Highland Lakes School

Summary:

Highland Lakes School is an exceptional elementary school in Glendale, Arizona, serving 1,069 students in grades PK-8 as part of the Deer Valley Unified District. This school consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in the state, maintaining a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade and outperforming the district and state in academic assessments.

Highland Lakes School's students excel in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, with 75% of 4th-graders scoring proficient or better in ELA, compared to 60% for the district and 46% for the state. The school also demonstrates strong performance across diverse student subgroups, including Asian, Multi-racial, and Special Education students. Additionally, Highland Lakes School has maintained a remarkable 0% dropout rate for the past 5 school years, and its per-student spending has been higher than the state average, suggesting a strong investment in resources and programs.

While Highland Lakes School outperforms the Deer Valley Unified District and the state of Arizona in most academic metrics, some nearby schools within the same district, such as Sierra Verde STEAM Academy and Legend Springs Elementary, also demonstrate strong academic performance, indicating that the Deer Valley Unified District as a whole is providing a high-quality education to its students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 19000 N 63rd Ave
       Glendale, AZ  85308-7138


(623) 376-4300

District: Deer Valley Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
112th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,294 Help


Students who attend Highland Lakes School usually attend:

High:    Deer Valley High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.5 Help
Number of students:  1,069

Racial breakdown:

White:
67.8%
Hispanic:
16.9%
Two or more races:
6.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  23.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Highland Lakes School ranks better than 87.6% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 8th among 31 ranked elementary schools in the Deer Valley Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 85.78. (See more...)
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Compare Details Highland Lakes School ranks better than 86.7% of middle schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 82.98. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Highland Lakes School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Deer Valley Unified District. Racial makeup is: White (67.8%), Hispanic (16.9%), two or more races (6.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 23.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Lakes School is 16.5. 16 elementary schools in the Deer Valley Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland Lakes School employs 64.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Lakes School is $7,294. 16 elementary schools in the Deer Valley Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Lakes School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Lakes School 112th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Highland Lakes School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Lakes School 71st of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Highland Lakes School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Deer Valley Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Deer Valley Unified District 91st of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Highland Lakes School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 76.04 262nd 1062 75.3%
2010 79.11 220th 1090 79.8%
2011 80.32 201st 1075 81.3%
2012 80.58 189th 1141 83.4%
2013 86.80 79th 1158 93.2%
2014 86.28 119th 1079 89.0%
2015 89.73 74th 955 92.3%
2016 93.06 55th 1079 94.9%
2017 95.01 36th 1106 96.7%
2018 92.97 63rd 1109 94.3%
2019 92.47 51st 1039 95.1%
2021 94.53 49th 1226 96.0%
2022 87.36 78th 1000 92.2%
2023 93.67 64th 1245 94.9%
2024 85.78 112th 904 87.6%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 89.22 22nd 1027 97.9%
2022 82.19 36th 444 91.9%
2023 76.40 78th 617 87.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.10 780th 975 20.0%
2023 91.19 19th 451 95.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.16 14th 417 96.6%
2021 75.27 103rd 1201 91.4%
2023 78.13 93rd 820 88.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.86 66th 820 92.0%
2022 55.48 277th 618 55.2%
2023 83.47 110th 1116 90.1%
2024 90.00 42nd 546 92.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.95 92nd 1023 91.0%
2019 87.73 65th 862 92.5%
2021 92.75 61st 1219 95.0%
2022 81.40 92nd 824 88.8%
2023 87.86 124th 1219 89.8%
2024 65.71 183rd 593 69.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.19 39th 1032 96.2%
2019 90.53 49th 850 94.2%
2021 93.68 54th 1220 95.6%
2022 83.40 85th 830 89.8%
2023 93.62 53rd 1216 95.6%
2024 84.10 68th 609 88.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Asian students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 83.42 34th 620 94.5%
2023 82.15 38th 316 88.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.36 226th 895 74.7%
2022 56.78 156th 289 46.0%
2023 70.44 126th 607 79.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.56 87th 911 90.5%
2021 84.95 98th 1198 91.8%
2022 59.72 285th 716 60.2%
2023 81.25 155th 1170 86.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school Native American students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 62.95 115th 654 82.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.57 79th 720 89.0%
2019 81.47 68th 595 88.6%
2021 85.37 93rd 1161 92.0%
2022 77.37 100th 800 87.5%
2023 85.91 82nd 1024 92.0%
2024 67.16 134th 477 71.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Highland Lakes School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 77.91 126th 663 81.0%
2010 74.52 159th 692 77.0%
2011 71.85 181st 685 73.6%
2012 76.75 150th 772 80.6%
2013 82.86 92nd 787 88.3%
2014 87.68 72nd 690 89.6%
2015 84.22 70th 521 86.6%
2016 80.21 110th 677 83.8%
2017 82.77 96th 695 86.2%
2018 86.21 78th 711 89.0%
2019 75.86 134th 605 77.9%
2021 90.76 54th 832 93.5%
2022 82.46 72nd 605 88.1%
2023 89.04 67th 854 92.2%
2024 82.98 71st 533 86.7%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 80.90 56th 650 91.4%
2022 72.97 38th 211 82.0%
2023 69.55 71st 384 81.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 56.28 60th 606 90.1%
2023 74.40 25th 145 82.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.38 42nd 178 76.4%
2021 72.72 55th 789 93.0%
2023 47.67 136th 363 62.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.20 61st 503 87.9%
2022 62.59 111th 369 69.9%
2023 76.79 88th 717 87.7%
2024 69.86 59th 314 81.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 80.72 98th 624 84.3%
2019 64.43 155th 466 66.7%
2021 89.11 54th 820 93.4%
2022 78.16 64th 494 87.0%
2023 90.49 48th 806 94.0%
2024 77.02 61st 379 83.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Foster Care students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 65.86 10th 166 94.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.19 66th 617 89.3%
2019 75.45 91st 435 79.1%
2021 90.60 46th 818 94.4%
2022 76.70 65th 476 86.3%
2023 84.25 87th 810 89.3%
2024 74.99 67th 356 81.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Asian students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 78.19 42nd 404 89.6%
2022 64.63 56th 192 70.8%
2023 76.49 46th 247 81.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 33.70 380th 573 33.7%
2023 34.06 262nd 400 34.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.94 86th 543 84.2%
2019 66.94 98th 387 74.7%
2021 84.87 60th 802 92.5%
2023 74.36 127th 760 83.3%
2024 61.84 84th 322 73.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school Native American students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 82.49 11th 390 97.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for middle school Pacific Islander students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 59.59 14th 108 87.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Highland Lakes School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.28 71st 436 83.7%
2019 61.89 116th 337 65.6%
2021 83.38 70th 780 91.0%
2022 69.12 91st 446 79.6%
2023 81.55 69th 675 89.8%
2024 71.63 55th 273 79.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary 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 Lakes School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Highland Lakes School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2000 517 19 13 43 4 n/a n/a 0 596
2001 754 37 14 70 1 n/a n/a 0 876
2002 820 38 36 77 10 n/a n/a 0 981
2003 820 38 36 77 10 n/a n/a 0 981
2004 880 39 47 73 11 n/a n/a 0 1050
2005 854 31 42 88 6 n/a n/a 0 1021
2006 837 25 40 90 3 n/a n/a 0 995
2007 798 33 41 94 4 n/a n/a 0 970
2008 759 35 36 110 6 n/a n/a 0 946
2009 730 39 35 100 4 n/a n/a 0 908
2010 691 42 40 101 11 n/a n/a 0 885
2011 584 32 30 141 12 3 35 0 837
2012 630 33 25 130 7 1 29 0 855
2013 799 31 44 153 5 1 38 0 1071
2014 782 42 45 147 5 3 43 0 1067
2015 794 48 59 134 5 2 40 0 1082
2016 830 47 55 155 7 1 38 0 1133
2017 862 42 59 141 5 4 31 0 1144
2018 810 36 56 163 2 6 31 0 1104
2019 834 38 67 162 2 9 40 0 1152
2020 850 36 65 128 5 8 46 0 1138
2021 747 33 60 123 8 4 35 0 1010
2022 746 29 58 151 8 5 44 0 1041
2023 725 33 43 181 11 6 70 0 1069

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 Lakes School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 596 32.0 18.6 n/a
2001 876 43.5 20.1 n/a
2002 981 50.6 19.4 7.6
2003 981 50.6 19.4 7.6
2004 1050 51.0 20.6 10.9
2005 1021 55.8 18.3 4.8
2006 995 54.1 18.4 4.4
2007 970 51.1 19.0 5.1
2008 946 48.4 19.5 n/a
2009 908 52.0 17.5 9.6
2010 885 43.6 20.3 15.3
2011 837 46.6 17.9 14.6
2012 855 42.4 20.1 16.1
2013 1071 53.4 20.0 21.4
2014 1067 63.5 16.8 24.6
2015 1082 66.0 16.3 19.9
2016 1133 68.0 16.6 20.9
2017 1144 64.3 17.7 22
2018 1104 63.0 17.5 19.9
2019 1152 62.0 18.5 n/a
2020 1138 64.0 17.7 20.9
2021 1010 63.0 16.0 n/a
2022 1041 67.0 15.5 9.2
2023 1069 64.5 16.5 23.9

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 Lakes School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 596 32.0 18.6 n/a
2001 876 43.5 20.1 n/a
2002 981 50.6 19.4 7.6
2003 981 50.6 19.4 7.6
2004 1050 51.0 20.6 10.9
2005 1021 55.8 18.3 4.8
2006 995 54.1 18.4 4.4
2007 970 51.1 19.0 5.1
2008 946 48.4 19.5 n/a
2009 908 52.0 17.5 9.6
2010 885 43.6 20.3 15.3
2011 837 46.6 17.9 14.6
2012 855 42.4 20.1 16.1
2013 1071 53.4 20.0 21.4
2014 1067 63.5 16.8 24.6
2015 1082 66.0 16.3 19.9
2016 1133 68.0 16.6 20.9
2017 1144 64.3 17.7 22
2018 1104 63.0 17.5 19.9
2019 1152 62.0 18.5 n/a
2020 1138 64.0 17.7 20.9
2021 1010 63.0 16.0 n/a
2022 1041 67.0 15.5 9.2
2023 1069 64.5 16.5 23.9

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 Lakes 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 $362 (4.6%) $55 (0.7%) $778 (9.8%) $6,301 (79.7%) $1,189 (15.0%) $7,490 (94.7%) $7,906
2020 $287 (4.8%) $46 (0.8%) $620 (10.5%) $5,218 (88.2%) $369 (6.2%) $5,586 (94.4%) $5,919
2021 $345 (5.0%) $435 (6.3%) $1,126 (16.3%) $6,333 (91.9%) n/a $6,108 (88.7%) $6,889
2022 $615 (8.4%) $11 (0.2%) $1,240 (17.0%) $6,431 (88.2%) $238 (3.3%) $6,669 (91.4%) $7,294

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Lakes 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 51st of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 64th of 1245 Elementary schools
 0.2%
Ranks 134th of 605 Middle schoolsRanks 67th of 854 Middle schools
 14.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11521069
 7.2%
African American3833
 13.2%
American Indian211
 450%
Asian6743
 35.8%
Hispanic162181
 11.7%
Pacific Islander96
 33.3%
White834725
 13.1%
Two or More Races4070
 75%


Schools Near Highland Lakes School









Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Lakes School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,069 students attended Highland Lakes School.

Highland Lakes School ranks 112th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Highland Lakes School are 68% White, 17% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 3% African American, 1% American Indian.

Students who attend Highland Lakes School usually go on to attend:

High : Deer Valley High School


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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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