Enrollment
762
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sanford, NC
Highland Middle
Federal NCES profile for Highland Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 370201003309
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 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 Middle earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools.
- #4 of 4
- middle schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.6:1
- small classes for North Carolina
- 58.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Middle has class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina schools. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Harnett County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370201003309 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.7%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Middle compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Middle
Highland Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Sanford, North Carolina, enrolling 762 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.7% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 762 puts it in the larger third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 416 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need North Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #360, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 762 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.2% 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.
Discipline events run high: 385 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 762 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 21 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Sanford's middle schools, it stands alongside Sanlee Middle School (792 students): Highland Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 14.9:1).
Harnett County Schools also operates Overhills High (1,981 students) and Harnett Central High (1,522 students) alongside Highland Middle.
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 Middle compares
Highland Middle 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 14% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.7% | ▼ 11% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 762 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
762
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% 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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 30% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
59.2%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 762 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
188
in-school suspensions + 197 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 24.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 50.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 21 expulsions.
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 41.7%
Hispanic or Latino 29.1%
African American 17.7%
Two or More 9.1%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 41.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.2, Highland Middle 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 Middle.
$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 Middle 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 | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Middle'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 middle schools in Sanford
3 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~762 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Middle's federal record.
- Compare Highland Middle 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 Middle
How many students attend Highland Middle?
Highland Middle has 762 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sanford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle is 13.6:1, which is 14% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 13% 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 Middle?
58.7% of students at Highland Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Middle?
The largest demographic group at Highland Middle is White at 41.7% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Middle?
Highland Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 Middle rank among middle schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle ranks #4 of 4 middle 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 middle schools in Sanford on the city page.
Is Highland Middle a good school?
Highland Middle earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 70% of North Carolina 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 Harnett County Schools?
Besides Highland Middle, 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.