Highland Park School

Q: Is Highland Park School a good school?

Highland Park School ranks 328 th of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Highland Park School is an elementary school in Manchester, Connecticut, serving students from kindergarten to 4th grade. The school is part of the Manchester School District, which is ranked 141 out of 158 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past few years, the school has seen a decline in racial diversity, with the percentage of white students increasing and the percentage of Hispanic students decreasing.

Highland Park School's test scores in English Language Arts and Mathematics are consistently lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 37.9% of 3rd-grade students and 40.9% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 45.9% and 49.4%, respectively. Similarly, in Mathematics, only 43.9% of 3rd-grade students and 36.4% of 4th-grade students were proficient or better, compared to the state averages of 51.3% and 49.7%. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.17% to 56.25% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Despite a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Highland Park School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Connecticut elementary schools, with a ranking between 328 and 420 out of 497 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

When comparing Highland Park School to other nearby schools, such as Buckley School, which is located approximately 1.41 miles away, it becomes evident that the school is underperforming. Buckley School has significantly higher test scores in both ELA and Mathematics, with over 60% of students proficient or better in both subjects. This suggests that the challenges faced by Highland Park School may be unique to the school itself, rather than the broader district. Additionally, the school has seen an increase in spending per student, from $16,648 in 2017-2018 to $20,704 in 2018-2019, but this increased spending does not appear to have translated into improved academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public K-4

397 Porter St.
Manchester, CT 06040

(860) 647-3430

District: Manchester School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
328^th of 497 Connecticut Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,596

Students who attend Highland Park School usually attend:

Middle:	Illing Middle School
High:	Manchester High School

Student/teacher ratio: 10.8

Number of students: 318

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

36.2%

White:

35.5%

African American:

19.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Park School ranks worse than 66% of elementary schools in Connecticut. It also ranks 2^nd among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Manchester School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.86. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Highland Park School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Manchester School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Park School is $21,596. 3 elementary schools in the Manchester School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Highland Park School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Manchester School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Manchester School District 141^st of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Highland Park School

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Rank History for all students at Highland Park School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile
2006	77.54	126^th	570	77.9%
2007	75.47	148^th	568	73.9%
2008	72.86	187^th	565	66.9%
2009	68.37	242^nd	566	57.2%
2010	59.79	313^th	579	45.9%
2011	64.82	268^th	565	52.6%
2013	61.19	284^th	557	49.0%
2015	52.75	284^th	551	48.5%
2016	46.38	281^st	518	45.8%
2017	35.00	338^th	519	34.9%
2018	20.16	423^rd	532	20.5%
2019	36.95	331^st	522	36.6%
2021	25.07	393^rd	538	27.0%
2022	11.25	420^th	490	14.3%
2023	25.32	342^nd	491	30.3%
2024	29.86	328^th	497	34.0%

See the entire list of Connecticut Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at Highland Park School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	23.15	341^st	455	25.1%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut State 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.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, March 3, 2016

Don't even try to join the PTA unless you make 100,000 a year!! The receptionist is the first person who greets you daily, she should be happy to see eager little children. I have never been to a school where the staff is so rude, I even went to Hartford school for 4 years and the homeless on the street, begging you for change, are actually more friendly than the receptionist. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Highland Park School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	19	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	19
1990	259	6	2	2	n/a	n/a	n/a	269
1991	305	17	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	327
1992	338	12	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	351
1993	287	8	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	298
1994	297	10	2	2	0	n/a	n/a	311
1995	293	8	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	308
1996	293	8	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	308
1997	291	16	13	10	0	n/a	n/a	330
1998	240	20	8	10	0	n/a	n/a	278
1999	244	21	9	8	0	n/a	n/a	282
2000	253	16	11	8	0	n/a	n/a	288
2001	256	14	15	12	0	n/a	n/a	297
2002	254	26	22	15	1	n/a	n/a	318
2003	254	26	22	15	1	n/a	n/a	318
2004	255	29	19	22	2	n/a	n/a	327
2005	240	37	20	27	0	n/a	n/a	324
2006	246	43	22	31	0	n/a	n/a	342
2007	223	46	19	34	0	n/a	n/a	322
2008	206	40	15	35	0	n/a	n/a	296
2009	185	44	14	39	0	n/a	n/a	282
2010	184	46	25	21	2	n/a	n/a	278
2011	171	40	14	28	0	0	20	273
2014	150	51	10	39	5	1	11	267
2015	140	47	11	64	3	1	8	274
2016	136	46	11	57	4	0	8	262
2017	142	59	13	52	3	0	3	272
2018	136	65	16	56	3	0	5	281
2019	113	47	14	38	4	0	5	221
2020	141	75	17	77	1	0	5	316
2021	131	51	14	87	1	0	4	288
2022	135	63	18	113	0	0	5	334
2023	113	62	19	115	0	0	9	318

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 Park School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	19	5.0	3.8	n/a
1990	269	11.5	23.3	n/a
1991	327	14.5	22.5	n/a
1992	351	17.5	20.0	4.8
1993	298	15.3	19.5	0.7
1994	311	15.4	20.2	9.3
1995	308	15.1	20.4	6.5
1996	308	15.1	20.4	6.5
1997	330	15.7	21.0	9.1
1998	278	16.3	17.1	10.1
1999	282	16.0	17.6	15.2
2000	288	16.1	17.9	11.1
2001	297	16.8	17.7	n/a
2002	318	19.2	16.6	14.2
2003	318	19.2	16.6	14.2
2004	327	18.2	18.0	13.8
2005	324	18.6	17.4	n/a
2006	342	16.6	20.6	15.2
2007	322	21.3	15.1	16.5
2008	296	19.4	15.3	16.9
2009	282	20.9	15.5	22
2010	278	18.5	14.9	28.4
2011	273	16.6	16.4	30.4
2014	267	19.4	13.6	39.3
2015	274	16.0	17.1	40.5
2016	262	19.0	13.7	42.4
2017	272	19.0	14.3	37.9
2018	281	21.8	12.8	41.3
2019	221	22.0	10.0	49.8
2020	316	26.0	12.1	59.2
2021	288	26.4	10.8	56.3
2022	334	29.7	11.2	55.7
2023	318	29.4	10.8	47.2

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 Park School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	19	5.0	3.8	n/a
1990	269	11.5	23.3	n/a
1991	327	14.5	22.5	n/a
1992	351	17.5	20.0	4.8
1993	298	15.3	19.5	0.7
1994	311	15.4	20.2	9.3
1995	308	15.1	20.4	6.5
1996	308	15.1	20.4	6.5
1997	330	15.7	21.0	9.1
1998	278	16.3	17.1	10.1
1999	282	16.0	17.6	15.2
2000	288	16.1	17.9	11.1
2001	297	16.8	17.7	n/a
2002	318	19.2	16.6	14.2
2003	318	19.2	16.6	14.2
2004	327	18.2	18.0	13.8
2005	324	18.6	17.4	n/a
2006	342	16.6	20.6	15.2
2007	322	21.3	15.1	16.5
2008	296	19.4	15.3	16.9
2009	282	20.9	15.5	22
2010	278	18.5	14.9	28.4
2011	273	16.6	16.4	30.4
2014	267	19.4	13.6	39.3
2015	274	16.0	17.1	40.5
2016	262	19.0	13.7	42.4
2017	272	19.0	14.3	37.9
2018	281	21.8	12.8	41.3
2019	221	22.0	10.0	49.8
2020	316	26.0	12.1	59.2
2021	288	26.4	10.8	56.3
2022	334	29.7	11.2	55.7
2023	318	29.4	10.8	47.2

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 Park School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$16,648
2019	$20,704
2020	$18,622
2021	$21,068
2022	$22,519
2023	$21,596

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Park 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 331^st of 522 Elementary schools	Ranks 342^nd of 491 Elementary schools	6.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Park School)	51.3	37.5	13.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Manchester School District)	40.3	31.4	8.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.3	45.5	8.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highland Park School)	63.2	37.5	25.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Manchester School District)	45.1	34.5	10.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	55	49.8	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Park School)	35	32.7	2.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Manchester School District)	39.7	37.4	2.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	54.6	48.8	5.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highland Park School)	42.5	32.7	9.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Manchester School District)	33.8	34.3	0.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	52.5	48.3	4.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	221	318	43.9%
African American	47	62	31.9%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	14	19	35.7%
Hispanic	38	115	202.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	113	113
Two or More Races	5	9	80%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	49.8%	47.2%	2.6%

Schools Near Highland Park School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)	SBAC English Language Arts (2024)						SBAC Mathematics (2024)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 4th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 3rd Grade	SBAC Mathematics 4th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Highland Park School	Public	K-4	397 Porter St.	Manchester	06040	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 647-3430	318	29	10.8	47.2%	113 (35.5%)	62 (19.5%)	115 (36.2%)	19 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.8%)	29.9	328^th of 497 public elementary schools	34.0%		25.3	342^nd of 491 public elementary schools	30.3%	14		37.9	40.9					43.9	36.4					$21,596
Bowers School	Public	K-4	141 Princeton Street	Manchester	06042	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 647-3313	323	33	9.8	50.5%	101 (31.3%)	58 (18.0%)	129 (39.9%)	17 (5.3%)	3 (0.9%)	4 (1.2%)	11 (3.4%)	15	396^th of 497 public elementary schools	20.3%		25.2	344^th of 491 public elementary schools	29.9%	52		27.1						28.2	30.5					$22,102
Buckley School	Public	K-4	250 Vernon Street	Manchester	06042	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 647-3302	288	34	8.5	42.4%	119 (41.3%)	63 (21.9%)	72 (25.0%)	26 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.8%)	76.1	138^th of 497 public elementary schools	72.2%		58.5	209^th of 491 public elementary schools	57.4%	71		61.2	68.9					65.3	71.7					$23,942
Martin School	Public	PK, KG-4	140 Dartmouth Rd.	Manchester	06040	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 647-3367	250	26	9.5	43.2%	85 (34.0%)	52 (20.8%)	77 (30.8%)	27 (10.8%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	7 (2.8%)	18	378^th of 497 public elementary schools	23.9%		20.3	362^nd of 491 public elementary schools	26.3%	16		34.2						28.9	28.6					$24,525
Waddell School	Public	K-4	163 Broad Street	Manchester	06042	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 647-3392	461	44	10.4	53.1%	94 (20.4%)	118 (25.6%)	154 (33.4%)	80 (17.4%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	8 (1.7%)	25.7	348^th of 497 public elementary schools	30.0%		25.9	340^th of 491 public elementary schools	30.8%	8		33.7	31.3					54.3	27.4					$21,378
Keeney School	Public	PK, KG-4	65 North School St.	Manchester	06042	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 647-3354	327	32	10.1	38.2%	120 (36.7%)	79 (24.2%)	94 (28.7%)	17 (5.2%)	4 (1.2%)	2 (0.6%)	11 (3.4%)	14.5	397^th of 497 public elementary schools	20.1%		18.9	370^th of 491 public elementary schools	24.6%	27		28.6	32.8					20.4						$20,535
Bolton Center School	Public	PK, KG-8	108 Notch Rd.	Bolton	06043	Tolland County	Bolton School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 643-2411	497	47	10.4	25.8%	375 (75.5%)	23 (4.6%)	59 (11.9%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.4%)	67.3	185^th of 497 public elementary schools	62.8%		60.8	207^th of 491 public elementary schools	57.8%	22	56.4	62.0	68.1	60.0	55.8	71.4	56.4	76.0	70.2	40.0	55.8	65.3	43.6	$18,979
Lake Street School	Public	K-5	201 Lake St.	Vernon	06066	Tolland County	Vernon School District	No	No	No	No	(860) 870-6085	251	22	11.3	41.8%	148 (59.0%)	9 (3.6%)	42 (16.7%)	33 (13.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (7.6%)	59	214^th of 497 public elementary schools	56.9%		48.5	248^th of 491 public elementary schools	49.5%	34			53.7					57.1	56.1	57.4				$20,468
Odyssey Community School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	579 Middle Tpke West	Manchester	06040	Hartford County	Odyssey Community School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(860) 645-1234	374	33	11.3	41.4%	101 (27.0%)	85 (22.7%)	71 (19.0%)	84 (22.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.8%)	63.1	198^th of 497 public elementary schools	60.2%		55.3	230^th of 491 public elementary schools	53.2%	32		70.3	50.0	51.4				70.3		51.4		40.0	56.8	$14,497
Verplanck School	Public	K-4	126 Olcott Street	Manchester	06040	Hartford County	Manchester School District	No	No	No	Yes	(860) 647-3383	457	45	10.0	64.1%	94 (20.6%)	118 (25.8%)	203 (44.4%)	27 (5.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.6%)	6.8	468^th of 497 public elementary schools	5.8%		9.9	431^st of 491 public elementary schools	12.2%	37		13.1	22.3					22.2	17.0					$20,576

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Park School

Is Highland Park School a good school?

Highland Park School ranks 328^th of 497 Connecticut elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Highland Park School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 318 students attended Highland Park School.

What is the racial makeup of Highland Park School?

Students at Highland Park School are 36% Hispanic, 36% White, 19% African American, 6% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Highland Park School attend?

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

Middle : Illing Middle School
High : Manchester High School

What district is Highland Park School in?

Manchester School District

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