Enrollment
341
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Charlotte, NC
Highland Mill Montessori
Federal NCES profile for Highland Mill Montessori, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 370297002638
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Mill Montessori earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #4 of 70
- schools in Charlotte · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 17.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Mill Montessori has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Mill Montessori ranks #4 of 70 schools in Charlotte, NC.
School address
District: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370297002638 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.1%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Mill Montessori compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Mill Montessori
Highland Mill Montessori is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Charlotte, North Carolina, enrolling 341 students.
At 15.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.1% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the North Carolina average.
Enrollment of 341 puts it in the smaller third of North Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,698 North Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Against 70 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (46%) and African American (33%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 341 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 15.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Charlotte's public schools, it stands alongside Sugar Creek Charter (1,591 students): Highland Mill Montessori is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 30:1).
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students) and Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students) alongside Highland Mill Montessori.
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 Mill Montessori compares
Highland Mill Montessori 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.1% | ▼ 74% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 341 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
341
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 56% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
7.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$11,853
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 341 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 45.5%
African American 33.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.4%
Two or More 8.2%
Asian 3.8%
Largest group: White at 45.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.6, Highland Mill Montessori is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, which includes Highland Mill Montessori.
$11,853
Per student
-1%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.2%
State 52.1%
Federal 15.6%
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 Mill Montessori Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myers Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ardrey Kell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| William Amos Hough High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Mecklenburg High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Mill Montessori's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,225
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 3,036
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,534
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 2,518
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,422
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar other schools in Charlotte
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sugar Creek Charter
Standard public school
1,591 students 30:1 students per teacher
Bradford Preparatory School
Standard public school
1,566 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Corvian Community School
Standard public school
1,376 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Northwest School of the Arts
Standard public school
993 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Jackson Day School
Standard public school
882 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Cochrane Collegiate Academy
Standard public school
854 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~341 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Mill Montessori's federal record.
- Compare Highland Mill Montessori against another school. Compare schools
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 Mill Montessori
How many students attend Highland Mill Montessori?
Highland Mill Montessori has 341 students enrolled. It is a public school in Charlotte, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Mill Montessori?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Mill Montessori is 15.5:1, which is 2% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 1% 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 Mill Montessori?
17.1% of students at Highland Mill Montessori are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Mill Montessori?
The largest demographic group at Highland Mill Montessori is White at 45.5% of enrollment, in Charlotte, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Mill Montessori?
Highland Mill Montessori has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Mill Montessori rank among schools in Charlotte?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Mill Montessori ranks #4 of 70 schools in Charlotte, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Charlotte on the city page.
Is Highland Mill Montessori a good school?
Highland Mill Montessori earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina 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 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools?
Besides Highland Mill Montessori, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools also operates Myers Park High School (3,225 students), Ardrey Kell High School (3,036 students), and South Mecklenburg High School (2,534 students). See the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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.