Highlands High

Summary:

Highlands High is a public high school located in North Highlands, California, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 744 students. It is part of the Twin Rivers Unified School District, which is ranked 1122 out of 1568 districts in California and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Highlands High has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of California high schools, with a current ranking of 1525 out of 2323 schools and a 2-star rating.

Highlands High faces several challenges, including consistently low academic performance, with only around 28% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 19% in Mathematics. The school's performance is particularly low for certain student subgroups, such as Asian (1 star) and White (1 star) students, who rank in the bottom 25% of California high schools. In contrast, Highlands High's African American students perform relatively better, ranking in the top 37% of California high schools. The school has also seen fluctuations in its four-year graduation rate, ranging from 83.7% to 91.7%, and its dropout rate has varied from a low of 4.2% to a high of 13.1% in recent years. Additionally, Highlands High has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 13.2% in 2017-2018 to 31.3% in 2022-2023.

Comparing Highlands High to nearby schools highlights the need for targeted interventions and support to address these issues and improve student outcomes. Center High, located in the neighboring Center Joint Unified District, significantly outperforms Highlands High across all academic and performance indicators, ranking in the top 30% of California high schools. Similarly, Foothill High, another school in the Twin Rivers Unified District, performs slightly better than Highlands High in academic metrics, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 6601 Guthrie Way
       North Highlands, CA  95660-3911


(916) 566-3465

District: Twin Rivers Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
1525th of 2,323 California High Schools


Feeder schools for Highlands High:

Elementary:    Frederick Joyce Elementary
    Hillsdale Elementary
    Kohler Elementary
    Ridgepoint Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  17.9 Help
Number of students:  754

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
51.9%
White:
17.1%
African American:
12.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  87.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highlands High ranks worse than 65.6% of high schools in California. It also ranks 3rd among 6 ranked high schools in the Twin Rivers Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.2. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Highlands High 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.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Highlands High is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (51.9%), White (17.1%), African American (12.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 87.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highlands High is 17.9. 3 high schools in the Twin Rivers Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highlands High employs 42 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highlands High:

SchoolDigger ranks Highlands High 1525th of 2323 California public high schools. (See Highlands High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Twin Rivers Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Twin Rivers Unified 1122nd of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Highlands High

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Rank History for all students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 75.54 182nd 2238 91.9%
2010 31.19 1246th 2281 45.4%
2011 31.88 1258th 2367 46.9%
2012 27.28 1381st 2354 41.3%
2013 32.28 1252nd 2426 48.4%
2015 48.34 1014th 1994 49.1%
2016 48.06 1044th 2039 48.8%
2017 31.05 1362nd 2021 32.6%
2018 44.76 1124th 2017 44.3%
2019 30.77 1416th 2133 33.6%
2022 26.14 1508th 2123 29.0%
2023 21.61 1652nd 2348 29.6%
2024 26.20 1525th 2323 34.4%
See the entire list of California High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 10.71 702nd 804 12.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.40 739th 938 21.2%
2019 30.42 755th 941 19.8%
2022 41.47 490th 1044 53.1%
2023 39.86 472nd 1323 64.3%
2024 32.89 717th 1350 46.9%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 20.28 1360th 1547 12.1%
2024 27.23 1086th 1534 29.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.05 834th 1862 55.2%
2019 34.22 1272nd 1937 34.3%
2022 29.43 1369th 1943 29.5%
2023 25.89 1524th 2247 32.2%
2024 31.17 1396th 2235 37.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 23.90 226th 290 22.1%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.95 1294th 1760 26.5%
2019 25.08 1360th 1833 25.8%
2022 24.23 1409th 1858 24.2%
2023 18.19 1634th 2118 22.9%
2024 23.71 1504th 2098 28.3%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.14 702nd 1052 33.3%
2019 19.02 1040th 1117 6.9%
2022 21.40 1066th 1161 8.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 10.16 158th 168 6.0%
2023 17.56 201st 233 13.7%
2024 22.03 199th 234 15.0%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.75 804th 1834 56.2%
2019 32.20 1240th 1880 34.0%
2022 25.04 1404th 1916 26.7%
2023 23.39 1518th 2207 31.2%
2024 26.72 1418th 2172 34.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 7.25 682nd 731 6.7%
2024 9.83 637th 712 10.5%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.18 457th 582 21.5%
2019 28.09 419th 592 29.2%
2022 30.09 364th 522 30.3%
2023 11.03 691st 720 4.0%
2024 53.13 269th 721 62.7%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.89 689th 1742 60.4%
2019 31.48 1245th 1814 31.4%
2022 23.49 1424th 1861 23.5%
2023 26.16 1462nd 2142 31.7%
2024 26.61 1437th 2125 32.4%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highlands High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.37 900th 1173 23.3%
2019 25.43 936th 1222 23.4%
2022 20.34 980th 1204 18.6%
2023 10.79 1231st 1434 14.2%
2024 8.64 1234th 1406 12.2%
See the entire list of Best California High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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.

Highlands High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Highlands High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2009 539 237 106 424 9 14 225 0 1554
2010 517 246 80 443 7 10 82 0 1385
2011 406 186 76 365 5 9 53 0 1100
2012 289 147 63 312 3 4 44 0 862
2013 261 147 60 366 9 2 46 0 891
2014 228 114 50 374 9 3 45 0 823
2015 190 128 46 396 11 9 41 0 821
2016 199 109 48 385 12 10 45 0 808
2017 177 102 44 385 3 7 40 0 758
2018 151 84 47 399 5 9 48 0 743
2019 155 106 51 409 7 13 49 0 790
2020 145 92 48 392 6 9 47 0 739
2021 144 103 50 374 8 9 48 1 737
2022 137 88 53 382 7 7 49 0 723
2023 122 108 58 393 6 5 51 1 744
2024 129 93 67 391 3 7 59 5 754

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 Highlands High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 1554 74.4 18.4 69.7
2010 1385 71.0 19.5 75.6
2011 1100 n/a n/a 75.8
2012 862 42.0 20.5 n/a
2013 891 46.0 19.3 75.5
2014 823 39.3 20.9 87.7
2015 821 38.0 21.6 81
2016 808 38.0 21.2 78.6
2017 758 37.0 20.4 80.2
2018 743 38.0 19.5 85.6
2019 790 34.6 22.8 80.3
2020 739 n/a n/a 91.5
2021 737 35.9 20.5 92.8
2022 723 39.0 18.5 88
2023 744 41.8 17.7 89.5
2024 754 42.0 17.9 87.5

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 Highlands High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 1554 74.4 18.4 69.7
2010 1385 71.0 19.5 75.6
2011 1100 n/a n/a 75.8
2012 862 42.0 20.5 n/a
2013 891 46.0 19.3 75.5
2014 823 39.3 20.9 87.7
2015 821 38.0 21.6 81
2016 808 38.0 21.2 78.6
2017 758 37.0 20.4 80.2
2018 743 38.0 19.5 85.6
2019 790 34.6 22.8 80.3
2020 739 n/a n/a 91.5
2021 737 35.9 20.5 92.8
2022 723 39.0 18.5 88
2023 744 41.8 17.7 89.5
2024 754 42.0 17.9 87.5

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.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highlands High

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 1416th of 2133 High schoolsRanks 1652nd of 2348 High schools
 4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Highlands High)35.427.5
 7.9%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Twin Rivers Unified)4739.7
 7.3%
   11th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)57.355.4
 1.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Highlands High)19.613.8
 5.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Twin Rivers Unified)1912.2
 6.8%
   11th Grade Mathematics (California)32.227.4
 4.9%
11th Grade Science (Highlands High)9.97.8
 2%
   11th Grade Science (Twin Rivers Unified)17.615.4
 2.2%
   11th Grade Science (California)30.431.7
 1.3%
12th Grade Science (Highlands High)11.710.5
 1.3%
   12th Grade Science (Twin Rivers Unified)1213.4
 1.4%
   12th Grade Science (California)25.626.8
 1.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students790744
 5.8%
African American106108
 1.9%
American Indian76
 14.3%
Asian5158
 13.7%
Hispanic409393
 3.9%
Pacific Islander135
 61.5%
White155122
 21.3%
Two or More Races4951
 4.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients80.3%89.5%
 9.3%


Schools Near Highlands High









Frequently Asked Questions about Highlands High

Students at Highlands High are 52% Hispanic, 17% White, 12% African American, 9% Asian, 8% Two or more races.

Highlands High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Frederick Joyce Elementary
Elementary : Hillsdale Elementary
Elementary : Kohler Elementary
Elementary : Ridgepoint Elementary
Elementary : Sierra View Elementary
Elementary : Village Elementary
Elementary : Warren A. Allison Elementary

In the 2023-24 school year, 754 students attended Highlands High.

Highlands High ranks 1525th of 2323 California high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 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 California 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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