Enrollment
2,312
Texas · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Missouri City, TX
Hightower H S
Federal NCES profile for Hightower H S, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 481965007885
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 42
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hightower H S earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Texas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Texas.
- #8 of 14
- schools in Missouri City · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.9:1
- large classes for Texas
- 58.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Hightower H S has class sizes larger than 70% of Texas schools. Computed live against every Texas school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hightower H S ranks #8 of 14 schools in Missouri City, TX.
School address
District: Fort Bend Isd · Texas
NCES ID 481965007885 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
145.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.9:1
vs 14.7:1 Texas avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
58.5%
vs 61.9% Texas avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hightower H S compares with Texas and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hightower H S
Hightower H S is a higher-need, large combined-grade school in Missouri City, Texas, enrolling 2,312 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Texas schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 58.5% lands close to the Texas typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Texas, bigger than 98% of state schools at 2,312 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 8,960 scored Texas schools.
Against 183 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #66.
Its student body is led by African American (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 57/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 289 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Fort Bend Isd spends $10,893 per pupil, 20% below the Texas average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Fort Bend Isd also operates William B Travis H S (3,114 students) and Lawrence E Elkins H S (2,848 students) alongside Hightower H S.
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 Hightower H S compares
Hightower H S on the metrics families compare, against Texas and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Texas | Texas avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.9:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 58.5% | ▼ 5% | 61.9% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 2,312 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.9:1
Leaner classes than 39% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
2,312
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
58.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Texas average of 61.9%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.9:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 70% in Texas - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.8%
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
$10,893
per pupil, district-wide
- below Texas avg of $13,644
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 289 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
158
in-school suspensions + 197 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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
African American 55.8%
Hispanic or Latino 33.6%
Asian 5.6%
Two or More 2.9%
White 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 55.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.2, Hightower H S is more mixed than the Texas school average of 44.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 23
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Bend Isd, which includes Hightower H S.
$10,893
Per student
-20%
vs Texas
Avg $13,644
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.4%
State 26.9%
Federal 14.7%
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 Hightower H S Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William B Travis H S | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lawrence E Elkins H S | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Point H S | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Stephen F Austin H S | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clements H S | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hightower H S's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,114
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 2,848
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,816
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 2,655
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 2,641
- Students per teacher
- 19.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Texas, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~2,312 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hightower H S's federal record.
- Compare Hightower H S against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Bend Isd'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 Hightower H S
How many students attend Hightower H S?
Hightower H S has 2,312 students enrolled. It is a public school in Missouri City, TX.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hightower H S?
The student-teacher ratio at Hightower H S is 15.9:1, which is 8% higher than the Texas average of 14.7:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Hightower H S?
58.5% of students at Hightower H S are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Texas average of 61.9%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hightower H S?
The largest demographic group at Hightower H S is African American at 55.8% of enrollment, in Missouri City, TX. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hightower H S?
Hightower H S has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hightower H S rank among schools in Missouri City?
By Resource Investment Index, Hightower H S ranks #8 of 14 schools in Missouri City, TX. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Missouri City on the city page.
Is Hightower H S a good school?
Hightower H S earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Texas schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Texas. 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 Fort Bend Isd?
Besides Hightower H S, Fort Bend Isd also operates William B Travis H S (3,114 students), Lawrence E Elkins H S (2,848 students), and Ridge Point H S (2,816 students). See the Fort Bend Isd 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.