- Enrollment
- 1,964
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Howell, MI
Highlander Way Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Highlander Way Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 261872005555
👥 S:T ratio 21
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 22
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlander Way Middle School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Michigan schools.
- #8 of 12
- public schools in Howell · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.7:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 29.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlander Way Middle School has class sizes larger than 78% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlander Way Middle School ranks #8 of 12 public schools in Howell, MI.
School address
District: Howell Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 261872005555 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+32 students YoY
Highlander Way Middle School held near 776 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+32 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 40.9 → 45.7 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+32 students YoY 261872005555 · Howell, MI Middle · MID · TRAD
789 enr · 19.7:1 · 29.4% lunch · RII 23
Nearest enrollment peer: Howell High School (1,964 students)
Highlander Way Middle School held near 776 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+32 headcount). Teacher FTE added 40.9 → 45.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Highlander Way Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Howell High Sc
Howell High School
1,964 students
- Parker Middle
Parker Middle School
1,011 students
- This school
Highlander Way Middle School
789 students
- Three Fires El 753
Three Fires Elementary
753 students
- Southwest Elem 526
Southwest Elementary School
526 students
- Voyager Elemen 517
Voyager Elementary School
517 students
What this shows Highlander Way Middle School reports 789 students on the CCD universe file.
How Highlander Way Middle School compares
Highlander Way Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.7:1 | ▲ 13% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.4% | ▼ 46% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 789 | top 9% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.7:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
789
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
29.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
19.7:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 78% in Michigan - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.4%
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
$13,222
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 395 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 50 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 91.6%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Two or More 1.6%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
African American 0.4%
Largest group: White at 91.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 15.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 15.8, Highlander Way Middle School is less mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Howell Public Schools reports $13,222 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Highlander Way Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howell High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Parker Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Three Fires Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Southwest Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Voyager Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlander Way Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,011
- Students per teacher
- 24.1:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 753
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 526
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 517
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar middle schools in Howell
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~789 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Highlander Way Middle School
How many students attend Highlander Way Middle School?
Highlander Way Middle School has 789 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Howell, MI. CCD year-over-year: 744 (2022-23) → 776 (2023-24), nearly flat (+32).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlander Way Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlander Way Middle School is 19.7:1, which is 13% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highlander Way Middle School?
29.4% of students at Highlander Way Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlander Way Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Highlander Way Middle School is White at 91.6% of enrollment, in Howell, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlander Way Middle School?
Highlander Way Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highlander Way Middle School rank among public schools in Howell?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlander Way Middle School ranks #8 of 12 public schools in Howell, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Howell on the city page.
What other schools are in Howell Public Schools?
Besides Highlander Way Middle School, Howell Public Schools also operates Howell High School (1,964 students), Parker Middle School (1,011 students), and Three Fires Elementary (753 students). See the Howell Public Schools district page for the complete list.