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Highland Elementary

Summary:

Highland Elementary is a public elementary school located in Silver Spring, Maryland, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 515. The school faces some unique challenges, with a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students and a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch compared to nearby schools.

Highland Elementary's test scores, particularly in mathematics, are lower than the Montgomery County Public Schools district and the state of Maryland averages. The school's statewide ranking and SchoolDigger rating have fluctuated over the years, suggesting it has faced some challenges in recent years. However, the school performs better for certain subgroups, such as Hispanic students, which suggests there may be opportunities to build on existing strengths.

Comparing Highland Elementary to the nearby schools, it is clear that the school faces more challenges. For example, Rock View Elementary and Oakland Terrace Elementary have significantly higher test scores and lower free/reduced lunch rates than Highland Elementary. Continued focus on supporting the unique needs of the student population and implementing effective instructional strategies could help Highland Elementary improve its academic outcomes and ranking over time.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 3100 Medway St
       Silver Spring, MD  20902-2225

(240) 740-1770

District: Montgomery County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
419th of 859 Maryland Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $22,688 Help


Students who attend Highland Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Newport Mill Middle
High:    Albert Einstein High
    John F. Kennedy High
    Montgomery Blair High
    Northwood High
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  12.2 Help
Number of students:  510

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
79.6%
African American:
7.1%
White:
5.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland Elementary ranks better than 51.2% of elementary schools in Maryland. It also ranks 88th among 130 ranked elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.81. (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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (79.6%), African American (7.1%), White (5.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 57.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Elementary is 12.2, which is the 51st best among 130 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland Elementary employs 41.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary is $22,688, which is the 29th highest among 130 elementary schools in the Montgomery County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Montgomery County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Montgomery County Public Schools 7th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Highland Elementary.

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Rank History for Highland Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 79.13 150th 803 81.3%
2005 79.49 144th 805 82.1%
2006 79.49 150th 804 81.3%
2007 67.51 280th 818 65.8%
2008 78.34 157th 838 81.3%
2009 76.60 181st 850 78.7%
2010 68.15 301st 855 64.8%
2011 60.91 368th 853 56.9%
2012 56.66 427th 857 50.2%
2013 41.70 546th 847 35.5%
2014 47.00 543rd 867 37.4%
2015 33.32 543rd 859 36.8%
2016 54.49 352nd 845 58.3%
2017 48.98 398th 847 53.0%
2018 54.96 346th 857 59.6%
2019 53.42 350th 853 59.0%
2021 30.83 472nd 802 41.1%
2022 48.57 414th 862 52.0%
2023 48.92 372nd 855 56.5%
2024 44.81 419th 859 51.2%
See the entire list of Maryland Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 40.07 57th 115 50.4%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 66.73 75th 546 86.3%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.22 387th 796 51.4%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 23.76 566th 788 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 38.06 307th 504 39.1%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.48 111th 347 68.0%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland 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.

Highland Elementary Test Scores
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Years: 
  
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Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.5)
50%

0%

0%

50%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, May 10, 2018

Open Quote Great staff and Highland has the smallest class sizes in the county. I would highly recommend this school to anyone in the area! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Highland Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 171 171 55 88 2 n/a n/a 0 487
1990 199 183 57 110 2 n/a n/a 6 557
1991 218 195 60 128 2 n/a n/a 0 603
1992 207 168 67 138 2 n/a n/a 0 582
1993 222 180 63 151 2 n/a n/a 0 618
1994 182 190 62 176 3 n/a n/a 0 613
1995 175 181 54 199 3 n/a n/a 0 612
1996 175 181 54 199 3 n/a n/a 0 612
1997 160 178 65 234 2 n/a n/a 0 639
1998 151 169 52 262 6 n/a n/a 0 640
1999 114 180 54 304 7 n/a n/a 0 659
2000 83 196 50 369 3 n/a n/a 0 701
2001 78 192 42 443 3 n/a n/a 0 758
2002 73 126 60 496 5 n/a n/a 0 760
2003 73 126 60 496 5 n/a n/a 0 760
2004 57 138 45 495 6 n/a n/a 0 741
2005 43 100 36 504 2 n/a n/a 0 685
2006 36 94 38 474 1 n/a n/a 0 643
2007 33 94 31 480 1 n/a n/a 0 639
2008 23 64 28 371 1 n/a n/a 0 487
2009 19 61 29 346 1 n/a n/a 0 456
2010 19 59 36 363 1 n/a n/a 0 478
2011 17 59 35 346 1 0 3 0 461
2012 19 67 32 359 2 1 5 0 485
2013 24 68 30 395 4 1 12 0 534
2014 24 70 20 412 6 0 12 0 544
2015 25 73 19 404 6 0 15 0 542
2016 33 80 25 398 7 0 15 0 558
2017 34 67 32 423 8 0 11 0 575
2018 38 65 38 424 6 0 12 0 583
2019 38 54 35 402 4 1 14 0 548
2020 45 48 32 413 5 1 11 0 555
2021 38 50 29 401 5 1 6 0 530
2022 34 48 33 397 3 1 5 0 521
2023 32 40 29 400 2 2 10 0 515
2024 29 36 27 406 2 2 8 0 510

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 487 30.1 16.1 n/a
1990 557 31.2 17.8 30.5
1991 603 33.5 18.0 36.3
1992 582 33.8 17.2 38.7
1993 618 35.5 17.4 36.4
1994 613 36.0 17.0 44.4
1995 612 34.1 17.9 48.9
1996 612 34.1 17.9 48.9
1997 639 38.2 16.7 45.2
1998 640 40.5 15.8 47.3
1999 659 40.5 16.3 59.6
2000 701 48.0 14.6 64.5
2001 758 58.2 13.0 63.9
2002 760 59.9 12.7 61.7
2003 760 59.9 12.7 61.7
2004 741 58.1 12.8 68.4
2005 685 59.0 11.6 70.7
2006 643 65.0 9.9 69.4
2007 639 60.8 10.5 73.1
2008 487 47.6 10.2 75.8
2009 456 46.9 9.7 81.8
2010 478 43.2 11.0 84.1
2011 461 45.2 10.1 83.9
2012 485 44.5 10.8 81.9
2013 534 44.9 11.8 82.2
2014 544 47.1 11.5 83.5
2015 542 48.0 11.2 81.2
2016 558 48.0 11.6 79.4
2017 575 49.0 11.7 81.7
2018 583 49.5 11.7 81
2019 548 47.6 11.5 77.4
2020 555 49.2 11.2 76.6
2021 530 48.2 10.9 74.2
2022 521 49.2 10.5 72.2
2023 515 47.3 10.8 79.2
2024 510 41.6 12.2 57.5

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

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 487 30.1 16.1 n/a
1990 557 31.2 17.8 30.5
1991 603 33.5 18.0 36.3
1992 582 33.8 17.2 38.7
1993 618 35.5 17.4 36.4
1994 613 36.0 17.0 44.4
1995 612 34.1 17.9 48.9
1996 612 34.1 17.9 48.9
1997 639 38.2 16.7 45.2
1998 640 40.5 15.8 47.3
1999 659 40.5 16.3 59.6
2000 701 48.0 14.6 64.5
2001 758 58.2 13.0 63.9
2002 760 59.9 12.7 61.7
2003 760 59.9 12.7 61.7
2004 741 58.1 12.8 68.4
2005 685 59.0 11.6 70.7
2006 643 65.0 9.9 69.4
2007 639 60.8 10.5 73.1
2008 487 47.6 10.2 75.8
2009 456 46.9 9.7 81.8
2010 478 43.2 11.0 84.1
2011 461 45.2 10.1 83.9
2012 485 44.5 10.8 81.9
2013 534 44.9 11.8 82.2
2014 544 47.1 11.5 83.5
2015 542 48.0 11.2 81.2
2016 558 48.0 11.6 79.4
2017 575 49.0 11.7 81.7
2018 583 49.5 11.7 81
2019 548 47.6 11.5 77.4
2020 555 49.2 11.2 76.6
2021 530 48.2 10.9 74.2
2022 521 49.2 10.5 72.2
2023 515 47.3 10.8 79.2
2024 510 41.6 12.2 57.5

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,269 (11.5%) $17,431 (88.5%) $19,700
2020 $2,472 (12.7%) $16,990 (87.3%) $19,462
2021 $3,061 (14.8%) $17,594 (85.2%) $20,654
2022 $4,417 (20.6%) $17,072 (79.4%) $21,489
2023 $3,266 (14.4%) $19,423 (85.6%) $22,688

Data source: Maryland Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Elementary

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 350th of 853 Elementary schoolsRanks 372nd of 855 Elementary schools
 2.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students548515
 6%
African American5440
 25.9%
American Indian42
 50%
Asian3529
 17.1%
Hispanic402400
 0.5%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White3832
 15.8%
Two or More Races1410
 28.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients77.4%79.2%
 1.9%

Schools Near Highland Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary

Students who attend Highland Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Newport Mill Middle
High : Albert Einstein High
High : John F. Kennedy High
High : Montgomery Blair High
High : Northwood High
High : Wheaton High

In the 2023-24 school year, 510 students attended Highland Elementary.

Highland Elementary ranks 419th of 859 Maryland elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Highland Elementary are 80% Hispanic, 7% African American, 6% White, 5% Asian, 2% Two or more races.


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




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