Enrollment
372
Tennessee · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Chattanooga, TN
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park
Federal NCES profile for Montessori Elementary at Highland Park, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 58/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 470159002652Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 12
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Tennessee schools.
- #3 of 25
- schools in Chattanooga · Resource Index
- 58
- Resource Index · Higher
- 21.9:1
- large classes for Tennessee
- 372
- students enrolled
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park has class sizes larger than 95% of Tennessee schools. Computed live against every Tennessee school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Montessori Elementary at Highland Park ranks #3 of 25 schools in Chattanooga, TN.
School address
District: Hamilton County · Tennessee
NCES ID 470159002652 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.9:1
vs 15.3:1 Tennessee avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Montessori Elementary at Highland Park compares with Tennessee and U.S. medians
What stands out at Montessori Elementary at Highland Park
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park is a mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, enrolling 372 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.9:1 is larger than about 95% of Tennessee schools and 43% above the 15.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
With 372 students, its enrollment sits close to the Tennessee median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 93% of the 1,838 Tennessee schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by African American (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 54/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Chattanooga's public schools, it stands alongside East Brainerd Elementary (1,177 students): Montessori Elementary at Highland Park is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.9:1 vs 16.3:1).
Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students) and The Howard School (1,329 students) alongside Montessori Elementary at Highland Park.
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 Montessori Elementary at Highland Park compares
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park on the metrics families compare, against Tennessee and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Tennessee | Tennessee avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.9:1 | ▲ 43% | 15.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Enrollment | 372 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.9:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
372
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Staffing depth
21.9:1
students per teacher
- 43% above state mean
Top 95% in Tennessee - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
3.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$12,002
per pupil, district-wide
- above Tennessee avg of $10,822
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that 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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 64.0%
Hispanic or Latino 18.5%
White 14.0%
Two or More 2.7%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 64.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.6, Montessori Elementary at Highland Park is more mixed than the Tennessee school average of 38.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Hamilton County, which includes Montessori Elementary at Highland Park.
$12,002
Per student
+11%
vs Tennessee
Avg $10,822
-28%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.2%
State 31.6%
Federal 21.1%
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 Montessori Elementary at Highland Park Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Mountain Middle/High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| The Howard School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Hamilton High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ooltewah High School | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Brainerd Elementary | Larger | No free-lunch data | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Montessori Elementary at Highland Park's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,396
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,329
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,293
- Students per teacher
- 68.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,233
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,177
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Chattanooga
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
East Brainerd Elementary
Standard public school
1,177 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts
Standard public school
979 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
East Ridge Elementary
Standard public school
959 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Normal Park Museum Magnet School
Standard public school
877 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Harrison Elementary
Standard public school
775 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Chattanooga School for Arts and Sciences Upper
Standard public school
741 students 18.5:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Tennessee, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~372 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Montessori Elementary at Highland Park's federal record.
- Compare Montessori Elementary at Highland Park against another school. Compare schools
- Hamilton County'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 Montessori Elementary at Highland Park
How many students attend Montessori Elementary at Highland Park?
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park has 372 students enrolled. It is a public school in Chattanooga, TN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Montessori Elementary at Highland Park?
The student-teacher ratio at Montessori Elementary at Highland Park is 21.9:1, which is 43% higher than the Tennessee average of 15.3:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Montessori Elementary at Highland Park?
The largest demographic group at Montessori Elementary at Highland Park is African American at 64.0% of enrollment, in Chattanooga, TN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Montessori Elementary at Highland Park?
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park has a Resource Investment Index of 58/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Montessori Elementary at Highland Park rank among schools in Chattanooga?
By Resource Investment Index, Montessori Elementary at Highland Park ranks #3 of 25 schools in Chattanooga, TN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Chattanooga on the city page.
Is Montessori Elementary at Highland Park a good school?
Montessori Elementary at Highland Park earns 58/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Tennessee schools. 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 Hamilton County?
Besides Montessori Elementary at Highland Park, Hamilton County also operates Signal Mountain Middle/High School (1,396 students), The Howard School (1,329 students), and East Hamilton High School (1,293 students). See the Hamilton County 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.