Enrollment
345
Kansas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Shawnee Mission, KS
Highlands Elem
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Elem, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 66/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 201164001534
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 87
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Elem earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of Kansas schools.
- #1 of 33
- schools in Shawnee Mission · Resource Index
- 66
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15:1
- large classes for Kansas
- 9.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Elem has class sizes larger than 73% of Kansas schools. Computed live against every Kansas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elem ranks #1 of 33 schools in Shawnee Mission, KS.
School address
District: Shawnee Mission Pub Sch · Kansas
NCES ID 201164001534 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 13.8:1 Kansas avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.7%
vs 42.7% Kansas avg
-77% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highlands Elem compares with Kansas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highlands Elem
Highlands Elem is a lower-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, enrolling 345 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15:1 puts it in the larger third of Kansas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 9.7% free-meal eligibility runs 77% below the Kansas average.
With 345 students, its enrollment sits close to the Kansas median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 1,346 Kansas schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 119 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kansas schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (10%) (diversity index 38/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Shawnee Mission Pub Sch spends $12,112 per pupil, 22% below the Kansas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Shawnee Mission's public schools, it stands alongside Briarwood Elem (674 students): Highlands Elem is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15:1 vs 16.9:1).
Shawnee Mission Pub Sch also operates Shawnee Mission East High (1,737 students) and Shawnee Mission Northwest High (1,599 students) alongside Highlands Elem.
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 Highlands Elem compares
Highlands Elem on the metrics families compare, against Kansas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kansas | Kansas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15:1 | ▲ 9% | 13.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.7% | ▼ 77% | 42.7% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 345 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
345
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 77% below the Kansas average of 42.7%
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
15:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 73% in Kansas - lower ratio than 27% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
5.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,112
per pupil, district-wide
- below Kansas avg of $15,487
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
2
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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
White 77.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.6%
Two or More 8.1%
Asian 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 1.2%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 77.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.4, Highlands Elem is about as mixed as the Kansas school average of 39.4.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shawnee Mission Pub Sch, which includes Highlands Elem.
$12,112
Per student
-22%
vs Kansas
Avg $15,487
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 54.4%
Federal 7.9%
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 Highlands Elem Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee Mission East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shawnee Mission Northwest High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shawnee Mission West High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shawnee Mission South High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Shawnee Mission North High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands Elem's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,737
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,599
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,599
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,574
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,502
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar other schools in Shawnee Mission
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Briarwood Elem
Standard public school
674 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Corinth Elem
Standard public school
576 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Brookridge Elem
Standard public school
548 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Shawanoe Elem
Standard public school
530 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Apache Elem
Standard public school
526 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Mill Creek Elem
Standard public school
495 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~345 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highlands Elem's federal record.
- Compare Highlands Elem against another school. Compare schools
- Shawnee Mission Pub Sch'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 Highlands Elem
How many students attend Highlands Elem?
Highlands Elem has 345 students enrolled. It is a public school in Shawnee Mission, KS.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elem?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elem is 15:1, which is 9% higher than the Kansas average of 13.8:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highlands Elem?
9.7% of students at Highlands Elem are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kansas average of 42.7%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Elem?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Elem is White at 77.4% of enrollment, in Shawnee Mission, KS.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Elem?
Highlands Elem has a Resource Investment Index of 66/100 (higher 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 Highlands Elem rank among schools in Shawnee Mission?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elem ranks #1 of 33 schools in Shawnee Mission, KS. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Shawnee Mission on the city page.
Is Highlands Elem a good school?
Highlands Elem earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 73% of 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 Shawnee Mission Pub Sch?
Besides Highlands Elem, Shawnee Mission Pub Sch also operates Shawnee Mission East High (1,737 students), Shawnee Mission Northwest High (1,599 students), and Shawnee Mission West High (1,599 students). See the Shawnee Mission Pub Sch 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.