Highland Middle School

Q: Is Highland Middle School a good school?

Highland Middle School ranks 209 th of 337 Iowa middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Highland Middle School is a public middle school located in Riverside, Iowa, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 111 students. The school is part of the Highland Community School District, which is ranked 241 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Middle School generally performs better than the state average on ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) tests, particularly in Science, where 8th-grade students scored 82.1% proficient or better, compared to the state average of 65.5%. The school also has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 12.04% to 27.13% over the past few years, and has maintained a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.1 to 20.3 over the past few years. While Northwest Junior High School and Southeast Junior High School have more diverse student populations and higher free/reduced lunch rates, they generally have lower test scores compared to Highland Middle School.

In comparison, West Liberty Middle School and Columbus Community Junior High School have lower overall performance and rankings compared to Highland Middle School, with lower test scores and higher free/reduced lunch rates. Mid-Prairie Middle School, while serving a more homogeneous student population similar to Highland Middle School, has slightly higher test scores and a lower free/reduced lunch rate.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1715 Vine Avenue
Riverside, IA 52327

(319) 648-2891

District: Highland Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
209^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,058

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually attend:

High:

Highland High School

Feeder schools for Highland Middle School:

Elementary:

Highland Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.1

Number of students: 112

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.8%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Two or more races:

2.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 14.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Middle School ranks worse than 62% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.96. (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 Racial makeup is: White (93.8%), Hispanic (3.6%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 14.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 14.1. (See more...)

Compare Highland Middle School employs 7.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Middle School is $11,058.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Middle School 209^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Highland Middle School in the ranking list.)

Highland Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Community School District 241^st of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Highland Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	19.23	321^st	349	8.0%
2013	34.95	272^nd	350	22.3%
2014	32.41	267^th	337	20.8%
2015	42.51	229^th	349	34.4%
2016	37.92	241^st	343	29.7%
2017	46.49	199^th	327	39.1%
2018	62.10	121^st	318	61.9%
2019	49.88	189^th	342	44.7%
2021	57.62	145^th	324	55.2%
2022	65.90	104^th	337	69.1%
2023	60.35	142^nd	334	57.5%
2024	46.96	209^th	337	38.0%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Highland Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	91	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	91
1989	75	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	75
1990	72	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	72
1991	69	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	69
1992	82	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	82
1993	91	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	91
1994	75	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	76
1995	81	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	82
1996	81	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	82
1997	82	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	83
1998	84	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	84
1999	94	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	98
2000	96	0	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	102
2001	98	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	102
2002	90	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	95
2003	90	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	95
2004	131	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	140
2005	120	0	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	128
2006	130	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	135
2007	130	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	135
2008	148	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	153
2009	155	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	165
2010	133	4	10	0	0	1	0	148
2011	150	4	9	0	0	1	0	164
2012	135	5	8	0	0	3	0	151
2013	156	3	7	1	1	3	0	171
2014	142	4	8	1	1	2	0	158
2015	135	0	8	1	0	2	0	146
2016	139	1	12	0	0	1	0	153
2017	129	0	13	0	0	3	0	145
2018	128	0	13	0	0	2	0	143
2019	129	0	8	0	0	1	0	138
2020	124	0	11	0	0	0	0	135
2021	118	0	11	0	0	0	0	129
2022	95	0	10	0	0	2	1	108
2023	104	0	3	0	0	3	1	111
2024	105	0	4	0	0	3	0	112

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	91	4.5	20.2	n/a
1989	75	4.5	16.6	13.3
1990	72	4.5	16.0	0
1991	69	4.5	15.3	4.3
1992	82	5.0	16.4	7.3
1993	91	4.0	22.8	4.4
1994	76	4.5	16.9	2.6
1995	82	5.0	16.4	9.8
1996	82	5.0	16.4	9.8
1997	83	5.0	16.6	9.6
1998	84	5.0	16.8	13.1
1999	98	5.0	19.6	18.4
2000	102	5.5	18.5	15.7
2001	102	5.6	18.2	20.6
2002	95	6.5	14.6	10.5
2003	95	6.5	14.6	10.5
2004	140	9.7	14.4	14.3
2005	128	9.4	13.6	16.4
2006	135	10.0	13.5	20
2007	135	10.9	12.4	22.2
2008	153	10.9	14.0	17.6
2009	165	11.2	14.7	22.4
2010	148	11.1	13.2	24.3
2011	164	10.0	16.4	22.6
2012	151	9.5	15.7	24.5
2013	171	10.8	15.7	26.3
2014	158	11.0	14.2	28.5
2015	146	11.0	13.2	22.6
2016	153	10.0	15.3	26.1
2017	145	9.4	15.3	29
2018	143	8.2	17.3	27.3
2019	138	7.7	17.8	26.1
2020	135	6.8	19.7	17.8
2021	129	6.3	20.3	27.1
2022	108	7.3	14.6	12
2023	111	7.8	14.1	12.6
2024	112	7.9	14.1	14.3

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	91	4.5	20.2	n/a
1989	75	4.5	16.6	13.3
1990	72	4.5	16.0	0
1991	69	4.5	15.3	4.3
1992	82	5.0	16.4	7.3
1993	91	4.0	22.8	4.4
1994	76	4.5	16.9	2.6
1995	82	5.0	16.4	9.8
1996	82	5.0	16.4	9.8
1997	83	5.0	16.6	9.6
1998	84	5.0	16.8	13.1
1999	98	5.0	19.6	18.4
2000	102	5.5	18.5	15.7
2001	102	5.6	18.2	20.6
2002	95	6.5	14.6	10.5
2003	95	6.5	14.6	10.5
2004	140	9.7	14.4	14.3
2005	128	9.4	13.6	16.4
2006	135	10.0	13.5	20
2007	135	10.9	12.4	22.2
2008	153	10.9	14.0	17.6
2009	165	11.2	14.7	22.4
2010	148	11.1	13.2	24.3
2011	164	10.0	16.4	22.6
2012	151	9.5	15.7	24.5
2013	171	10.8	15.7	26.3
2014	158	11.0	14.2	28.5
2015	146	11.0	13.2	22.6
2016	153	10.0	15.3	26.1
2017	145	9.4	15.3	29
2018	143	8.2	17.3	27.3
2019	138	7.7	17.8	26.1
2020	135	6.8	19.7	17.8
2021	129	6.3	20.3	27.1
2022	108	7.3	14.6	12
2023	111	7.8	14.1	12.6
2024	112	7.9	14.1	14.3

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 Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$57 (0.5%)	$11,001 (99.5%)	$11,058

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Middle 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 189^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 142^nd of 334 Middle schools	12.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	62.8	66.7	3.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Community School District)	62.8	66.7	3.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Highland Middle School)	69.8	81	11.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Highland Community School District)	69.8	81	11.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	75	78.6	3.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Community School District)	75	78.6	3.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Highland Middle School)	70.8	85.7	14.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Highland Community School District)	70.8	85.7	14.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	65.1	76.3	11.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Community School District)	65.1	76.3	11.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Highland Middle School)	76.7	81.6	4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Highland Community School District)	76.7	81.6	4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	138	111	19.6%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	8	3	62.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	129	104	19.4%
Two or More Races	1	3	200%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.1%	12.6%	13.5%

Schools Near Highland Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)				ISASP Mathematics (2024)				ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland Middle School	Public	6-8	1715 Vine Avenue	Riverside	52327	Washington County	Highland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 648-2891	112	8	14.1	14.3%	105 (93.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.7%)	47	209^th of 337 public middle schools	38.0%		60.4	142^nd of 334 public middle schools	57.5%	67		74.4	76.2	75.0		59.0	69.0	78.6		82.1	$11,058	$57	$11,001
Mid-Prairie Middle School	Public	5-8	713 F Ave	Kalona	52247	Washington County	Mid-Prairie Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 656-2241	410	28	14.7	27.8%	365 (89.0%)	3 (0.7%)	28 (6.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	45.8	212^th of 337 public middle schools	37.1%		46.8	203^rd of 334 public middle schools	39.2%	9	78.2	71.7	69.7	79.1	76.4	72.7	64.6	79.1	70.9	70.0	$12,362	$755	$11,606
Washington Middle School	Public	6-8	313 S. 4th Ave.	Washington	52353	Washington County	Washington Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 653-5414	349	31	11.2	47.9%	246 (70.5%)	8 (2.3%)	75 (21.5%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.9%)	23.4	286^th of 337 public middle schools	15.1%		26.2	278^th of 334 public middle schools	16.8%	8		67.0	74.3	65.0		63.5	60.0	59.8		55.6	$13,172	$690	$12,482
Columbus Community Junior High School	Public	7-8	1004 Colton St	Columbus Junction	52738	Louisa County	Columbus Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 728-2233	97	4	24.0	72.2%	30 (30.9%)	2 (2.1%)	54 (55.7%)	9 (9.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.1%)	37.9	245^th of 337 public middle schools	27.3%		41.3	225^th of 334 public middle schools	32.6%	20			81.0	75.9			64.3	70.4		53.7	$11,044	$149	$10,894
Southeast Junior High School	Public	7-8	2501 Bradford Dr	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1070	853	56	15.2	49.6%	423 (49.6%)	172 (20.2%)	181 (21.2%)	13 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	57 (6.7%)	36.9	248^th of 337 public middle schools	26.4%		25.4	280^th of 334 public middle schools	16.2%	32			79.5	73.1			66.8	61.4		62.4	$13,848	$402	$13,446
West Liberty Middle School	Public	5-8	203 E. 7th St	West Liberty	52776	Muscatine County	West Liberty Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 627-2118	391	27	14.5	50.6%	148 (37.9%)	2 (0.5%)	229 (58.6%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	12.4	313^th of 337 public middle schools	7.1%		22.3	285^th of 334 public middle schools	14.7%	28	36.7	65.0	66.2	47.5	33.7	53.0	67.5	40.4	37.1	43.4	$13,387	$274	$13,113
Northwest Junior High School	Public	7-8	1507 8th St	Coralville	52241	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1060	720	49	14.6	43.5%	340 (47.2%)	198 (27.5%)	79 (11.0%)	56 (7.8%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	39 (5.4%)	52.6	186^th of 337 public middle schools	44.8%		56.7	167^th of 334 public middle schools	50.0%	19			80.5	77.7			72.0	69.5		72.0	$14,464	$430	$14,034

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Middle School

How many students attend Highland Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 112 students attended Highland Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Highland Middle School?

Students at Highland Middle School are 94% White, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Highland Middle School attend?

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually go on to attend Highland High School

What district is Highland Middle School in?

Highland Community School District

Is Highland Middle School a good school?

Highland Middle School ranks 209^th of 337 Iowa middle 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 Iowa 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.