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Highland Elementary

Summary:

Highland Elementary is a public elementary school in Saint Louis, Missouri, serving 274 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Riverview Gardens School District, which is ranked 374 out of 376 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating.

Highland Elementary stands out for several key reasons. It has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (95.26%) compared to surrounding schools and the state average. Academically, the school consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Missouri, with proficiency rates well below the Riverview Gardens district and state averages. For example, in the 2022-2023 school year, only 2.1% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the district average of 3.8% and the Missouri state average of 39.1%. Additionally, over 98% of Highland Elementary students receive free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage.

While Highland Elementary spends slightly more per student than nearby schools like Meadows Elementary and Grannemann Elementary, its academic performance remains consistently low, ranking in the bottom 10% of schools statewide. This suggests the school is facing significant challenges in providing a quality education to its predominantly African American and economically disadvantaged student population, underscoring the need for targeted interventions and support to address the persistent racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public K-5

 174 Shepley Dr
       Saint Louis, MO  63137-4220

(314) 868-4561

District: Riverview Gardens

SchoolDigger Rank:
882nd of 898 Missouri Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,987 Help


Students who attend Highland Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    R. G. Central Middle
High:    Riverview Gardens Senior High

Student/teacher ratio:  18.2 Help
Number of students:  274

Racial breakdown:

African American:
95.3%
Hispanic:
2.6%
White:
2.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  98.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland Elementary ranks worse than 98.2% of elementary schools in Missouri. It also ranks 3rd among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Riverview Gardens School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4.28. (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 Racial makeup is: African American (95.3%), Hispanic (2.6%), White (2.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 98.9% 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 18.2, which is the 3rd best among 8 elementary schools in the Riverview Gardens School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland Elementary employs 15 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary is $9,987. 4 elementary schools in the Riverview Gardens School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Highland Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Elementary 882nd of 898 Missouri public elementary schools. (See Highland Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
African American students:


Riverview Gardens:

SchoolDigger ranks Riverview Gardens 374th of 376 Missouri 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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Rank History for all students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 24.79 929th 1074 13.5%
2007 20.20 977th 1080 9.5%
2008 18.13 991st 1084 8.6%
2009 10.20 995th 1053 5.5%
2010 5.44 1036th 1066 2.8%
2011 6.39 1051st 1088 3.4%
2012 5.27 1044th 1085 3.8%
2013 3.93 1078th 1108 2.7%
2014 5.23 1050th 1089 3.6%
2015 2.81 1047th 1058 1.0%
2016 2.85 851st 865 1.6%
2017 2.88 1007th 1032 2.4%
2018 7.80 981st 1045 6.1%
2019 4.25 1019th 1052 3.1%
2022 2.62 908th 908 0.0%
2023 4.28 882nd 898 1.8%
See the entire list of Missouri Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.77 818th 887 7.8%
2019 9.37 873rd 907 3.7%
2022 6.84 532nd 532 0.0%
2023 10.18 595th 611 2.6%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.84 202nd 251 19.5%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.93 182nd 243 25.1%
2019 24.17 202nd 250 19.2%
2023 21.09 164th 185 11.4%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary 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: 
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Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, December 27, 2013

Open Quote My children attend Highland Elementary School, and I feel they are in an organized and safe school. The teachers set high expectations for the students because they are committed to delivering a quality education. My fourth grader’s teacher is constantly setting goals for the students, testing, teaching and sharing the results with my child and I. We review the results together and come up with creative and nurturing methods to extend and improve my child’s learning. I am pleased with the education that my children are receiving at Highland Elementary School. Close Quote



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
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 360 360
1992 166 114 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 280
1993 184 136 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 320
1994 209 129 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 338
1995 243 101 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 344
1996 243 101 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 344
1997 239 103 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 342
1998 228 118 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 346
1999 220 119 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 339
2000 169 166 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 338
2001 170 318 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 490
2002 91 374 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 467
2003 91 374 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 467
2004 68 416 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 488
2005 55 447 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 505
2006 38 445 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 485
2007 26 440 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 471
2008 20 403 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 425
2009 19 393 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 419
2010 6 378 5 1 0 n/a n/a 0 390
2011 6 341 3 0 0 0 0 0 350
2012 1 370 6 0 0 0 0 0 377
2013 0 330 0 3 0 0 0 0 333
2014 2 349 0 5 0 0 0 0 356
2015 0 347 0 2 0 0 0 0 349
2016 6 335 1 2 0 0 0 0 344
2017 6 314 1 2 0 0 0 0 323
2018 7 305 1 2 0 0 0 0 315
2019 7 304 2 0 0 0 0 0 313
2020 6 312 1 0 0 0 0 0 319
2021 8 255 0 1 0 0 0 0 264
2022 7 294 0 6 0 0 0 0 307
2023 6 261 0 7 0 0 0 0 274

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
1991 360 18.0 20.0 n/a
1992 280 12.0 23.3 n/a
1993 320 13.0 24.6 26.9
1994 338 15.0 22.5 0
1995 344 15.4 22.3 25.6
1996 344 15.4 22.3 25.6
1997 342 17.0 20.1 14.6
1998 346 18.0 19.2 21.1
1999 339 18.0 18.8 34.8
2000 338 20.5 16.5 44.4
2001 490 28.0 17.5 57.3
2002 467 26.5 17.6 64.2
2003 467 26.5 17.6 64.2
2004 488 29.0 16.8 76.2
2005 505 27.5 18.4 79
2006 485 27.0 18.0 99.4
2007 471 26.0 18.1 83
2008 425 26.6 16.0 82.8
2009 419 26.2 16.0 91.6
2010 390 24.0 16.2 97.2
2011 350 21.3 16.4 94.9
2012 377 22.2 16.9 95
2013 333 20.2 16.4 99.1
2014 356 21.6 16.4 98.3
2015 349 22.0 15.8 100
2016 344 22.0 15.6 100
2017 323 22.5 14.3 100
2018 315 21.7 14.4 100
2019 313 21.7 14.3 99
2020 319 19.7 16.1 99.1
2021 264 17.7 14.8 98.9
2022 307 15.7 19.4 99
2023 274 15.0 18.2 98.9

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
1991 360 18.0 20.0 n/a
1992 280 12.0 23.3 n/a
1993 320 13.0 24.6 26.9
1994 338 15.0 22.5 0
1995 344 15.4 22.3 25.6
1996 344 15.4 22.3 25.6
1997 342 17.0 20.1 14.6
1998 346 18.0 19.2 21.1
1999 339 18.0 18.8 34.8
2000 338 20.5 16.5 44.4
2001 490 28.0 17.5 57.3
2002 467 26.5 17.6 64.2
2003 467 26.5 17.6 64.2
2004 488 29.0 16.8 76.2
2005 505 27.5 18.4 79
2006 485 27.0 18.0 99.4
2007 471 26.0 18.1 83
2008 425 26.6 16.0 82.8
2009 419 26.2 16.0 91.6
2010 390 24.0 16.2 97.2
2011 350 21.3 16.4 94.9
2012 377 22.2 16.9 95
2013 333 20.2 16.4 99.1
2014 356 21.6 16.4 98.3
2015 349 22.0 15.8 100
2016 344 22.0 15.6 100
2017 323 22.5 14.3 100
2018 315 21.7 14.4 100
2019 313 21.7 14.3 99
2020 319 19.7 16.1 99.1
2021 264 17.7 14.8 98.9
2022 307 15.7 19.4 99
2023 274 15.0 18.2 98.9

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 $626 (6.3%) $9,262 (93.7%) $9,888
2020 $552 (6.1%) $8,482 (93.9%) $9,035
2021 $3,189 (34.9%) $5,939 (65.1%) $9,128
2022 $2,305 (23.1%) $7,682 (76.9%) $9,987

Data source: Missouri 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 1019th of 1052 Elementary schoolsRanks 882nd of 898 Elementary schools
 1.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary)20.36.7
 13.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Riverview Gardens)13.19.2
 3.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)48.742.4
 6.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary)8.75.7
 3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Riverview Gardens)17.59
 8.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)49.345.9
 3.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary)2014.3
 5.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Riverview Gardens)16.112.8
 3.3%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)47.144.1
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students313274
 12.5%
African American304261
 14.1%
American Indian00
Asian20
 100%
Hispanic07
Pacific Islander00
White76
 14.3%
Two or More Races00
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients99%98.9%
 0.1%

Schools Near Highland Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary

Students at Highland Elementary are 95% African American, 3% Hispanic, 2% White.

Highland Elementary ranks in the bottom 1.8% of Missouri elementary schools.

Students who attend Highland Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : R. G. Central Middle
High : Riverview Gardens Senior High

In the 2022-23 school year, 274 students attended Highland Elementary.


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