- Enrollment
- 665
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Natrona Heights, PA
Highlands Ms
Federal NCES profile for Highlands Ms, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 421188007275
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands Ms earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Pennsylvania schools.
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.3:1
- small classes for Pennsylvania
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 575
- students enrolled
Highlands Ms has class sizes smaller than 90% of Pennsylvania schools. Computed live against every Pennsylvania school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Highlands Sd · Pennsylvania
NCES ID 421188007275 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-56 students YoY
Highlands Ms shrank from 652 students in 2022-23 to 596 in 2023-24 (-8.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 56.1 → 52.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-56 students YoY 421188007275 · Natrona Heights, PA Elementary · MID · TRAD
575 enr · 10.3:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 43
Nearest enrollment peer: Highlands Shs (665 students)
Highlands Ms shrank from 652 students in 2022-23 to 596 in 2023-24 (-8.6%). Teacher FTE lost 56.1 → 52.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Pennsylvania schools → · Find another →
Highlands Ms in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Highlands Shs
Highlands Shs
665 students
- This school
Highlands Ms
575 students
- Highlands El S
Highlands El Sch
559 students
- Highlands Earl 205
Highlands Early Childhood Center
205 students
What this shows Highlands Ms reports 575 students on the CCD universe file.
How Highlands Ms compares
Highlands Ms is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Pennsylvania and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.3:1 | ▼ 24% | 13.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 72% | 58.1% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 575 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
575
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% above the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 10% in Pennsylvania - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.5%
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
$17,428
per pupil, district-wide
- below Pennsylvania avg of $18,725
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 288 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 9 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 72.5%
Two or More 12.5%
African American 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Largest group: White at 72.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.9, Highlands Ms is more mixed than the Pennsylvania school average of 37.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Highlands Sd reports $17,428 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Highlands Ms Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands Shs | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highlands El Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Highlands Early Childhood Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands Ms's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 559
- Students per teacher
- 12.4:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 205
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Nationwide elementary 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 (~575 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.3:1)
Frequently asked questions about Highlands Ms
How many students attend Highlands Ms?
Highlands Ms has 575 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Natrona Heights, PA. CCD year-over-year: 652 (2022-23) → 596 (2023-24), down 56.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Ms?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Ms is 10.3:1, which is 24% lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13.6:1 and 34% 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 Ms?
100.0% of students at Highlands Ms are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Pennsylvania average of 58.1%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands Ms?
The largest demographic group at Highlands Ms is White at 72.5% of enrollment, in Natrona Heights, PA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands Ms?
Highlands Ms has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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).
What other schools are in Highlands Sd?
Besides Highlands Ms, Highlands Sd also operates Highlands Shs (665 students), Highlands El Sch (559 students), and Highlands Early Childhood Center (205 students). See the Highlands Sd district page for the complete list.