- Enrollment
- 2,887
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Jacksonville, FL
Highlands Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120048000765
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 32
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Florida schools.
- #12 of 24
- middle schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.1:1
- large classes for Florida
- 72.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Middle School has class sizes larger than 85% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Middle School ranks #12 of 24 middle schools in Jacksonville, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-8 students YoY
Highlands Middle School held near 689 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-8 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 31.0 → 36.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-8 students YoY 120048000765 · Jacksonville, FL Middle · MID · TRAD
685 enr · 22.1:1 · 72.6% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Atlantic Coast High School (2,887 students)
Highlands Middle School held near 689 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-8 headcount). Teacher FTE added 31.0 → 36.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Highlands Middle School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Atlantic Coast
Atlantic Coast High School
2,887 students
- Sandalwood Hig
Sandalwood High School
2,627 students
- Mandarin High
Mandarin High School
2,343 students
- Duncan U. Flet
Duncan U. Fletcher High School
2,184 students
- First Coast Hi
First Coast High School
2,098 students
- This school 685
Highlands Middle School
685 students
What this shows Highlands Middle School reports 685 students on the CCD universe file.
How Highlands Middle School compares
Highlands Middle School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.1:1 | ▲ 24% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.6% | ▲ 40% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 685 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.1:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
685
Bigger than 79% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
72.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 40% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
22.1:1
students per teacher
- 24% above state mean
Top 85% in Florida - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$11,670
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $12,081
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 343 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
232
in-school suspensions + 212 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 33.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 64.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 10 expulsions.
Student demographics
African American 75.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.8%
White 9.2%
Two or More 4.1%
Asian 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 75.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.0, Highlands Middle School is less mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Duval reports $11,670 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Highlands Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandalwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mandarin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Duncan U. Fletcher High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| First Coast High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,627
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,184
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 2,098
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
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 (~685 students)
Frequently asked questions about Highlands Middle School
How many students attend Highlands Middle School?
Highlands Middle School has 685 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Jacksonville, FL. CCD year-over-year: 697 (2022-23) → 689 (2023-24), nearly flat (-8).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School is 22.1:1, which is 24% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Highlands Middle School?
72.6% of students at Highlands Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Middle School is African American at 75.5% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Middle School?
Highlands Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Highlands Middle School rank among middle schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Middle School ranks #12 of 24 middle schools in Jacksonville, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Jacksonville on the city page.
What other schools are in Duval?
Besides Highlands Middle School, Duval also operates Atlantic Coast High School (2,887 students), Sandalwood High School (2,627 students), and Mandarin High School (2,343 students). See the Duval district page for the complete list.