Enrollment
704
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Spokane, WA
Highland Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530492003767
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 88
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #7 of 10
- middle schools in Spokane · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 20.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle School ranks #7 of 10 middle schools in Spokane, WA.
School address
District: Mead School District · Washington
NCES ID 530492003767 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Middle School
Highland Middle School is a large middle school in Spokane, Washington, enrolling 704 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 704 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Against 367 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #195.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 352 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 4.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Mead School District spends $14,830 per pupil, 24% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Spokane's middle schools, it stands alongside Sacajawea Middle School (855 students): Highland Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.1:1 vs 19.9:1).
Mead School District also operates Mead Senior High School (1,827 students) and Mt Spokane High School (1,482 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 Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 3% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.6% | ▼ 54% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 704 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
704
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 66% in Washington - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
4.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$14,830
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 352 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
58
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 8.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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 80.3%
Two or More 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.4%
African American 0.6%
Largest group: White at 80.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.4, Highland Middle School is less mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Mead School District, which includes Highland Middle School.
$14,830
Per student
-24%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.8%
State 72.3%
Federal 8.8%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mead Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mt Spokane High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountainside Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwood Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mead Learning Options | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher 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
- 1,827
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,482
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 824
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 796
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 34.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Spokane
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Sacajawea Middle School
Standard public school
855 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Shaw Middle School
Standard public school
693 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Chase Middle School
Standard public school
685 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Salk Middle School
Standard public school
658 students 15:1 students per teacher
Westwood Middle School
Standard public school
624 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Pauline Flett Middle School
Standard public school
609 students 26.5:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~704 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Mead 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 704 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Spokane, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 18.1:1, which is 3% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Middle School?
20.6% of students at Highland Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Middle School is White at 80.3% of enrollment, in Spokane, WA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Middle School?
Highland Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 middle schools in Spokane?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Middle School ranks #7 of 10 middle schools in Spokane, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Spokane on the city page.
Is Highland Middle School a good school?
Highland Middle School earns 44/100 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 Mead School District?
Besides Highland Middle School, Mead School District also operates Mead Senior High School (1,827 students), Mt Spokane High School (1,482 students), and Mountainside Middle School (824 students). See the Mead 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.