Highland Middle School

Summary:

Highland Middle School is a public middle school located in Anderson, Indiana, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 914 students. The school is part of the Anderson Community School Corporation, which is ranked 328 out of 381 school districts in Indiana and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Middle School faces significant challenges, including a more diverse student population compared to surrounding schools, with higher percentages of African American (23.3%) and Hispanic (18.49%) students. The school also has significantly higher chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 36.8% in 2022-2023 to 60.3% in 2020-2021, which appears to be directly correlated with the school's low academic performance. On the ILEARN assessments, only 19.19% of all students were proficient or better in English Language Arts in 2023-2024, compared to 18% for the district and 41.8% for the state in 7th grade. Additionally, Highland Middle School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 73.08% in 2020-2021 to 80.74% in 2022-2023, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to other nearby middle schools, such as Hamilton SE Intermediate and Junior High School (in a higher-performing district) and Anderson Intermediate School (within the same district), Highland Middle School significantly underperforms in terms of test scores, chronic absenteeism, and overall school quality ratings. Despite the relatively high per-student spending at Highland Middle School, ranging from $10,190 in 2018-2019 to $13,349 in 2021-2022, the school's academic performance remains low, indicating that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution. Addressing the challenges at Highland Middle School will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach that focuses on improving attendance, teaching and learning, and resource allocation within the school.

Detail:

Public 7-8

2108 E 200 N
Anderson, IN 46012

(765) 641-2059

District: Anderson Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
392^nd of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,349

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually attend:

High:

Anderson High School

Feeder schools for Highland Middle School:

Elementary:	Anderson Elementary School
	Eastside Elementary School
	Edgewood Elementary School
	Erskine Elementary School
	More...
	Tenth Street Elementary School
	Valley Grove Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 914

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.5%

African American:

23.3%

Hispanic:

18.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 80.7%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Middle School ranks worse than 80.8% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 18.96. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 Student population at Highland Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (46.5%), African American (23.3%), Hispanic (18.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 80.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 13.8. (See more...)

Compare Highland Middle School employs 65.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Middle School is $13,349.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Middle School 392^nd of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Highland Middle School in the ranking list.)

Anderson Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks Anderson Community School Corp 329^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Highland Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2013	14.70	406^th	444	8.6%
2014	11.85	431^st	470	8.3%
2015	19.97	409^th	485	15.7%
2016	20.70	417^th	494	15.6%
2017	15.56	407^th	472	13.8%
2018	21.10	396^th	473	16.3%
2019	20.69	393^rd	470	16.4%
2021	16.21	403^rd	483	16.6%
2022	18.15	399^th	490	18.6%
2023	19.14	396^th	489	19.0%
2024	18.96	392^nd	485	19.2%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, October 15, 2018

Bullies abound and teachers are unconcerned with failing students- 6th and 7th grade. Teacher quality seems to improve in 8th grade Close Quote

Enrollment information for Highland Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2011	1243	337	7	101	4	0	94	1786
2012	1065	330	5	100	5	0	89	1594
2013	1013	362	8	126	2	0	79	1590
2014	901	373	9	147	1	2	85	1518
2015	845	337	9	149	4	0	109	1453
2016	804	327	6	156	2	0	101	1396
2017	796	319	5	167	2	0	114	1403
2018	794	315	3	194	2	1	115	1424
2019	822	327	1	219	1	0	134	1504
2020	512	206	1	151	1	0	88	959
2021	526	214	0	157	1	0	105	1003
2022	510	195	1	172	1	0	112	991
2023	425	213	3	169	1	0	103	914

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
2011	1786	92.5	19.2	68.9
2012	1594	86.0	18.5	70.8
2013	1590	103.0	15.4	77.8
2014	1518	98.5	15.4	76.9
2015	1453	94.0	15.4	81.4
2016	1396	91.0	15.3	82.7
2017	1403	98.6	14.2	82.2
2018	1424	92.1	15.4	83.8
2019	1504	97.7	15.3	72.7
2020	959	70.1	13.6	77.3
2021	1003	64.8	15.4	73.1
2022	991	66.4	14.9	74.2
2023	914	65.8	13.8	80.7

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
2011	1786	92.5	19.2	68.9
2012	1594	86.0	18.5	70.8
2013	1590	103.0	15.4	77.8
2014	1518	98.5	15.4	76.9
2015	1453	94.0	15.4	81.4
2016	1396	91.0	15.3	82.7
2017	1403	98.6	14.2	82.2
2018	1424	92.1	15.4	83.8
2019	1504	97.7	15.3	72.7
2020	959	70.1	13.6	77.3
2021	1003	64.8	15.4	73.1
2022	991	66.4	14.9	74.2
2023	914	65.8	13.8	80.7

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	$817 (8.0%)	$9,374 (92.0%)	$10,190
2020	$1,645 (13.1%)	$10,908 (86.9%)	$12,553
2021	$1,579 (13.5%)	$10,097 (86.5%)	$11,676
2022	$2,520 (18.9%)	$10,829 (81.1%)	$13,349

Data source: Indiana 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 393^rd of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 396^th of 489 Middle schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	34.4	15.9	18.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Anderson Community School Corp)	32.8	15.6	17.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Highland Middle School)	22.9	14	8.9%
7th Grade Math (Anderson Community School Corp)	21.9	13.8	8.1%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	36.6	24	12.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Anderson Community School Corp)	34	23.2	10.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Highland Middle School)	20.7	14.7	6%
8th Grade Math (Anderson Community School Corp)	19.2	14.2	5%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%
End of Course Biology (Highland Middle School)	58.7	49.2	9.5%
End of Course Biology (Anderson Community School Corp)	18.3	15.5	2.8%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1504	914	39.2%
African American	327	213	34.9%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	219	169	22.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	822	425	48.3%
Two or More Races	134	103	23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	72.7%	80.7%	8.1%

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)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)					ILEARN Math (2024)					ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	ILEARN Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland Middle School	Public	7-8	2108 E 200 N	Anderson	46012	Madison County	Anderson Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 641-2059	914	66	13.8	80.7%	425 (46.5%)	213 (23.3%)	169 (18.5%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	103 (11.3%)	19	392^nd of 485 public middle schools	19.2%		19.1	396^th of 489 public middle schools	19.0%	4			16.2	22.2	19.2			13.2	14.9	14.0		66.2	$13,349	$2,520	$10,829
Anderson Intermediate School	Public	5-6	2300 Lindberg Rd	Anderson	46012	Madison County	Anderson Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 641-2047	943	60	15.7	82.7%	457 (48.5%)	212 (22.5%)	167 (17.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	104 (11.0%)								(n/a)		16.4			16.2		12.2			12.1			$5,277	$1,241	$4,036
Yorktown Middle School	Public	6-8	8820 W Smith St	Yorktown	47396	Delaware County	Yorktown Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(765) 759-2660	656	37	17.7	36.6%	551 (84.0%)	24 (3.7%)	17 (2.6%)	24 (3.7%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	36 (5.5%)	77.8	92^nd of 485 public middle schools	81.0%		71	128^th of 489 public middle schools	73.8%	36		50.0	45.6	52.4	49.5		50.4	47.2	35.8	44.2		100.0	$9,362	$777	$8,585
Shenandoah Middle School	Public	6-8	5156 N Raider Rd	Middletown	47356	Henry County	Shenandoah School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 354-6638	298	21	13.9	44.0%	284 (95.3%)	1 (0.3%)	5 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.7%)	70.5	129^th of 485 public middle schools	73.4%		70.3	131^st of 489 public middle schools	73.2%	2		43.1	35.5	47.5	42.2		58.8	33.3	43.6	45.6			$8,400	$519	$7,881
Pendleton Heights Middle School	Public	7-8	7450 S 300 W	Pendleton	46064	Madison County	South Madison Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(765) 778-2139	721	38	19.2	36.1%	636 (88.2%)	19 (2.6%)	39 (5.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.2%)	77.5	97^th of 485 public middle schools	80.0%		66.1	152^nd of 489 public middle schools	68.9%	55			50.1	52.3	51.2			43.4	35.8	39.6			$8,891	$244	$8,647
Lapel Middle School	Public	6-8	2883 S Sr 13	Lapel	46051	Madison County	Frankton-Lapel Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(765) 534-3136	336	19	17.3	32.1%	315 (93.8%)	4 (1.2%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	43.9	279^th of 485 public middle schools	42.5%		44.3	269^th of 489 public middle schools	45.0%	10		48.3	22.1	30.6	33.8		30.2	22.1	27.0	26.5			$8,722	$428	$8,294
Northside Middle School	Public	6-8	2400 W Bethel Ave	Muncie	47304	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5290	583	44	13.1	70.5%	291 (49.9%)	141 (24.2%)	44 (7.5%)	14 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (16.0%)	30.9	341^st of 485 public middle schools	29.7%		28.8	348^th of 489 public middle schools	28.8%	7		23.9	33.7	21.4	26.1		30.7	22.5	9.6	21.3		61.1	$11,161	$1,559	$9,602
Southside Middle School	Public	6-8	1601 East 26th St	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5320	443	42	10.5	84.9%	275 (62.1%)	80 (18.1%)	24 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	62 (14.0%)	7.9	465^th of 485 public middle schools	4.1%		6.9	474^th of 489 public middle schools	3.1%	9		4.8	12.1	11.9	9.6		1.6	7.7	4.0	4.5		41.9	$13,419	$2,045	$11,374
Virtual Preparatory Academy of Indiana at Madison-Grant 6-8	Public, Virtual	6-8	11580 S E 00 W	Fairmount	46928	Grant County	Madison-Grant United School Corp	No	No	Yes	No	(765) 853-7003	158	16	10.1	47.5%	92 (58.2%)	31 (19.6%)	16 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (11.4%)	11.7	433^rd of 485 public middle schools	10.7%		8	461^st of 489 public middle schools	5.7%	28		13.9	18.9	19.0	17.9		4.2	5.7	4.3	4.7			$11,740	$292	$11,448
Hamilton SE Intermediate and Junior High School	Public	5-8	12278 Cyntheanne Rd	Fishers	46037	Hamilton County	Hamilton Southeastern Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 594-4120	1,269	70	18.0	12.6%	823 (64.9%)	93 (7.3%)	102 (8.0%)	169 (13.3%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	77 (6.1%)	95.6	12^th of 485 public middle schools	97.5%		94.5	14^th of 489 public middle schools	97.1%	2	65.0	64.8	64.8	65.5	65.0	65.9	69.8	66.6	53.0	63.8	60.2		$9,597	$295	$9,302

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Middle School

How many students attend Highland Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 914 students attended Highland Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Highland Middle School attend?

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

What is the racial makeup of Highland Middle School?

Students at Highland Middle School are 46% White, 23% African American, 18% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races.

What district is Highland Middle School in?

Anderson Community School Corp

Is Highland Middle School a good school?

Highland Middle School ranks in the bottom 19.2% of Indiana middle schools.

Rate Highland Middle 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 Indiana 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.