Enrollment
655
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Arcadia, CA
Highland Oaks Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highland Oaks Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060297000230
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Oaks Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California schools.
- #2 of 7
- elementary schools in Arcadia · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 26.2:1
- large classes for California
- 19.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Oaks Elementary has class sizes larger than 86% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Oaks Elementary ranks #2 of 7 elementary schools in Arcadia, CA.
School address
District: Arcadia Unified · California
NCES ID 060297000230 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
26.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.1%
vs 55.5% California avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Oaks Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Oaks Elementary
Highland Oaks Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Arcadia, California, enrolling 655 students.
Class loads run heavy: 26.2:1 is larger than about 86% of California schools and 22% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 19.1% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the California average.
Enrollment of 655 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,275 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #857.
Its student body is led by Asian (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 655 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Arcadia's elementary schools, it stands alongside Holly Avenue Elementary (789 students): Highland Oaks Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (26.2:1 vs 28.2:1).
Arcadia Unified also operates Arcadia High (2,939 students) and Holly Avenue Elementary (789 students) alongside Highland Oaks Elementary.
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 Oaks Elementary compares
Highland Oaks Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 26.2:1 | ▲ 22% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.1% | ▼ 66% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 655 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
26.2:1
Leaner classes than 4% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
655
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% below the California average of 55.5%
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
26.2:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 86% in California - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
3.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$14,868
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 655 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.5 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
Asian 65.0%
Hispanic or Latino 14.2%
Two or More 11.9%
White 8.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: Asian at 65.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Highland Oaks Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Arcadia Unified, which includes Highland Oaks Elementary.
$14,868
Per student
-10%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.7%
State 36.2%
Federal 9.1%
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 Oaks Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Holly Avenue Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Avenue Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Richard Henry Dana Middle | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Camino Grove Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Oaks Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,939
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 789
- Students per teacher
- 28.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 710
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 695
- Students per teacher
- 25.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
Similar elementary schools in Arcadia
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Holly Avenue Elementary
Standard public school
789 students 28.2:1 students per teacher
Camino Grove Elementary
Standard public school
695 students 25.7:1 students per teacher
Baldwin Stocker Elementary
Standard public school
664 students 27.7:1 students per teacher
Rio Hondo Elementary
Standard public school
636 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Hugo Reid Elementary
Standard public school
583 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Longley Way Elementary
Standard public school
541 students 28.5:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~655 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Oaks Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highland Oaks Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Arcadia Unified'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 Oaks Elementary
How many students attend Highland Oaks Elementary?
Highland Oaks Elementary has 655 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Arcadia, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Oaks Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Oaks Elementary is 26.2:1, which is 22% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 67% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Oaks Elementary?
19.1% of students at Highland Oaks Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Oaks Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highland Oaks Elementary is Asian at 65.0% of enrollment, in Arcadia, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Oaks Elementary?
Highland Oaks Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (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 Oaks Elementary rank among elementary schools in Arcadia?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Oaks Elementary ranks #2 of 7 elementary schools in Arcadia, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Arcadia on the city page.
Is Highland Oaks Elementary a good school?
Highland Oaks Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of California 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 Arcadia Unified?
Besides Highland Oaks Elementary, Arcadia Unified also operates Arcadia High (2,939 students), Holly Avenue Elementary (789 students), and First Avenue Middle (771 students). See the Arcadia Unified 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.