Highland Elementary School

Summary:

Highland Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Riverside, Iowa, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 283 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.

Academically, Highland Elementary School's performance, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), is generally below the state average and the nearby schools in the Iowa City Community School District. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 43.8% (3rd grade) to 55.3% (4th grade), compared to the state averages of 64.2% and 72.9%, respectively. The school's performance in Mathematics and Science is also below the state averages. Additionally, Highland Elementary School's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 274 out of 599 Iowa elementary schools in 2015-2016 (3-star rating) to 472 out of 557 in 2023-2024 (1-star rating).

Compared to the nearby schools in the Iowa City Community School District, such as Longfellow Elementary, Robert Lucas Elementary, and Grant Wood Elementary, Highland Elementary School generally underperforms academically, with lower proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The nearby schools also have more diverse student populations, while Highland Elementary School has a predominantly white student population, with 93.29% of students identifying as white in the 2022-2023 school year.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

220 Schnoebelen Street
Riverside, IA 52327

(319) 648-2821

District: Highland Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
472^nd of 557 Iowa Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,857

Students who attend Highland Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Highland Middle School
High:	Highland High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 278

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.6%

Hispanic:

4.7%

African American:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 22.3%

See top rated Iowa elementary schools

Compare Highland Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Elementary School ranks worse than 84.7% of elementary schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.13. (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 (94.6%), Hispanic (4.7%), African American (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 22.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Elementary School is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare Highland Elementary School employs 21.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary School is $12,857.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

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 Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	39.63	456^th	626	27.2%
2013	56.41	315^th	624	49.5%
2014	40.95	446^th	603	26.0%
2015	53.23	351^st	616	43.0%
2016	60.93	274^th	599	54.3%
2017	52.16	341^st	574	40.6%
2018	20.42	486^th	567	14.3%
2019	8.54	576^th	603	4.5%
2021	38.14	397^th	567	30.0%
2022	14.97	512^th	574	10.8%
2023	29.43	439^th	565	22.3%
2024	19.13	472^nd	557	15.3%

See the entire list of Iowa Elementary 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 Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	209	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	210
1989	211	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	212
1990	210	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	210
1991	156	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	156
1992	150	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	152
1993	148	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	150
1994	177	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	177
1995	192	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	193
1996	192	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	193
1997	202	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	203
1998	203	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	205
1999	207	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	209
2000	212	3	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	-11	207
2001	203	2	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	208
2002	196	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	197
2003	196	0	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	197
2004	174	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	174
2005	226	2	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	232
2006	224	2	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	231
2007	233	3	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	239
2008	257	5	0	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	266
2009	251	6	0	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	264
2010	262	3	0	7	0	0	5	0	277
2011	236	5	0	5	0	0	3	0	249
2012	237	6	0	3	3	0	4	0	253
2013	248	5	0	5	2	0	4	0	264
2014	236	3	0	8	1	0	6	0	254
2015	226	2	0	9	1	0	5	0	243
2016	234	1	0	8	0	0	4	0	247
2017	229	0	0	11	0	0	4	0	244
2018	275	0	0	18	0	0	7	0	300
2019	280	0	0	17	0	0	5	0	302
2020	276	1	1	15	0	0	4	0	297
2021	258	1	2	14	0	0	3	0	278
2022	258	1	0	13	0	0	3	0	275
2023	264	1	0	16	0	0	2	0	283
2024	263	1	0	13	0	0	1	0	278

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 Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	210	11.5	18.2	11.9
1989	212	11.5	18.4	10.8
1990	210	14.0	15.0	12.4
1991	156	10.5	14.8	6.4
1992	152	10.0	15.2	8.6
1993	150	9.7	15.5	6.7
1994	177	9.6	18.4	5.1
1995	193	14.6	13.2	10.4
1996	193	14.6	13.2	10.4
1997	203	14.4	14.1	8.4
1998	205	14.8	13.9	8.8
1999	209	15.3	13.7	11
2000	207	14.5	14.3	9.2
2001	208	15.5	13.4	8.7
2002	197	14.5	13.6	5.6
2003	197	14.5	13.6	5.6
2004	174	14.3	12.2	14.9
2005	232	16.0	14.5	12.9
2006	231	17.4	13.3	18.2
2007	239	17.5	13.7	15.1
2008	266	17.5	15.2	15
2009	264	18.0	14.7	18.6
2010	277	18.7	14.7	17.7
2011	249	17.0	14.6	17.7
2012	253	17.0	14.8	14.2
2013	264	18.9	13.9	18.6
2014	254	18.4	13.8	15
2015	243	15.0	16.2	14.8
2016	247	16.0	15.4	11.7
2017	244	15.0	16.2	10.2
2018	300	20.4	14.6	16
2019	302	19.9	15.1	23.8
2020	297	19.4	15.2	19.2
2021	278	19.4	14.2	19.8
2022	275	20.7	13.2	13.8
2023	283	20.7	13.6	22.6
2024	278	21.6	12.8	22.3

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 Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	210	11.5	18.2	11.9
1989	212	11.5	18.4	10.8
1990	210	14.0	15.0	12.4
1991	156	10.5	14.8	6.4
1992	152	10.0	15.2	8.6
1993	150	9.7	15.5	6.7
1994	177	9.6	18.4	5.1
1995	193	14.6	13.2	10.4
1996	193	14.6	13.2	10.4
1997	203	14.4	14.1	8.4
1998	205	14.8	13.9	8.8
1999	209	15.3	13.7	11
2000	207	14.5	14.3	9.2
2001	208	15.5	13.4	8.7
2002	197	14.5	13.6	5.6
2003	197	14.5	13.6	5.6
2004	174	14.3	12.2	14.9
2005	232	16.0	14.5	12.9
2006	231	17.4	13.3	18.2
2007	239	17.5	13.7	15.1
2008	266	17.5	15.2	15
2009	264	18.0	14.7	18.6
2010	277	18.7	14.7	17.7
2011	249	17.0	14.6	17.7
2012	253	17.0	14.8	14.2
2013	264	18.9	13.9	18.6
2014	254	18.4	13.8	15
2015	243	15.0	16.2	14.8
2016	247	16.0	15.4	11.7
2017	244	15.0	16.2	10.2
2018	300	20.4	14.6	16
2019	302	19.9	15.1	23.8
2020	297	19.4	15.2	19.2
2021	278	19.4	14.2	19.8
2022	275	20.7	13.2	13.8
2023	283	20.7	13.6	22.6
2024	278	21.6	12.8	22.3

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 Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$486 (3.8%)	$12,371 (96.2%)	$12,857

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Elementary 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 576^th of 603 Elementary schools	Ranks 439^th of 565 Elementary schools	17.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	55.2	56.9	1.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Community School District)	55.2	56.9	1.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	65.3	66.3	1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)	62.1	62.7	0.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highland Community School District)	62.1	62.7	0.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.7	75.3	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	35	59.1	24.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Community School District)	35	59.1	24.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	70.5	73.1	2.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)	45	75	30%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highland Community School District)	45	75	30%
4th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	72.5	72.9	0.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	37.5	59	21.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Community School District)	37.5	59	21.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)	36.6	64.1	27.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Highland Community School District)	36.6	64.1	27.5%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	302	283	6.3%
African American	0	1
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	17	16	5.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	280	264	5.7%
Two or More Races	5	2	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23.8%	22.6%	1.2%

Schools Near Highland Elementary 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 3rd Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 4th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 3rd Grade	ISASP Mathematics 4th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	220 Schnoebelen Street	Riverside	52327	Washington County	Highland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 648-2821	278	22	12.8	22.3%	263 (94.6%)	1 (0.4%)	13 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	19.1	472^nd of 557 public elementary schools	15.3%		29.4	439^th of 565 public elementary schools	22.3%	33	43.8	55.3	51.1		53.1	68.1	66.0		34.0	$12,857	$486	$12,371
Hills Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	301 Main St	Hills	52235	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1105	151	13	11.7	78.8%	53 (35.1%)	14 (9.3%)	76 (50.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.3%)	4.9	536^th of 557 public elementary schools	3.8%		15.2	504^th of 565 public elementary schools	10.8%	32	36.8	44.4	43.8	52.0	52.6	27.8	50.0	24.0	43.8	$16,970	$1,372	$15,598
Mid-Prairie East Elementary School	Public	K-2	702 6th St	Kalona	52247	Washington County	Mid-Prairie Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 656-2243	280	21	13.2	27.1%	253 (90.4%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (6.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.9%)								(n/a)										$13,475	$1,353	$12,122
Lone Tree Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	303 S Devoe St	Lone Tree	52755	Johnson County	Lone Tree Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 629-4213	229	16	14.0	30.1%	203 (88.6%)	2 (0.9%)	16 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.5%)	76.9	91^st of 557 public elementary schools	83.7%		61.4	228^th of 565 public elementary schools	59.6%	137	69.2	90.0	78.9		92.3	93.3	73.7		71.1	$10,488	$297	$10,191
Alexander Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	3571 Sycamore St.	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1095	363	29	12.6	70.5%	88 (24.2%)	176 (48.5%)	58 (16.0%)	8 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	30 (8.3%)	17.1	482^nd of 557 public elementary schools	13.5%		26.8	453^rd of 565 public elementary schools	19.8%	29	55.2	59.5	62.8	60.0	51.7	50.0	55.8	50.0	41.9	$15,246	$1,427	$13,819
Grant Wood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1930 Lakeside Dr	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1180	391	31	12.7	72.1%	91 (23.3%)	195 (49.9%)	77 (19.7%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	19 (4.9%)	7.9	520^th of 557 public elementary schools	6.6%		6.7	533^rd of 565 public elementary schools	5.7%	13	42.5	44.9	58.0	52.8	55.0	34.7	42.0	37.7	44.0	$15,646	$1,067	$14,579
Weber Elementary	Public	K-6	3850 Rohret Road	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1170	542	41	13.3	55.7%	211 (38.9%)	242 (44.6%)	25 (4.6%)	43 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	19 (3.5%)	33.5	424^th of 557 public elementary schools	23.9%		44.1	373^rd of 565 public elementary schools	34.0%	51	47.0	61.4	62.2	78.3	68.2	61.4	57.3	72.3	53.7	$13,378	$562	$12,817
Mark Twain Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	1355 DeForest Avenue	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1165	241	26	9.3	70.1%	81 (33.6%)	66 (27.4%)	71 (29.5%)	5 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.2%)	23.3	462^nd of 557 public elementary schools	17.1%		21.5	474^th of 565 public elementary schools	16.1%	12	58.3	52.4	61.3	66.7	66.7	28.6	64.5	47.6	48.4	$15,834	$1,165	$14,669
Ernest Horn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	600 Koser Ave	Iowa City	52246	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1115	430	36	11.8	59.5%	166 (38.6%)	179 (41.6%)	22 (5.1%)	31 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (7.0%)	37.6	398^th of 557 public elementary schools	28.5%		38.2	411^th of 565 public elementary schools	27.3%	13	65.2	63.6	72.5	52.3	72.7	61.8	64.7	52.3	64.7	$14,000	$687	$13,313
Longfellow Elementary School	Public	K-6	1130 Seymour Ave	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(319) 688-1135	361	31	11.4	54.0%	178 (49.3%)	90 (24.9%)	62 (17.2%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.2%)	37	401^st of 557 public elementary schools	28.0%		40.4	394^th of 565 public elementary schools	30.3%	7	62.5	65.5	66.0	73.2	54.7	56.9	64.0	80.5	60.0	$13,112	$279	$12,833

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary School

What district is Highland Elementary School in?

Highland Community School District

What schools do graduates of Highland Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Highland Middle School
High : Highland High School

What is the racial makeup of Highland Elementary School?

Students at Highland Elementary School are 95% White, 5% Hispanic.

How many students attend Highland Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 278 students attended Highland Elementary School.

Is Highland Elementary School a good school?

Highland Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.3% of Iowa elementary schools.

Rate Highland Elementary 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 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.