Enrollment
503
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Snowflake, AZ
Highland Primary School
Federal NCES profile for Highland Primary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 14/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040782000692
👥 S:T ratio 4
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highland Primary School earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 3
- public schools in Snowflake · Resource Index
- 14
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24:1
- large classes for Arizona
- 34.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Highland Primary School has class sizes larger than 92% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Primary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Snowflake, AZ.
School address
District: Snowflake Unified District (4391) · Arizona
NCES ID 040782000692 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
+41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.9%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
-28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highland Primary School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highland Primary School
Highland Primary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Snowflake, Arizona, enrolling 503 students.
Class loads run heavy: 24:1 is larger than about 92% of Arizona schools and 41% above the 17:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 503 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 97% of the 2,064 Arizona schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 287 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Arizona schools statewide, it ranks #275, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Hispanic or Latino (16%) (diversity index 37/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Snowflake Unified District (4391) spends $7,928 per pupil, 40% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 23.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Snowflake's elementary schools, it stands alongside Taylor Elementary School (269 students): Highland Primary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (24:1 vs 17.9:1).
Snowflake Unified District (4391) also operates Snowflake High School (949 students) and Snowflake Junior High School (434 students) alongside Highland Primary 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 Primary School compares
Highland Primary School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24:1 | ▲ 41% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.9% | ▼ 28% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 503 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
503
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24:1
students per teacher
- 41% above state mean
Top 92% in Arizona - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
37.4%
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
$7,928
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 77.9%
Hispanic or Latino 15.5%
Two or More 3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 77.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.7, Highland Primary School is less mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Snowflake Unified District (4391), which includes Highland Primary School.
$7,928
Per student
-40%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-52%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 20.1%
State 56.0%
Federal 23.8%
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 Primary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowflake High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Snowflake Junior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Snowflake Intermediate School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Taylor Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Taylor Intermediate School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highland Primary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 949
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 9/100
- Enrollment
- 434
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 13/100
- Enrollment
- 423
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 269
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 234
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
Similar elementary schools in Snowflake
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~503 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highland Primary School's federal record.
- Compare Highland Primary School against another school. Compare schools
- Snowflake Unified District (4391)'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 Primary School
How many students attend Highland Primary School?
Highland Primary School has 503 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Snowflake, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Primary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highland Primary School is 24:1, which is 41% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 53% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highland Primary School?
34.9% of students at Highland Primary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highland Primary School?
The largest demographic group at Highland Primary School is White at 77.9% of enrollment, in Snowflake, AZ.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highland Primary School?
Highland Primary School has a Resource Investment Index of 14/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highland Primary School rank among public schools in Snowflake?
By Resource Investment Index, Highland Primary School ranks #2 of 3 public schools in Snowflake, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Snowflake on the city page.
Is Highland Primary School a good school?
Highland Primary School earns 14/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of Arizona 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 Snowflake Unified District (4391)?
Besides Highland Primary School, Snowflake Unified District (4391) also operates Snowflake High School (949 students), Snowflake Junior High School (434 students), and Snowflake Intermediate School (423 students). See the Snowflake Unified District (4391) 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.