Enrollment
119
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Riverside, IA
Highland Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 191401000840
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 76
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Middle School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Riverside · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17:1
- large classes for Iowa
- 9.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Middle School has class sizes larger than 84% of Iowa schools. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Riverside, IA.
School address
District: Highland Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 191401000840 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.9%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
-73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Middle School
Highland Middle School is a lower-poverty, small middle school in Riverside, Iowa, enrolling 119 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17:1 puts it in the larger third of Iowa schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 9.9% free-meal eligibility runs 73% below the Iowa average.
Enrollment of 119 puts it in the smaller third of Iowa schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 1,322 Iowa schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 33 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Iowa schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 14/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 119 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
14.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Highland Comm School District also operates Highland Elementary School (242 students) and Highland High School (149 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 Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17:1 | ▲ 15% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.9% | ▼ 73% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 119 | top 90% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
119
Bigger than 12% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% below the Iowa average of 36.4%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 84% in Iowa - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.3%
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
$12,824
per pupil, district-wide
- below Iowa avg of $12,854
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 119 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 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 92.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.9%
Two or More 1.7%
Largest group: White at 92.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.2, Highland Middle School is less mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Highland Comm School District, which includes Highland Middle School.
$12,824
Per student
0%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.1%
State 43.5%
Federal 7.5%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Highland High School | Larger | Higher 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
- 242
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 149
- Students per teacher
- 9.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~119 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Highland Comm 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 119 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Riverside, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 17:1, which is 15% higher than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Middle School?
9.9% of students at Highland Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Middle School is White at 92.4% of enrollment, in Riverside, IA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Middle School?
Highland Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (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 Riverside?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Riverside, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Riverside on the city page.
Is Highland Middle School a good school?
Highland Middle School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Iowa 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 Comm School District?
Besides Highland Middle School, Highland Comm School District also operates Highland Elementary School (242 students) and Highland High School (149 students). See the Highland Comm 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.