Highland High School

Summary:

Highland High School is a public high school located in Gilbert, Arizona, serving grades 8-12 with a total enrollment of 3,174 students. The school is part of the Gilbert Unified District, which is ranked 90 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland High School consistently ranks among the top high schools in Arizona, with strong academic performance. The school's 11th-grade proficiency rates in English Language Arts (57%) and Mathematics (53%) are significantly higher than the state averages (38% and 30%, respectively). Highland High School also maintains a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 89.8% to 95.3% over the past five years, outperforming the state average. The school's dropout rate is low, ranging from 0.7% to 2.0% over the same period.

Compared to nearby schools, Gilbert High School has a higher percentage of Hispanic students and a lower percentage of White students, while Gilbert Classical Academy 7-12, a public charter school, stands out with exceptional academic performance, with proficiency rates often exceeding 90% in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. Additionally, Great Hearts Academies - Arete Prep, another public charter school in the area, also demonstrates strong academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public 8-12

 4301 E Guadalupe Rd
       Gilbert, AZ  85234-7601


(480) 813-0051

District: Gilbert Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
87th of 270 Arizona High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $5,707 Help


Feeder schools for Highland High School:

Elementary:    Carol Rae Ranch Elementary
    Greenfield Elementary School
    Highland Park Elementary
    Superstition Springs Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Highland Junior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  20.7 Help
Number of students:  3,027

Racial breakdown:

White:
68.0%
Hispanic:
19.6%
Two or more races:
5.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  15% Help


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 Compare Highland High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland High School ranks better than 67.8% of high schools in Arizona. It also ranks 3rd among 6 ranked high schools in the Gilbert Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 62.15. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Highland High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Highland High School has the largest high school student body size in the Gilbert Unified District. Racial makeup is: White (68%), Hispanic (19.6%), two or more races (5.1%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland High School is 20.7, which is the highest among 6 high schools in the Gilbert Unified District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland High School employs 146.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland High School is $5,707, which is the lowest among 6 high schools in the Gilbert Unified District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland High School 87th of 270 Arizona public high schools. (See Highland High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Gilbert Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Gilbert Unified District 97th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Highland High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 89.79 35th 395 91.1%
2010 89.49 40th 403 90.1%
2011 91.79 31st 397 92.2%
2012 89.64 38th 471 91.9%
2013 85.61 52nd 491 89.4%
2014 87.58 40th 394 89.8%
2015 71.70 44th 261 83.1%
2016 84.22 42nd 406 89.7%
2017 78.55 50th 416 88.0%
2018 66.48 94th 420 77.6%
2019 61.66 72nd 285 74.7%
2021 82.24 79th 509 84.5%
2022 78.59 69th 464 85.1%
2023 82.26 67th 469 85.7%
2024 62.15 87th 270 67.8%
See the entire list of Arizona High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.01 32nd 76 57.9%
2019 67.47 4th 25 84.0%
2021 68.92 94th 374 74.9%
2022 67.53 77th 282 72.7%
2023 34.47 132nd 199 33.7%
2024 60.92 13th 37 64.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 44.58 29th 312 90.7%
2022 41.67 53rd 258 79.5%
2023 84.15 3rd 24 87.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.21 46th 155 70.3%
2021 67.82 47th 422 88.9%
2022 73.42 31st 380 91.8%
2023 34.65 90th 172 47.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.01 63rd 253 75.1%
2022 76.03 31st 168 81.5%
2023 79.80 42nd 347 87.9%
2024 58.39 53rd 172 69.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 31.10 69th 168 58.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.72 85th 354 76.0%
2019 64.21 74th 247 70.0%
2021 84.85 63rd 492 87.2%
2022 78.05 63rd 456 86.2%
2023 86.19 37th 406 90.9%
2024 58.67 75th 200 62.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 34.65 38th 130 70.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.08 52nd 102 49.0%
2022 24.62 101st 125 19.2%
2023 22.58 60th 74 18.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.63 96th 370 74.1%
2019 59.17 70th 238 70.6%
2021 77.19 86th 492 82.5%
2022 75.00 87th 455 80.9%
2023 82.74 64th 429 85.1%
2024 59.99 80th 219 63.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.93 50th 83 39.8%
2019 30.26 36th 44 18.2%
2021 48.16 144th 231 37.7%
2022 51.22 111th 238 53.4%
2023 45.38 88th 146 39.7%
2024 15.11 26th 30 13.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.29 15th 122 87.7%
2021 86.23 21st 306 93.1%
2022 70.76 51st 301 83.1%
2023 50.02 88th 201 56.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.40 121st 311 61.1%
2019 43.66 78th 183 57.4%
2021 68.38 94th 479 80.4%
2022 62.60 101st 441 77.1%
2023 79.16 45th 379 88.1%
2024 57.00 58th 170 65.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 90.85 17th 256 93.4%
2022 79.13 32nd 255 87.5%
2023 74.63 27th 128 78.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 63.14 18th 94 80.9%
2022 41.03 66th 129 48.8%
2023 46.55 26th 41 36.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.47 96th 291 67.0%
2019 53.90 82nd 217 62.2%
2021 74.29 94th 448 79.0%
2022 66.63 97th 409 76.3%
2023 71.15 90th 371 75.7%
2024 47.31 90th 184 51.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Highland High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
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Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.8)
50%

25%

0%

0%

25%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Open Quote I am very disappointed with the poor education and the lack of tolerance for diversity in this school. There are many incidences of racism, bigotry and hateful attitudes toward the LGBTQ community which the administration has done the bare minimum to address. The very conservative oppressive atmosphere of this school breeds unacceptable attitudes and behaviors of students that makes it appear we are still living in the 1970s. My son graduated from there, and my daughter has decided to change to a different School district altogether for her last two years of HS because of the very exclusive intolerant views of the majority of the students. If you aren’t Caucasian, conservative and of a Christian faith you will be excluded, ridiculed and not fit in. And I’m some caused verbally abused if not physically abused. I am extremely disappointed in the lack of effort the administration has put into providing education and awareness to enhance tolerance and understanding of diversity. If they put even a tenth of an effort into a cultural diversity awareness program compared to what they do for their sports and music programs, there might actually be some movement in the right direction. For now HHS seems to be a continued breeding ground for allowing and condoning hate and discrimination. Close Quote


by a student
Friday, April 30, 2021

Open Quote This is a great school!!
It is sad that 48 of kids there are below average IQ though. :( Close Quote


by a parent
Sunday, March 18, 2012

Open Quote Great parent involvement, supportive administration and focused faculty and departments. I currently have two children attending Highland and one that graduated two years ago. We have experienced much of what Highland has to offer from sports to music to clubs as well as their focus on academic success. The school is focused on leading the district and being a pioneer in technology. This is a large school and the school population represents the school boundaries with a good mix of different sized homes in different subdivisions. The school has very active boosters supporting over 16 clubs/sports/organizations and it creates an environment where students have opportunities to participate and succeed. I highly recommend Highland High School! Close Quote


by a student
Monday, April 13, 2009

Open Quote the principal is very mean to students and he spend a lot of the funding we need on a new office! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Highland High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1994 1529 23 20 103 3 n/a n/a 0 1678
1997 2598 39 53 202 11 n/a n/a 0 2903
1998 2743 48 64 194 10 n/a n/a 0 3059
1999 2430 57 61 176 11 n/a n/a 0 2735
2000 2380 63 63 178 6 n/a n/a 0 2690
2001 2365 59 58 172 6 n/a n/a 0 2660
2002 2089 43 71 174 14 n/a n/a 0 2391
2003 2089 43 71 174 14 n/a n/a 0 2391
2004 2044 39 79 172 13 n/a n/a 0 2347
2005 2120 55 89 205 14 n/a n/a 0 2483
2006 2240 55 111 241 15 n/a n/a 0 2662
2007 2348 78 108 291 21 n/a n/a 0 2846
2008 2374 92 132 300 23 n/a n/a 0 2921
2009 2410 102 150 323 21 n/a n/a 0 3006
2010 2402 97 153 301 23 n/a n/a 0 2976
2011 2344 96 162 330 25 3 4 0 2964
2012 2304 94 150 336 22 2 18 0 2926
2013 2333 90 155 351 26 11 21 0 2987
2014 2317 93 162 380 22 11 25 0 3010
2015 2348 88 157 405 20 12 35 0 3065
2016 2369 80 160 430 22 11 36 0 3108
2017 2196 88 146 432 19 11 53 0 2945
2018 2221 88 148 446 17 15 50 0 2985
2019 2221 82 154 447 19 21 68 0 3012
2020 2327 80 151 477 24 25 95 0 3179
2021 2040 44 89 469 19 18 95 0 2774
2022 2224 55 112 569 26 24 136 0 3146
2023 2192 62 105 618 27 22 148 0 3174
2024 2059 66 109 594 24 22 153 0 3027

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Highland High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 1678 79.4 21.1 n/a
1997 2903 145.1 20.0 n/a
1998 3059 166.1 18.4 n/a
1999 2735 147.9 18.5 n/a
2000 2690 158.0 17.0 n/a
2001 2660 148.7 17.9 n/a
2002 2391 135.1 17.7 n/a
2003 2391 135.1 17.7 n/a
2004 2347 128.9 18.2 0
2005 2483 137.1 18.1 1
2006 2662 145.3 18.3 7.4
2007 2846 151.4 18.8 8.5
2008 2921 152.1 19.2 9.1
2009 3006 156.5 19.2 12.6
2010 2976 141.0 21.1 13.6
2011 2964 138.5 21.3 16
2012 2926 131.0 22.3 9.8
2013 2987 136.4 21.8 1.2
2014 3010 141.3 21.2 0.9
2015 3065 124.0 24.7 0.4
2016 3108 135.0 23.0 0.5
2017 2945 122.3 24.0 17.3
2018 2985 123.3 24.2 14
2019 3012 147.2 20.4 15
2020 3179 152.6 20.8 14
2021 2774 141.2 19.6 n/a
2022 3146 143.4 21.9 5.9
2023 3174 130.2 24.3 15
2024 3027 146.2 20.7 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Highland High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1994 1678 79.4 21.1 n/a
1997 2903 145.1 20.0 n/a
1998 3059 166.1 18.4 n/a
1999 2735 147.9 18.5 n/a
2000 2690 158.0 17.0 n/a
2001 2660 148.7 17.9 n/a
2002 2391 135.1 17.7 n/a
2003 2391 135.1 17.7 n/a
2004 2347 128.9 18.2 0
2005 2483 137.1 18.1 1
2006 2662 145.3 18.3 7.4
2007 2846 151.4 18.8 8.5
2008 2921 152.1 19.2 9.1
2009 3006 156.5 19.2 12.6
2010 2976 141.0 21.1 13.6
2011 2964 138.5 21.3 16
2012 2926 131.0 22.3 9.8
2013 2987 136.4 21.8 1.2
2014 3010 141.3 21.2 0.9
2015 3065 124.0 24.7 0.4
2016 3108 135.0 23.0 0.5
2017 2945 122.3 24.0 17.3
2018 2985 123.3 24.2 14
2019 3012 147.2 20.4 15
2020 3179 152.6 20.8 14
2021 2774 141.2 19.6 n/a
2022 3146 143.4 21.9 5.9
2023 3174 130.2 24.3 15
2024 3027 146.2 20.7 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highland High School

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $186 (2.4%) $125 (1.6%) $497 (6.5%) $6,089 (79.3%) $1,278 (16.6%) $7,367 (95.9%) $7,678
2020 $100 (1.8%) $138 (2.6%) $340 (6.3%) $4,894 (90.5%) $274 (5.1%) $5,168 (95.6%) $5,407
2021 $121 (1.9%) $172 (2.7%) $415 (6.6%) $5,433 (86.7%) $538 (8.6%) $5,972 (95.3%) $6,265
2022 $85 (1.5%) $36 (0.6%) $206 (3.6%) $5,097 (89.3%) $489 (8.6%) $5,586 (97.9%) $5,707

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 72nd of 285 High schoolsRanks 67th of 469 High schools
 11%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students30123174
 5.4%
African American8262
 24.4%
American Indian1927
 42.1%
Asian154105
 31.8%
Hispanic447618
 38.3%
Pacific Islander2122
 4.8%
White22212192
 1.3%
Two or More Races68148
 117.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients15%15%
 0%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Highland High School

Students at Highland High School are 68% White, 20% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 2% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 3,027 students attended Highland High School.

Highland High School ranks 87th of 270 Arizona high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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