Highland Bluff Elementary

Q: Is Highland Bluff Elementary a good school?

Highland Bluff Elementary ranks 77 th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Highland Bluff Elementary is a public elementary school in Brandon, Mississippi, serving 577 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Rankin County School District, which is ranked 22 out of 130 school districts in the state.

Highland Bluff Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in Mississippi, with proficiency rates on state assessments that significantly exceed the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd-grade proficiency rates were 80% in English Language Arts and 67.7% in Mathematics, compared to the state averages of 57.7% and 53.3%, respectively. This academic excellence is particularly noteworthy given that Highland Bluff serves a student population that is over 99% economically disadvantaged. The school also has a relatively diverse student body, with a racial composition of 57.54% White, 27.56% African American, 2.08% Hispanic, and 3.47% Asian, which is higher than some nearby schools like Northshore Elementary, which has a student population that is 76.04% White.

When compared to nearby schools, Highland Bluff Elementary stands out for its consistently high academic performance, outpacing schools in the Rankin County School District as well as the Jackson Public School District, such as Mc Leod Elementary. The school's diverse student population and high poverty rates are shared by the broader region, but Highland Bluff's ability to maintain academic excellence in the face of these challenges is a testament to the dedication of its staff and the resilience of its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5970 Hwy 25
Brandon, MS 39047

(601) 992-5168

District: Rankin County School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
77^th of 390 Mississippi Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,397

Students who attend Highland Bluff Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Northwest Rankin Middle School
High:	Northwest Rankin High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.1

Number of students: 577

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.5%

African American:

27.6%

Two or more races:

9.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.5%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Bluff Elementary ranks better than 80.3% of elementary schools in Mississippi. It also ranks 8^th among 12 ranked elementary schools in the Rankin County School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.69. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (57.5%), African American (27.6%), two or more races (9.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Bluff Elementary is 13.1, which is the 8^th best among 12 elementary schools in the Rankin County School District. (See more...)

Compare Highland Bluff Elementary employs 44 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Bluff Elementary is $10,397, which is the 5^th highest among 12 elementary schools in the Rankin County School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Rankin County School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Rankin County School District 22^nd of 130 Mississippi school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Highland Bluff Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MS State Percentile
2010	84.32	45^th	403	88.8%
2011	86.90	36^th	418	91.4%
2012	85.02	46^th	414	88.9%
2013	87.03	32^nd	408	92.2%
2014	85.63	28^th	394	92.9%
2015	88.16	33^rd	402	91.8%
2016	87.03	31^st	394	92.1%
2017	89.47	30^th	406	92.6%
2018	91.30	25^th	404	93.8%
2019	92.25	18^th	397	95.5%
2021	83.87	51^st	381	86.6%
2022	77.34	74^th	382	80.6%
2023	78.95	62^nd	377	83.6%
2024	76.69	77^th	390	80.3%

See the entire list of Mississippi Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a principal
Thursday, September 24, 2020

HBE is a fantastic school staffed with compassionate and caring teachers who love to teach and learn with children. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Highland Bluff Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2009	450	77	31	20	2	1	0	581
2010	465	83	31	15	0	0	15	609
2011	514	93	39	20	0	0	11	677
2012	548	95	40	17	0	0	7	707
2013	523	91	31	8	0	0	55	708
2014	599	114	37	13	1	0	70	834
2015	621	146	34	14	2	0	64	881
2016	520	125	35	14	2	0	57	753
2017	522	120	32	18	2	0	58	752
2018	529	132	34	24	1	0	67	787
2019	495	142	39	23	1	1	50	751
2020	480	168	30	23	1	0	48	750
2021	415	170	25	24	1	0	48	683
2022	344	147	21	22	0	0	29	563
2023	332	159	20	12	0	1	53	577

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 Bluff Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	581	30.3	19.2	22.5
2010	609	30.0	20.2	21.8
2011	677	32.5	20.7	25.1
2012	707	32.6	21.6	21.8
2013	708	34.8	20.3	24
2014	834	41.1	20.2	24.6
2015	881	41.0	21.4	26.1
2016	753	39.0	19.3	26.7
2017	752	41.7	18.0	27.9
2018	787	40.1	19.6	29.2
2019	751	43.8	17.1	28
2020	750	43.3	17.3	32.3
2021	683	43.7	15.5	99.6
2022	563	37.1	15.1	99.5
2023	577	44.0	13.1	99.5

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 Bluff Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	581	30.3	19.2	22.5
2010	609	30.0	20.2	21.8
2011	677	32.5	20.7	25.1
2012	707	32.6	21.6	21.8
2013	708	34.8	20.3	24
2014	834	41.1	20.2	24.6
2015	881	41.0	21.4	26.1
2016	753	39.0	19.3	26.7
2017	752	41.7	18.0	27.9
2018	787	40.1	19.6	29.2
2019	751	43.8	17.1	28
2020	750	43.3	17.3	32.3
2021	683	43.7	15.5	99.6
2022	563	37.1	15.1	99.5
2023	577	44.0	13.1	99.5

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 Bluff Elementary

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$7,370
2018	$7,844
2019	$7,869
2020	$9,151
2021	$9,814
2022	$10,396

Data source: Mississippi Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Bluff 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 18^th of 397 Elementary schools	Ranks 62^nd of 377 Elementary schools	11.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Bluff Elementary)	66.7	62.2	4.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rankin County School District)	59.5	65.3	5.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.3	51.6	3.3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highland Bluff Elementary)	66.6	54.5	12.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Rankin County School District)	61.9	66	4.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	51.4	54.8	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Bluff Elementary)	73.3	65.6	7.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rankin County School District)	63.1	68.1	5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	48.5	53.4	4.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highland Bluff Elementary)	85.6	69.9	15.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Rankin County School District)	65.5	74.9	9.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	48.8	56.7	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Bluff Elementary)	71.4	68.6	2.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Rankin County School District)	62.9	70.6	7.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mississippi)	43	51.9	8.9%
5th Grade Mathematics (Highland Bluff Elementary)	82.3	57.6	24.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Rankin County School District)	61.7	63.1	1.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Mississippi)	38.9	44.3	5.4%
5th Grade Science (Highland Bluff Elementary)	84.9	78	6.9%
5th Grade Science (Rankin County School District)	75.4	78.3	2.9%
5th Grade Science (Mississippi)	55.9	64.3	8.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	751	577	23.2%
African American	142	159	12%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	39	20	48.7%
Hispanic	23	12	47.8%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	495	332	32.9%
Two or More Races	50	53	6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28%	99.5%	71.5%

Schools Near Highland Bluff Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MAAP English Language Arts (2024)			MAAP Mathematics (2024)			MAAP Science (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	MAAP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 4th Grade	MAAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 3rd Grade	MAAP Mathematics 4th Grade	MAAP Mathematics 5th Grade	MAAP Science 5th Grade	Total
Highland Bluff Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5970 Hwy 25	Brandon	39047	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 992-5168	577	44	13.1	99.5%	332 (57.5%)	159 (27.6%)	12 (2.1%)	20 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (9.2%)	76.7	77^th of 390 public elementary schools	80.3%		78.9	62^nd of 377 public elementary schools	83.6%	15	80.0	70.6	55.0	67.7	70.6	65.2	73.0	$10,397
Northwest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Vine Dr.	Flowood	39232	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 992-0924	495	39	12.6	99.4%	250 (50.5%)	163 (32.9%)	7 (1.4%)	20 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (11.1%)	87.5	33^rd of 390 public elementary schools	91.5%		90.5	20^th of 377 public elementary schools	94.7%	13	75.3	81.2	73.7	66.3	82.4	67.1	85.6	$10,356
Oakdale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	171 Oakdale Road	Brandon	39047	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 992-5442	532	39	13.5	99.4%	329 (61.8%)	148 (27.8%)	5 (0.9%)	10 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (7.3%)	88.7	28^th of 390 public elementary schools	92.8%		86.4	34^th of 377 public elementary schools	91.0%	6	70.7	78.9	62.2	82.7	87.4	73.2	87.8	$9,780
Northshore Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Northshore Parkway	Brandon	39047	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 992-5279	551	44	12.5	99.5%	419 (76.0%)	85 (15.4%)	12 (2.2%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.1%)	92.6	16^th of 390 public elementary schools	95.9%		96.4	4^th of 377 public elementary schools	98.9%	12	88.7	84.6	65.5	95.3	90.5	74.7	83.9	$10,420
Flowood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	102 Winner's Circle	Flowood	39232	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 992-6277	489	38	12.9	99.4%	216 (44.2%)	165 (33.7%)	31 (6.3%)	33 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	43 (8.8%)	73.6	93^rd of 390 public elementary schools	76.2%		68.7	112^th of 377 public elementary schools	70.3%	19	81.1	67.8	68.2	58.0	57.6	62.7	69.3	$10,318
Brandon Elementary School	Public	4-5	125 Overby Street	Brandon	39042	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 825-4706	741	50	14.8	99.6%	441 (59.5%)	228 (30.8%)	13 (1.8%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (7.2%)	86	39^th of 390 public elementary schools	90.0%		92.4	14^th of 377 public elementary schools	96.3%	25		77.2	69.9		67.4	74.3	82.0	$9,409
Revive	Public, Charter	K-2	5301 Old Canton Road	Jackson	39211	Hinds County	Revive	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(601) 345-1310	154	18	8.5	100.0%	2 (1.3%)	149 (96.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.9%)								(n/a)								$18,872
Rouse Elementary	Public	PK, KG-1	151 Boyce-Thompson Drive	Brandon	39042	Rankin County	Rankin County School District	No	No	No	No	(601) 825-5437	797	67	11.8	99.6%	442 (55.5%)	263 (33.0%)	8 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (10.3%)								(n/a)								$10,793
Mc Leod Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1616 Sandlewood Place	Jackson	39211	Hinds County	Jackson Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 987-3597	378	24	15.5	100.0%	7 (1.9%)	360 (95.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)								(n/a)								$12,316
Northside Elementary School	Public	2-3	3600 Harle Street	Pearl	39208	Rankin County	Pearl Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(601) 932-7971	586	40	14.5	99.5%	288 (49.1%)	187 (31.9%)	52 (8.9%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.2%)	47 (8.0%)								(n/a)	74.3			62.2				$10,324

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Bluff Elementary

How many students attend Highland Bluff Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 577 students attended Highland Bluff Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Highland Bluff Elementary?

Students at Highland Bluff Elementary are 58% White, 28% African American, 9% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% Hispanic.

Is Highland Bluff Elementary a good school?

Highland Bluff Elementary ranks 77^th of 390 Mississippi elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Highland Bluff Elementary in?

Rankin County School District

What schools do graduates of Highland Bluff Elementary attend?

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

Middle : Northwest Rankin Middle School
High : Northwest Rankin High 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 Mississippi 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.