Enrollment
745
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Kennewick, WA
Highlands Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530393000603
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Middle School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median.
- #1 of 5
- middle schools in Kennewick · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 77.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands Middle School has class sizes near the Washington median. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Kennewick, WA.
School address
District: Kennewick School District · Washington
NCES ID 530393000603 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
46.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.6%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
+72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Highlands Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Highlands Middle School
Highlands Middle School is a high-poverty, large middle school in Kennewick, Washington, enrolling 745 students.
At 16.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Washington median, within a few percentage points of the 17.6:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 77.6% of students qualify for free meals, 72% above the Washington average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 745 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 2,394 Washington schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 156 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #2, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (34%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 248 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.2% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Kennewick School District spends $14,867 per pupil, 24% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 9 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Kennewick's middle schools, it stands alongside Chinook Middle School (950 students): Highlands Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 22.6:1).
Kennewick School District also operates Kamiakin High School (1,956 students) and Kennewick High School (1,921 students) alongside Highlands Middle 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 Middle School compares
Highlands Middle 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 | 16.2:1 | ▼ 8% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.6% | ▲ 72% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 745 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
745
Bigger than 83% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Washington average of 45.0%
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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 49% in Washington - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
3.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$14,867
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 248 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 102 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 expulsions.
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 59.8%
White 33.6%
Two or More 3.9%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 59.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.8, Highlands Middle School is about as mixed as the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kennewick School District, which includes Highlands Middle School.
$14,867
Per student
-24%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-10%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 13.1%
State 74.5%
Federal 12.3%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamiakin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kennewick High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chinook Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Desert Hills Middle School | Similar size | 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
- 1,956
- Students per teacher
- 25.4:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,921
- Students per teacher
- 24.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,612
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 950
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 21.6:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle schools in Kennewick
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~745 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Highlands Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Highlands Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Kennewick 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 Middle School
How many students attend Highlands Middle School?
Highlands Middle School has 745 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Kennewick, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School is 16.2:1, which is 8% lower than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 3% higher 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 Middle School?
77.6% of students at Highlands Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 59.8% of enrollment, in Kennewick, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Middle School?
Highlands Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher 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 Middle School rank among middle schools in Kennewick?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands Middle School ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Kennewick, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Kennewick on the city page.
Is Highlands Middle School a good school?
Highlands Middle School earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Washington median. 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 Kennewick School District?
Besides Highlands Middle School, Kennewick School District also operates Kamiakin High School (1,956 students), Kennewick High School (1,921 students), and Southridge High School (1,612 students). See the Kennewick 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.