Enrollment
386
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Renton, WA
Highlands Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 530723001072
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Washington schools.
- #6 of 11
- elementary schools in Renton · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- small classes for Washington
- 62.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 83% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 elementary schools in Renton, WA.
School address
District: Renton School District · Washington
NCES ID 530723001072 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.3%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highlands Elementary School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highlands Elementary School
Highlands Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Renton, Washington, enrolling 386 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 386 students, its enrollment sits close to the Washington median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 419 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #339, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and Asian (11%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 386 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Renton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Kennydale Elementary School (511 students): Highlands Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 15.5:1).
Renton School District also operates Hazen Senior High School (1,796 students) and Renton Senior High School (1,208 students) alongside Highlands Elementary 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 Highlands Elementary School compares
Highlands Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▼ 24% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.3% | ▲ 38% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 386 | top 50% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
386
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% above the Washington average of 45.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 17% in Washington - lower ratio than 83% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$17,639
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 386 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 58.3%
Asian 11.4%
African American 10.6%
Two or More 10.1%
White 8.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.8, Highlands Elementary School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Renton School District, which includes Highlands Elementary School.
$17,639
Per student
-9%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
+6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.7%
State 56.5%
Federal 9.8%
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 Highlands Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazen Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Renton Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lindbergh Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Nelsen Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mcknight Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,796
- Students per teacher
- 23:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,208
- Students per teacher
- 21.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 1,201
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 913
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Renton
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Kennydale Elementary School
Standard public school
511 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Sartori Elementary School
Standard public school
510 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Benson Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
477 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Talbot Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
445 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Cascade Elementary School
Standard public school
434 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Maplewood Heights Elementary School
Standard public school
395 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~386 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highlands Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Highlands Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Renton School District'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 School
How many students attend Highlands Elementary School?
Highlands Elementary School has 386 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Renton, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary School is 13.3:1, which is 24% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highlands Elementary School?
62.3% of students at Highlands Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 58.3% of enrollment, in Renton, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Elementary School?
Highlands Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highlands Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Renton?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary School ranks #6 of 11 elementary schools in Renton, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Renton on the city page.
Is Highlands Elementary School a good school?
Highlands Elementary School earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 83% of Washington 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 Renton School District?
Besides Highlands Elementary School, Renton School District also operates Hazen Senior High School (1,796 students), Renton Senior High School (1,208 students), and Lindbergh Senior High School (1,201 students). See the Renton School District 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.