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Highland Elementary School

Summary:

Highland Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Downers Grove, Illinois, serving grades PK-6 with a student population of 393. The school is part of the Downers Grove GSD 58 district, which is ranked 95 out of 813 districts in Illinois and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Elementary School consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Illinois, with a statewide ranking between 55-91 out of over 2,000 schools in recent years. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics are significantly higher than the district and state averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 72.1% of Highland students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 61.5% for the district and 41.2% for the state. Highland's performance on the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) is also impressive, with 77.6% of students scoring proficient or better, compared to 76.6% for the district and 53.2% for the state.

Highland Elementary excels in supporting the academic achievement of various student subgroups, ranking among the top 100 Illinois elementary schools for White, Special Education, and Disabled students. The school's performance for male students is particularly noteworthy, ranking 47th out of nearly 2,000 Illinois elementary schools in 2023-2024. When compared to nearby schools, such as Westfield Elementary in Glen Ellyn and the Westmont schools, Highland maintains a clear academic advantage, consistently outperforming them in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency rates.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 3935 Highland Ave
       Downers Grove, IL  60515-1515

(630) 719-5835

District: Downers Grove GSD 58

SchoolDigger Rank:
91st of 2,067 Illinois Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,631 Help


Students who attend Highland Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Herrick Middle School
High:    Community High School District 99 - North High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  393

Racial breakdown:

White:
81.9%
Hispanic:
7.9%
Asian:
4.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  11.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland Elementary School ranks better than 95.6% of elementary schools in Illinois. It also ranks 3rd among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Downers Grove GSD 58 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.55. (See more...)
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 Highland Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Downers Grove GSD 58 School District.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary School is $16,631. 7 elementary schools in the Downers Grove GSD 58 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Elementary School 91st of 2067 Illinois public elementary schools. (See Highland Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
White students:


Downers Grove GSD 58:

SchoolDigger ranks Downers Grove GSD 58 95th of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Highland Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 84.33 203rd 2020 90.0%
2004 84.49 192nd 2030 90.5%
2005 81.54 264th 2022 86.9%
2006 84.79 110th 2086 94.7%
2007 81.58 230th 2095 89.0%
2008 84.28 168th 2092 92.0%
2009 82.64 237th 2120 88.8%
2010 87.79 48th 2139 97.8%
2011 84.95 149th 2147 93.1%
2012 85.58 115th 2166 94.7%
2013 88.02 186th 2167 91.4%
2014 79.13 418th 2093 80.0%
2015 63.87 641st 2052 68.8%
2016 60.74 721st 2046 64.8%
2017 64.95 651st 2044 68.2%
2018 78.49 404th 2037 80.2%
2019 75.47 447th 2086 78.6%
2021 94.89 80th 1948 95.9%
2022 92.92 114th 2082 94.5%
2023 96.42 55th 2077 97.4%
2024 95.55 91st 2067 95.6%
See the entire list of Illinois Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 89.38 84th 1195 93.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.55 384th 1964 80.4%
2019 71.86 503rd 2019 75.1%
2021 93.05 78th 1680 95.4%
2022 94.76 82nd 1970 95.8%
2023 95.17 67th 1957 96.6%
2024 90.67 152nd 1942 92.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 97.87 16th 886 98.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.08 410th 1972 79.2%
2019 73.62 450th 2019 77.7%
2021 91.38 110th 1707 93.6%
2022 87.27 205th 1977 89.6%
2023 95.81 51st 1984 97.4%
2024 96.54 47th 1959 97.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.98 293rd 938 68.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.63 504th 1463 65.6%
2019 52.77 672nd 1462 54.0%
2021 88.85 89th 1308 93.2%
2022 84.10 147th 1425 89.7%
2023 89.89 84th 1419 94.1%
2024 88.87 100th 1392 92.8%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board 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 Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Highland Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 329 2 24 2 n/a n/a n/a 0 357
1989 268 3 31 5 n/a n/a n/a 0 307
1990 283 4 28 6 n/a n/a n/a 0 321
1991 321 3 34 5 0 n/a n/a 0 363
1992 322 9 36 8 0 n/a n/a 0 375
1993 353 11 34 4 0 n/a n/a 0 402
1994 389 14 41 5 2 n/a n/a 0 451
1995 345 9 29 13 0 n/a n/a 0 396
1996 345 9 29 13 0 n/a n/a 0 396
1997 331 11 34 9 1 n/a n/a 0 386
1998 327 11 29 8 1 n/a n/a 0 376
1999 326 10 30 8 1 n/a n/a 0 375
2000 304 8 26 10 0 n/a n/a 0 348
2001 289 7 21 13 0 n/a n/a 0 330
2002 269 12 19 10 0 n/a n/a 0 310
2003 269 12 19 10 0 n/a n/a 0 310
2004 258 9 18 7 0 n/a n/a 0 292
2005 247 6 14 14 0 n/a n/a 0 281
2006 234 7 13 15 0 n/a n/a 3 272
2007 208 7 12 15 0 n/a n/a 11 253
2008 195 7 12 16 0 n/a n/a 11 241
2009 211 6 14 22 0 n/a n/a 12 265
2010 202 3 14 23 0 n/a n/a 17 259
2011 207 6 23 35 0 0 7 0 278
2012 208 7 21 34 0 0 9 0 279
2013 224 7 22 43 0 0 10 0 306
2014 245 8 28 43 3 0 9 0 336
2015 261 6 28 40 2 0 10 0 347
2016 269 2 30 32 1 0 9 0 343
2017 282 2 31 37 1 0 13 0 366
2018 299 1 30 42 0 0 14 0 386
2019 310 1 28 43 0 0 13 0 395
2020 320 2 20 29 0 0 13 0 384
2021 326 4 28 30 0 0 11 0 399
2022 323 5 23 32 0 0 10 0 393
2023 322 4 19 31 0 0 17 0 393

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 357 16.0 22.3 n/a
1989 307 16.0 19.1 n/a
1990 321 16.5 19.4 n/a
1991 363 20.0 18.1 n/a
1992 375 20.2 18.5 n/a
1993 402 20.7 19.4 n/a
1994 451 19.5 23.1 n/a
1995 396 20.3 19.5 n/a
1996 396 20.3 19.5 n/a
1997 386 20.4 18.9 n/a
1998 376 20.8 18.1 n/a
1999 375 18.8 19.9 n/a
2000 348 19.2 18.1 n/a
2001 330 17.7 18.6 n/a
2002 310 16.5 18.8 0
2003 310 16.5 18.8 0
2004 292 15.3 19.1 0
2005 281 14.5 19.4 0
2006 272 13.4 20.3 0
2007 253 13.0 19.5 0
2008 241 11.0 21.9 0
2009 265 13.5 19.6 0
2010 259 14.0 18.5 0
2011 278 14.0 19.8 0
2012 279 14.6 19.0 10.4
2013 306 18.5 16.5 11.4
2014 336 16.0 21.0 14.9
2015 347 18.0 19.2 12.7
2016 343 19.0 18.0 9
2017 366 20.5 17.8 9
2018 386 20.0 19.3 6.7
2019 395 21.1 18.7 5.6
2020 384 20.4 18.8 4.4
2021 399 n/a n/a n/a
2022 393 23.5 16.7 11.7
2023 393 22.3 17.5 n/a

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 357 16.0 22.3 n/a
1989 307 16.0 19.1 n/a
1990 321 16.5 19.4 n/a
1991 363 20.0 18.1 n/a
1992 375 20.2 18.5 n/a
1993 402 20.7 19.4 n/a
1994 451 19.5 23.1 n/a
1995 396 20.3 19.5 n/a
1996 396 20.3 19.5 n/a
1997 386 20.4 18.9 n/a
1998 376 20.8 18.1 n/a
1999 375 18.8 19.9 n/a
2000 348 19.2 18.1 n/a
2001 330 17.7 18.6 n/a
2002 310 16.5 18.8 0
2003 310 16.5 18.8 0
2004 292 15.3 19.1 0
2005 281 14.5 19.4 0
2006 272 13.4 20.3 0
2007 253 13.0 19.5 0
2008 241 11.0 21.9 0
2009 265 13.5 19.6 0
2010 259 14.0 18.5 0
2011 278 14.0 19.8 0
2012 279 14.6 19.0 10.4
2013 306 18.5 16.5 11.4
2014 336 16.0 21.0 14.9
2015 347 18.0 19.2 12.7
2016 343 19.0 18.0 9
2017 366 20.5 17.8 9
2018 386 20.0 19.3 6.7
2019 395 21.1 18.7 5.6
2020 384 20.4 18.8 4.4
2021 399 n/a n/a n/a
2022 393 23.5 16.7 11.7
2023 393 22.3 17.5 n/a

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.

Immunization Rates

Highland Elementary School

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Compare
YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPPneumococcal Meningococcal
201598.6%98.6%98.6%98.6%17.1%98.1%98.6%2.8%
201697.5%97.5%97.5%97.5%15.7%97.3%84.6%2.5%13.0%
201798.1%97.8%97.8%97.8%13.8%97.8%98.4%0.5%13.5%
201898.5%97.8%97.8%97.8%14.6%98.1%98.3%5.3%9.2%
201998.8%98.5%98.5%98.5%18.9%98.5%98.8%3.4%14.8%
202198.3%98.0%98.0%98.0%98.3%98.3%98.3%17.0%
202297.4%97.4%97.4%97.4%16.3%97.4%97.4%3.1%13.2%
202398.4%98.4%98.4%98.4%17.5%98.4%98.4%2.6%14.8%
202498.1%98.1%98.1%98.1%17.0%98.1%98.3%2.8%14.2%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highland Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $528 (4.0%) $12,768 (96.0%) $13,296
2020 $463 (3.4%) $13,203 (96.6%) $13,666
2021 $616 (4.4%) $13,537 (95.6%) $14,153
2022 $616 (4.4%) $13,537 (95.6%) $14,153
2023 $741 (4.6%) $15,347 (95.4%) $16,088
2024 $516 (3.1%) $16,115 (96.9%) $16,631

Data source: Illinois 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 447th of 2086 Elementary schoolsRanks 55th of 2077 Elementary schools
 18.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)60.762.8
 2.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Downers Grove GSD 58)44.554
 9.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.428.8
 7.6%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)5972.6
 13.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Downers Grove GSD 58)55.364.1
 8.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Illinois)40.633
 7.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)55.867.8
 12%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Downers Grove GSD 58)5661.6
 5.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)36.735.4
 1.3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)34.661.1
 26.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Downers Grove GSD 58)46.760.1
 13.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)33.527.7
 5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)40.473.1
 32.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Downers Grove GSD 58)56.353.4
 2.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)37.935.2
 2.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)27.772.5
 44.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Downers Grove GSD 58)46.753.9
 7.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.825.6
 4.2%
5th Grade Science (Highland Elementary School)70.886.3
 15.5%
   5th Grade Science (Downers Grove GSD 58)71.677
 5.4%
   5th Grade Science (Illinois)54.452.4
 2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)51.665.5
 13.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Downers Grove GSD 58)55.256.6
 1.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary School)48.550
 1.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Downers Grove GSD 58)48.852.5
 3.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students395393
 0.5%
African American14
 300%
American Indian00
Asian2819
 32.1%
Hispanic4331
 27.9%
Pacific Islander00
White310322
 3.9%
Two or More Races1317
 30.8%

Schools Near Highland Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary School

Yes! Highland Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 91st of 2067 Illinois elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 393 students attended Highland Elementary School.

Students at Highland Elementary School are 82% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

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

Middle : Herrick Middle School
High : Community High School District 99 - North High School


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board 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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