Enrollment
835
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Topeka, KS
Highland Park High
Federal NCES profile for Highland Park High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 201226001476
👥 S:T ratio 37
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Park High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas schools.
- #4 of 6
- high schools in Topeka · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 76.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Park High has class sizes larger than 80% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Park High ranks #4 of 6 high schools in Topeka, KS.
School address
District: Topeka Public Schools · Kansas
NCES ID 201226001476 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
53.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.0%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
+78% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Park High compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Park High
Highland Park High is a high-poverty, large high school in Topeka, Kansas, enrolling 835 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.0% of students qualify for free meals, 78% above the Kansas average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Kansas, bigger than 94% of state schools at 835 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,346 scored Kansas schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #20.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 278 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Topeka's high schools, it stands alongside Washburn Rural High (1,878 students): Highland Park High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 14.4:1).
Topeka Public Schools also operates Topeka High (1,578 students) and Topeka West High (971 students) alongside Highland Park High.
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 Park High compares
Highland Park High on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.8:1 | ▲ 14% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.0% | ▲ 78% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 835 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
835
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 78% above the Kansas average of 42.7%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 80% in Kansas - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
57.7%
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
$16,138
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kansas avg of $15,487
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 278 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 97 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 48.3%
African American 22.4%
White 16.5%
Two or More 12.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Highland Park High is more mixed than the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Topeka Public Schools, which includes Highland Park High.
$16,138
Per student
+4%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.8%
State 72.4%
Federal 13.8%
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 Park High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Topeka West High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Jardine Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ross Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jardine Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Park High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,578
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 508
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar high schools in Topeka
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Washburn Rural High
Standard public school
1,878 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Topeka High
Standard public school
1,578 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Seaman High
Standard public school
1,190 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Topeka West High
Standard public school
971 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Hope Street Charter Academy
Standard public school
103 students 6.4:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kansas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~835 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Park High's federal record.
- Compare Highland Park High against another school. Compare schools
- Topeka Public 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 Park High
How many students attend Highland Park High?
Highland Park High has 835 students enrolled. It is a high school in Topeka, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Park High?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Park High is 15.8:1, which is 14% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Park High?
76.0% of students at Highland Park High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Park High?
The largest demographic group at Highland Park High is Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment, in Topeka, KS. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Park High?
Highland Park High has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highland Park High rank among high schools in Topeka?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Park High ranks #4 of 6 high schools in Topeka, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Topeka on the city page.
Is Highland Park High a good school?
Highland Park High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Kansas schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kansas 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 Topeka Public Schools?
Besides Highland Park High, Topeka Public Schools also operates Topeka High (1,578 students), Topeka West High (971 students), and Jardine Elementary (729 students). See the Topeka Public 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.