Enrollment
666
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Saugus, CA
Highlands Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063597006155
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% of California schools.
- #5 of 7
- elementary schools in Saugus · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 27.8:1
- large classes for California
- 21.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Elementary has class sizes larger than 92% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Saugus, CA.
School address
District: Saugus Union · California
NCES ID 063597006155 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.8:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.4%
vs 55.5% California avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highlands Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highlands Elementary
Highlands Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Saugus, California, enrolling 666 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.8:1 is larger than about 92% of California schools and 29% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.4% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the California average.
Enrollment of 666 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,315 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #280.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (61%) and White (26%) (diversity index 56/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Saugus Union spends $12,536 per pupil, 24% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Saugus's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mountainview Elementary (917 students): Highlands Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (27.8:1 vs 25.5:1).
Saugus Union also operates West Creek Academy (983 students) and Mountainview Elementary (917 students) alongside Highlands 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 Highlands Elementary compares
Highlands 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 | 27.8:1 | ▲ 29% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.4% | ▼ 61% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 666 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.8:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
666
Bigger than 78% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
27.8:1
students per teacher
- 29% above state mean
Top 92% in California - lower ratio than 8% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
18.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,536
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
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 + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 60.5%
White 26.4%
Asian 5.3%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 2.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.8, Highlands Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Saugus Union, which includes Highlands Elementary.
$12,536
Per student
-24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 46.9%
State 46.9%
Federal 6.2%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Creek Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mountainview Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Plum Canyon Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bridgeport Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Emblem Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 983
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 917
- Students per teacher
- 25.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 876
- Students per teacher
- 29.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 866
- Students per teacher
- 28.9:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 810
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Saugus
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mountainview Elementary
Standard public school
917 students 25.5:1 students per teacher
Plum Canyon Elementary
Standard public school
876 students 29.2:1 students per teacher
Emblem Academy
Standard public school
810 students 27:1 students per teacher
Rosedell Elementary
Standard public school
660 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
James Foster Elementary
Standard public school
508 students 29.9:1 students per teacher
Santa Clarita Elementary
Standard public school
254 students 25.4:1 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 (~666 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highlands Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highlands Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Saugus Union'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 Elementary
How many students attend Highlands Elementary?
Highlands Elementary has 666 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Saugus, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary is 27.8:1, which is 29% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 77% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highlands Elementary?
21.4% of students at Highlands Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 60.5% of enrollment, in Saugus, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Elementary?
Highlands Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Elementary rank among elementary schools in Saugus?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary ranks #5 of 7 elementary schools in Saugus, 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 Saugus on the city page.
Is Highlands Elementary a good school?
Highlands Elementary earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 92% 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 Saugus Union?
Besides Highlands Elementary, Saugus Union also operates West Creek Academy (983 students), Mountainview Elementary (917 students), and Plum Canyon Elementary (876 students). See the Saugus Union 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.