- Enrollment
- 1,078
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grand Rapids, MI
Highlands School
Federal NCES profile for Highlands School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 262595006243
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Highlands School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Michigan median.
- #20 of 24
- elementary schools in Grand Rapids · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 41.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Highlands School has class sizes near the Michigan median. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands School ranks #20 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI.
School address
District: Northview Public Schools · Michigan
NCES ID 262595006243 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+22 students YoY
Highlands School grew from 412 students in 2022-23 to 434 in 2023-24 (+5.3%).
Teacher FTE added 27.8 → 28.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+22 students YoY 262595006243 · Grand Rapids, MI Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
445 enr · 16.5:1 · 41.0% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Northview High School (1,078 students)
Highlands School grew from 412 students in 2022-23 to 434 in 2023-24 (+5.3%). Teacher FTE added 27.8 → 28.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Michigan schools → · Find another →
Highlands School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Northview High
Northview High School
1,078 students
- Crossroads Mid
Crossroads Middle School
472 students
- This school
Highlands School
445 students
- East Oakview E 371
East Oakview Elementary School
371 students
- North Oakview 346
North Oakview Elementary School
346 students
- West Oakview E 240
West Oakview Elementary School
240 students
What this shows Highlands School reports 445 students on the CCD universe file.
How Highlands School compares
Highlands School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.5:1 | ▼ 6% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.0% | ▼ 24% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 445 | top 34% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
445
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
41.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 48% in Michigan - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
58.9%
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
$14,880
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $15,012
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 69.2%
Two or More 11.2%
Hispanic or Latino 10.3%
African American 8.1%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 69.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.1, Highlands School is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
District finance for Northview Public Schools reports $14,880 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Highlands School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northview High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Crossroads Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Oakview Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| North Oakview Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West Oakview Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Highlands School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 472
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 346
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 240
- Students per teacher
- 10:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Grand Rapids
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~445 students)
Frequently asked questions about Highlands School
How many students attend Highlands School?
Highlands School has 445 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grand Rapids, MI. CCD year-over-year: 412 (2022-23) → 434 (2023-24), up 22.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands School?
The student-teacher ratio at Highlands School is 16.5:1, which is 6% lower than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 5% 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 School?
41.0% of students at Highlands School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Highlands School?
The largest demographic group at Highlands School is White at 69.2% of enrollment, in Grand Rapids, MI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Highlands School?
Highlands School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Highlands School rank among elementary schools in Grand Rapids?
By Resource Investment Index, Highlands School ranks #20 of 24 elementary schools in Grand Rapids, MI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Grand Rapids on the city page.
What other schools are in Northview Public Schools?
Besides Highlands School, Northview Public Schools also operates Northview High School (1,078 students), Crossroads Middle School (472 students), and East Oakview Elementary School (371 students). See the Northview Public Schools district page for the complete list.