Enrollment
417
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Appleton, WI
Highlands Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550039000055
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #15 of 20
- schools in Appleton · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.9:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 62.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Elementary has class sizes smaller than 90% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary ranks #15 of 20 schools in Appleton, WI.
School address
District: Appleton Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550039000055 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.5%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+62% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highlands Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highlands Elementary
Highlands Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Appleton, Wisconsin, enrolling 417 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.9:1, Highlands Elementary is leaner than roughly 90% of Wisconsin schools and 31% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 62.5% of students qualify for free meals, 62% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 417 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 179 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #131, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Asian (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 417 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Appleton's public schools, it stands alongside Wisconsin Connections Academy (743 students): Highlands Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.9:1 vs 35.4:1).
Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students) and East High (1,238 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 Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.9:1 | ▼ 31% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.5% | ▲ 62% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 417 | top 31% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.9:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
417
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 62% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
9.9:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 10% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
41.2%
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
$13,545
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 417 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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 41.0%
Asian 28.8%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 5.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 41.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Highlands Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Appleton Area School District, which includes Highlands Elementary.
$13,545
Per student
-9%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 48.8%
Federal 11.4%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Einstein Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher 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
- 1,635
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Appleton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Wisconsin Connections Academy
Standard public school
743 students 35.4:1 students per teacher
Appleton Community 4k
Standard public school
672 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Huntley Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Houdini Elementary
Standard public school
501 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Ferber Elementary
Standard public school
499 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Elementary
Standard public school
380 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~417 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highlands Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Highlands Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Appleton Area 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
How many students attend Highlands Elementary?
Highlands Elementary has 417 students enrolled. It is a public school in Appleton, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary is 9.9:1, which is 31% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 37% 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?
62.5% of students at Highlands Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Elementary is White at 41.0% of enrollment, in Appleton, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Elementary?
Highlands Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 rank among schools in Appleton?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Elementary ranks #15 of 20 schools in Appleton, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Appleton on the city page.
Is Highlands Elementary a good school?
Highlands Elementary earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin 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 Appleton Area School District?
Besides Highlands Elementary, Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students), East High (1,238 students), and West High (1,024 students). See the Appleton Area 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.