Enrollment
442
Arkansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hardy, AR
Highland Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 050777001232
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 24
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Hardy · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Middle School has class sizes near the Arkansas median. Computed live against every Arkansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Hardy, AR.
School address
District: Highland School District · Arkansas
NCES ID 050777001232 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 13.6:1 Arkansas avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 59.2% Arkansas avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Middle School compares with Arkansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Middle School
Highland Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Hardy, Arkansas, enrolling 442 students.
At 13.8:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Arkansas median, within a few percentage points of the 13.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 100.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 442 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arkansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,066 scored Arkansas schools.
Against 155 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #48.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 221 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 30.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 29.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 24 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Highland School District also operates Cherokee Elementary School (581 students) and Highland High School (476 students) alongside Highland Middle 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 Middle School compares
Highland Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Arkansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arkansas | Arkansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▲ 1% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 69% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 442 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
442
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% above the Arkansas average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 49% in Arkansas - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
30.3%
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
$12,909
per pupil, district-wide
- above Arkansas avg of $12,251
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 221 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 57 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 24 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 93.7%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%
African American 2.0%
Two or More 1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 93.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.1, Highland Middle School is less mixed than the Arkansas school average of 40.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Highland School District, which includes Highland Middle School.
$12,909
Per student
+5%
vs Arkansas
Avg $12,251
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.9%
State 44.6%
Federal 29.6%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Highland High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 581
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 7.4:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arkansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~442 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Highland 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 Middle School
How many students attend Highland Middle School?
Highland Middle School has 442 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hardy, AR.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 13.8:1, which is 1% higher than the Arkansas average of 13.6:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Middle School?
100.0% of students at Highland Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arkansas average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Middle School is White at 93.7% of enrollment, in Hardy, AR.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Middle School?
Highland Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Middle School rank among public schools in Hardy?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Hardy, AR. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hardy on the city page.
Is Highland Middle School a good school?
Highland Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arkansas median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Arkansas 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 Highland School District?
Besides Highland Middle School, Highland School District also operates Cherokee Elementary School (581 students) and Highland High School (476 students). See the Highland 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.