,992 students) and Gilbert High School (2,418 students) alongside Highland Jr High 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 Jr High School compares
Highland Jr High School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.9:1 | ▲ 23% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.0% | ▼ 54% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 961 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.9:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
961
Bigger than 90% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.9:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 81% in Arizona - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
39.5%
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
$9,253
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
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 481 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
91
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.8 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 62.6%
Hispanic or Latino 23.8%
Two or More 6.0%
Asian 3.1%
African American 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 62.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.6, Highland Jr High School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Gilbert Unified District (4239), which includes Highland Jr High School.
$9,253
Per student
-30%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 43.1%
State 44.8%
Federal 12.1%
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 Jr High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gilbert High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Desert Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Campo Verde High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mesquite High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Jr High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,992
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,418
- Students per teacher
- 21.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,103
- Students per teacher
- 21.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,863
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,303
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~961 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Jr High School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Jr High School against another school. Compare schools
- Gilbert Unified District (4239)'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 Jr High School
How many students attend Highland Jr High School?
Highland Jr High School has 961 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Mesa, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Jr High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Jr High School is 20.9:1, which is 23% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 33% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Jr High School?
22.0% of students at Highland Jr High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Jr High School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Jr High School is White at 62.6% of enrollment, in Mesa, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Jr High School?
Highland Jr High School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 Jr High School rank among middle schools in Mesa?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Jr High School ranks #11 of 11 middle schools in Mesa, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Mesa on the city page.
Is Highland Jr High School a good school?
Highland Jr High School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Arizona 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 Gilbert Unified District (4239)?
Besides Highland Jr High School, Gilbert Unified District (4239) also operates Highland High School (2,992 students), Gilbert High School (2,418 students), and Desert Ridge High (2,103 students). See the Gilbert Unified District (4239) 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.