Highland Elementary

Summary:

Highland Elementary is a public elementary school located in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, serving 512 students from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Columbia Heights Public School District, which is ranked 427 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Elementary has a diverse student population, with significant representation of African American (34.38%) and Hispanic (34.77%) students, in contrast to nearby schools that tend to have a higher percentage of White students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA-III), is significantly lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 16.67% of Highland Elementary students were proficient or better in MCA-III Math, compared to 45.47% statewide and 13.46% for the Columbia Heights Public School District. The school's performance also varies across different student subgroups, with African American and Hispanic students performing better than the state averages for their respective subgroups, but still lagging behind their White and Asian peers within the school.

Highland Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Minnesota elementary schools, with a ranking between 674 and 823 out of 826 to 881 schools over the past 10 school years. This suggests that the school has struggled to improve its academic performance over an extended period. When compared to nearby schools, such as Valley View Elementary and North Park School for Innovation, Highland Elementary generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates in MCA-III Math, Reading, and Science. However, these nearby schools also struggle with low academic performance, indicating that the challenges faced by Highland Elementary may be systemic within the Columbia Heights Public School District.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1500 49th Ave NE
       Columbia Heights, MN  55421-1991


(763) 528-4405

District: Columbia Heights Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
823rd of 881 Minnesota Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,593 Help


Students who attend Highland Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Columbia Academy
High:    Columbia Heights Senior High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  512

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
34.8%
African American:
34.4%
White:
20.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84.8% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland Elementary ranks worse than 93.4% of elementary schools in Minnesota. It also ranks first among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Columbia Heights Public School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6.44. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Highland Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (34.8%), African American (34.4%), White (20.5%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 84.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Columbia Heights Public School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Elementary is 16.4. 1 elementary schools in the Columbia Heights Public School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland Elementary employs 31 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary is $14,593. 1 elementary schools in the Columbia Heights Public School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Elementary 823rd of 881 Minnesota public elementary schools. (See Highland Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Columbia Heights Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Columbia Heights Public School District 427th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Highland Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 23.16 581st 674 13.8%
2004 20.07 599th 676 11.4%
2005 50.46 422nd 685 38.4%
2006 76.42 126th 756 83.3%
2007 54.75 412th 777 47.0%
2008 47.59 511th 781 34.6%
2009 24.40 377th 434 13.1%
2010 25.35 685th 803 14.7%
2011 26.81 682nd 814 16.2%
2012 45.20 571st 820 30.4%
2013 27.65 666th 824 19.2%
2014 27.47 674th 826 18.4%
2015 14.64 736th 840 12.4%
2016 19.02 730th 848 13.9%
2017 21.34 716th 853 16.1%
2018 15.60 738th 847 12.9%
2019 14.94 755th 870 13.2%
2021 11.73 755th 869 13.1%
2022 12.96 746th 858 13.1%
2023 11.45 747th 845 11.6%
2024 6.44 823rd 881 6.6%
See the entire list of Minnesota Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.53 89th 98 9.2%
2019 27.98 77th 96 19.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.07 139th 242 42.6%
2019 29.79 199th 239 16.7%
2021 18.53 174th 175 0.6%
2022 33.14 187th 256 27.0%
2023 32.70 203rd 276 26.4%
2024 19.93 278th 303 8.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.35 392nd 463 15.3%
2019 25.41 412th 515 20.0%
2022 36.01 350th 500 30.0%
2023 12.96 491st 524 6.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.53 592nd 728 18.7%
2019 20.74 635th 740 14.2%
2021 25.96 545th 683 20.2%
2022 29.75 501st 663 24.4%
2023 20.01 657th 774 15.1%
2024 11.34 734th 793 7.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota 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 MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.77 677th 774 12.5%
2019 19.17 673rd 787 14.5%
2021 9.89 705th 783 10.0%
2022 10.22 718th 799 10.1%
2023 7.82 731st 787 7.1%
2024 8.52 749th 809 7.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.04 674th 779 13.5%
2019 14.35 700th 798 12.3%
2021 13.86 685th 784 12.6%
2022 15.35 696th 808 13.9%
2023 15.92 681st 799 14.8%
2024 5.04 790th 826 4.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.44 149th 266 44.0%
2019 38.11 186th 283 34.3%
2021 12.51 217th 227 4.4%
2022 38.04 183rd 282 35.1%
2023 40.72 156th 279 44.1%
2024 31.75 218th 310 29.7%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.17 173rd 220 21.4%
2019 28.58 171st 219 21.9%
2021 39.75 108th 153 29.4%
2022 30.51 156th 209 25.4%
2023 18.74 193rd 214 9.8%
2024 12.17 239th 249 4.0%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.99 683rd 712 4.1%
2019 35.38 549th 722 24.0%
2021 18.46 652nd 710 8.2%
2022 16.08 678th 725 6.5%
2023 28.67 574th 712 19.4%
2024 21.40 640th 730 12.3%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Highland Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 493 17 13 14 7 n/a n/a 0 544
1989 500 32 13 13 8 n/a n/a 0 566
1990 510 35 7 16 8 n/a n/a 0 576
1991 505 33 9 5 6 n/a n/a 0 558
1992 530 30 13 3 8 n/a n/a 0 584
1993 457 43 14 7 7 n/a n/a 0 528
1994 375 36 19 18 24 n/a n/a 0 472
1995 344 47 24 19 25 n/a n/a 0 459
1996 344 47 24 19 25 n/a n/a 0 459
1997 319 50 41 25 21 n/a n/a 0 456
1998 361 47 38 16 16 n/a n/a 0 478
1999 372 41 36 19 17 n/a n/a 0 485
2000 340 43 37 32 18 n/a n/a 0 470
2001 329 63 44 52 23 n/a n/a 0 511
2002 227 77 30 34 21 n/a n/a 0 389
2003 227 77 30 34 21 n/a n/a 0 389
2004 202 88 33 38 21 n/a n/a 0 382
2005 187 112 33 59 27 n/a n/a 0 418
2006 157 152 28 71 20 n/a n/a 0 428
2007 146 179 32 91 20 n/a n/a 0 468
2008 124 178 26 115 11 n/a n/a 0 454
2009 123 191 36 116 9 n/a n/a 0 475
2010 124 160 44 136 15 n/a n/a 0 479
2011 114 149 31 146 9 0 18 0 467
2012 127 159 31 142 7 0 36 0 502
2013 108 170 35 140 7 0 37 0 497
2014 124 169 32 156 9 0 48 0 538
2015 115 158 36 146 10 0 58 0 523
2016 109 140 41 144 13 0 72 0 519
2017 133 171 33 154 11 0 82 0 584
2018 131 182 33 161 6 0 76 0 589
2019 131 180 33 152 10 0 64 0 570
2020 129 191 25 150 10 0 48 0 553
2021 112 183 30 147 6 0 45 0 523
2022 97 181 20 160 5 0 41 0 504
2023 105 176 18 178 6 0 29 0 512

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
1988 544 27.3 19.9 21.1
1989 566 29.5 19.1 18.7
1990 576 28.9 19.9 25.2
1991 558 28.1 19.8 27.4
1992 584 31.9 18.3 28.6
1993 528 28.1 18.8 32
1994 472 31.6 14.9 34.3
1995 459 29.9 15.4 35.9
1996 459 29.9 15.4 35.9
1997 456 24.3 18.8 35.3
1998 478 n/a 0.0 33.9
1999 485 28.9 16.8 30.1
2000 470 30.4 15.5 50
2001 511 29.4 17.4 41.7
2002 389 26.3 14.8 47.8
2003 389 26.3 14.8 47.8
2004 382 30.7 12.4 53.4
2005 418 29.6 14.1 63.4
2006 428 14.0 30.6 69.2
2007 468 14.2 33.0 70.9
2008 454 29.2 15.5 74
2009 475 35.0 13.6 76.8
2010 479 35.0 13.6 79.3
2011 467 35.2 13.2 80.7
2012 502 40.0 12.5 76.3
2013 497 38.5 12.9 79.1
2014 538 41.4 12.9 82.7
2015 523 40.0 13.0 81.1
2016 519 41.0 12.6 79.8
2017 584 37.7 15.4 75.9
2018 589 39.1 15.0 79.3
2019 570 34.1 16.6 75.3
2020 553 37.5 14.7 74.7
2021 523 35.0 14.9 71.7
2022 504 33.0 15.2 71.2
2023 512 31.0 16.4 84.8

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
1988 544 27.3 19.9 21.1
1989 566 29.5 19.1 18.7
1990 576 28.9 19.9 25.2
1991 558 28.1 19.8 27.4
1992 584 31.9 18.3 28.6
1993 528 28.1 18.8 32
1994 472 31.6 14.9 34.3
1995 459 29.9 15.4 35.9
1996 459 29.9 15.4 35.9
1997 456 24.3 18.8 35.3
1998 478 n/a 0.0 33.9
1999 485 28.9 16.8 30.1
2000 470 30.4 15.5 50
2001 511 29.4 17.4 41.7
2002 389 26.3 14.8 47.8
2003 389 26.3 14.8 47.8
2004 382 30.7 12.4 53.4
2005 418 29.6 14.1 63.4
2006 428 14.0 30.6 69.2
2007 468 14.2 33.0 70.9
2008 454 29.2 15.5 74
2009 475 35.0 13.6 76.8
2010 479 35.0 13.6 79.3
2011 467 35.2 13.2 80.7
2012 502 40.0 12.5 76.3
2013 497 38.5 12.9 79.1
2014 538 41.4 12.9 82.7
2015 523 40.0 13.0 81.1
2016 519 41.0 12.6 79.8
2017 584 37.7 15.4 75.9
2018 589 39.1 15.0 79.3
2019 570 34.1 16.6 75.3
2020 553 37.5 14.7 74.7
2021 523 35.0 14.9 71.7
2022 504 33.0 15.2 71.2
2023 512 31.0 16.4 84.8

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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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $14,593

Data source: Minnesota 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 755th of 870 Elementary schoolsRanks 747th of 845 Elementary schools
 1.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Highland Elementary)31.521.2
 10.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Columbia Heights Public School District)23.619.9
 3.6%
   3rd Grade Math (Minnesota)65.659.1
 6.5%
3rd Grade Reading (Highland Elementary)33.720
 13.7%
   3rd Grade Reading (Columbia Heights Public School District)25.519.4
 6.1%
   3rd Grade Reading (Minnesota)54.647.4
 7.2%
4th Grade Math (Highland Elementary)33.325.4
 8%
   4th Grade Math (Columbia Heights Public School District)26.921.4
 5.6%
   4th Grade Math (Minnesota)63.957.1
 6.8%
4th Grade Reading (Highland Elementary)35.829.6
 6.2%
   4th Grade Reading (Columbia Heights Public School District)26.922.3
 4.6%
   4th Grade Reading (Minnesota)55.448.4
 7.1%
5th Grade Math (Highland Elementary)26.416.7
 9.7%
   5th Grade Math (Columbia Heights Public School District)19.110.2
 8.9%
   5th Grade Math (Minnesota)5244.4
 7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Highland Elementary)47.329.2
 18.2%
   5th Grade Reading (Columbia Heights Public School District)37.627.8
 9.8%
   5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)65.858.7
 7%
5th Grade Science (Highland Elementary)3623.6
 12.4%
   5th Grade Science (Columbia Heights Public School District)26.520.4
 6.1%
   5th Grade Science (Minnesota)54.948.4
 6.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students570512
 10.2%
African American180176
 2.2%
American Indian106
 40%
Asian3318
 45.5%
Hispanic152178
 17.1%
Pacific Islander00
White131105
 19.8%
Two or More Races6429
 54.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients75.3%84.8%
 9.5%


Schools Near Highland Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 512 students attended Highland Elementary.

Students who attend Highland Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Columbia Academy
High : Columbia Heights Senior High

Students at Highland Elementary are 35% Hispanic, 34% African American, 21% White, 6% Two or more races, 4% Asian, 1% American Indian.

Highland Elementary ranks in the bottom 6.6% of Minnesota elementary schools.


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