Highland Elementary

Summary:

Highland Elementary is a public elementary school in Sanford, North Carolina, serving 891 students from kindergarten to 5th grade. The school is part of the Harnett County Schools district, which is ranked 188 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with 48.37% White, 17.96% African American, and 23.12% Hispanic students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by the percentage of students proficient or better in EOG (End-of-Grade) tests, is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in mathematics, reading, and science were below the state and district averages. Highland Elementary has consistently ranked in the lower half of North Carolina elementary schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past few years.

Interestingly, Highland Elementary's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups. Hispanic and Multi-racial students generally perform better than African American and White students, while English Language Learners and Gifted and Talented students perform relatively poorly compared to their peers. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students (53.09% in 2022-2023) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a relatively high proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. When compared to nearby schools, such as Greenwood Elementary and Benhaven Elementary, Highland Elementary generally performs worse academically, suggesting that there may be opportunities to learn from their successful practices.


Detail:

Public K-5

 1915 Buffalo Lake Road
       Sanford, NC  27330


(919) 499-2200

District: Harnett County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
913th of 1,505 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,595 Help


Students who attend Highland Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Highland Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  14.4 Help
Number of students:  891

Racial breakdown:

White:
48.4%
Hispanic:
23.1%
African American:
18.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  53.1% Help


 See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Highland Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland Elementary ranks worse than 60.7% of elementary schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 13 ranked elementary schools in the Harnett County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.93. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Highland Elementary is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (48.4%), Hispanic (23.1%), African American (18%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 53.1% 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 14.4. 12 elementary schools in the Harnett County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland Elementary employs 61.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary is $8,595. 13 elementary schools in the Harnett County Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Elementary 913th of 1505 North Carolina public elementary schools. (See Highland Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Harnett County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Harnett County Schools 188th of 242 North Carolina 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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 39.94 864th 1276 32.3%
2007 38.32 919th 1293 28.9%
2008 41.48 849th 1324 35.9%
2009 43.78 869th 1354 35.8%
2010 34.77 999th 1363 26.7%
2011 29.51 1078th 1381 21.9%
2012 40.67 929th 1388 33.1%
2013 54.87 584th 1403 58.4%
2014 61.68 515th 1390 62.9%
2015 59.56 581st 1440 59.7%
2016 47.22 790th 1425 44.6%
2017 41.81 891st 1429 37.6%
2018 56.47 638th 1434 55.5%
2019 54.47 685th 1473 53.5%
2021 48.52 731st 1489 50.9%
2022 32.08 1051st 1514 30.6%
2023 32.75 1042nd 1502 30.6%
2024 40.93 913th 1505 39.3%
See the entire list of North Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.51 54th 86 37.2%
2019 35.04 78th 103 24.3%
2021 41.43 55th 97 43.3%
2022 25.34 106th 133 20.3%
2023 18.74 136th 154 11.7%
2024 30.03 122nd 159 23.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina 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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 57.06 151st 497 69.6%
2023 23.04 445th 514 13.4%
2024 15.82 516th 533 3.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina 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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 38.29 477th 801 40.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina 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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.49 678th 1332 49.1%
2019 49.63 688th 1361 49.4%
2021 42.55 732nd 1329 44.9%
2022 16.61 1266th 1366 7.3%
2023 30.69 1072nd 1437 25.4%
2024 35.49 1006th 1450 30.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina 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 NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.22 780th 1405 44.5%
2019 45.27 818th 1424 42.6%
2021 47.11 719th 1440 50.1%
2022 27.54 1113th 1458 23.7%
2023 29.48 1087th 1459 25.5%
2024 36.95 966th 1455 33.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.36 367th 897 59.1%
2019 49.46 373rd 878 57.5%
2021 52.28 231st 646 64.2%
2022 25.03 530th 634 16.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.06 25th 69 63.8%
2019 52.45 423rd 612 30.9%
2022 35.31 438th 500 12.4%
2023 41.78 495th 582 14.9%
2024 36.28 594th 669 11.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.85 29th 76 61.8%
2019 55.86 36th 72 50.0%
2021 47.05 42nd 76 44.7%
2022 30.62 64th 85 24.7%
2023 24.85 69th 81 14.8%
2024 39.26 53rd 75 29.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.02 510th 1413 63.9%
2019 62.62 490th 1430 65.7%
2021 48.69 706th 1444 51.1%
2022 36.75 946th 1464 35.4%
2023 36.76 973rd 1461 33.4%
2024 44.80 830th 1464 43.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.67 590th 927 36.4%
2019 34.79 669th 949 29.5%
2021 37.92 531st 896 40.7%
2022 23.61 793rd 927 14.5%
2023 22.41 795th 933 14.8%
2024 35.24 647th 924 30.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.31 147th 851 82.7%
2019 72.26 173rd 865 80.0%
2021 60.41 256th 843 69.6%
2022 32.54 667th 893 25.3%
2023 49.32 451st 915 50.7%
2024 54.99 390th 951 59.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.39 572nd 1178 51.4%
2019 49.84 611th 1183 48.4%
2021 46.16 632nd 1172 46.1%
2022 33.32 867th 1194 27.4%
2023 24.74 987th 1183 16.6%
2024 29.47 900th 1166 22.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, 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: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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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
2002 407 243 12 37 10 n/a n/a 0 709
2003 407 243 12 37 10 n/a n/a 0 709
2004 441 236 13 52 8 n/a n/a 0 750
2005 474 284 12 61 11 n/a n/a 0 842
2006 589 332 12 66 16 n/a n/a 0 1015
2007 650 266 11 64 10 n/a n/a 123 1124
2008 655 274 11 62 11 n/a n/a 114 1127
2009 646 340 8 70 8 n/a n/a 0 1072
2010 513 289 7 61 10 n/a n/a 0 880
2011 536 161 9 91 7 3 55 0 862
2012 513 187 10 92 8 4 68 0 882
2013 531 195 9 97 5 3 84 0 924
2014 481 146 10 118 4 1 87 0 847
2015 497 152 13 135 7 1 78 0 883
2016 542 178 11 154 6 2 80 0 973
2017 558 198 9 155 6 3 80 0 1009
2018 596 235 4 168 7 3 92 0 1105
2019 551 182 7 179 6 9 95 0 1029
2020 533 187 9 197 2 10 103 0 1041
2021 407 170 10 197 2 8 81 0 875
2022 441 186 8 196 1 8 85 0 925
2023 431 160 6 206 1 8 79 0 891

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
2002 709 48.0 14.8 49.5
2003 709 48.0 14.8 49.5
2004 750 48.0 15.6 42
2005 842 42.0 20.0 36.6
2006 1015 51.0 19.9 n/a
2007 1124 n/a n/a 40.4
2008 1127 68.2 16.5 45.9
2009 1072 67.9 15.8 36.9
2010 880 48.5 18.1 37.4
2011 862 50.1 17.1 37.2
2012 882 48.8 18.0 37.5
2013 924 53.7 17.1 39
2014 847 55.7 15.1 42.6
2015 883 50.0 17.6 42.5
2016 973 55.0 17.6 43.9
2017 1009 58.9 17.1 47.1
2018 1105 63.8 17.3 38.7
2019 1029 63.5 16.1 38.3
2020 1041 65.3 15.9 41.2
2021 875 62.8 13.9 33.3
2022 925 61.8 14.9 32.9
2023 891 61.8 14.4 53.1

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
2002 709 48.0 14.8 49.5
2003 709 48.0 14.8 49.5
2004 750 48.0 15.6 42
2005 842 42.0 20.0 36.6
2006 1015 51.0 19.9 n/a
2007 1124 n/a n/a 40.4
2008 1127 68.2 16.5 45.9
2009 1072 67.9 15.8 36.9
2010 880 48.5 18.1 37.4
2011 862 50.1 17.1 37.2
2012 882 48.8 18.0 37.5
2013 924 53.7 17.1 39
2014 847 55.7 15.1 42.6
2015 883 50.0 17.6 42.5
2016 973 55.0 17.6 43.9
2017 1009 58.9 17.1 47.1
2018 1105 63.8 17.3 38.7
2019 1029 63.5 16.1 38.3
2020 1041 65.3 15.9 41.2
2021 875 62.8 13.9 33.3
2022 925 61.8 14.9 32.9
2023 891 61.8 14.4 53.1

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 $1,050 (12.2%) $7,546 (87.8%) $8,595

Data source: North Carolina 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 685th of 1473 Elementary schoolsRanks 1042nd of 1502 Elementary schools
 22.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary)62.761.8
 0.9%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Harnett County Schools)5951.3
 7.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)64.361.1
 3.2%
3rd Grade Reading (Highland Elementary)59.542.4
 17.1%
   3rd Grade Reading (Harnett County Schools)52.240.2
 12%
   3rd Grade Reading (North Carolina)56.848
 8.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary)53.243
 10.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Harnett County Schools)51.242.9
 8.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
4th Grade Reading (Highland Elementary)68.248.1
 20.1%
   4th Grade Reading (Harnett County Schools)53.443.5
 9.9%
   4th Grade Reading (North Carolina)57.355.3
 2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Highland Elementary)62.743.5
 19.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Harnett County Schools)53.640.5
 13.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)60.255.9
 4.3%
5th Grade Reading (Highland Elementary)54.330.5
 23.8%
   5th Grade Reading (Harnett County Schools)48.836
 12.8%
   5th Grade Reading (North Carolina)54.648
 6.6%
5th Grade Science (Highland Elementary)68.649.4
 19.2%
   5th Grade Science (Harnett County Schools)6150.7
 10.3%
   5th Grade Science (North Carolina)72.665.3
 7.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1029891
 13.4%
African American182160
 12.1%
American Indian61
 83.3%
Asian76
 14.3%
Hispanic179206
 15.1%
Pacific Islander98
 11.1%
White551431
 21.8%
Two or More Races9579
 16.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients38.3%53.1%
 14.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary

Students at Highland Elementary are 48% White, 23% Hispanic, 18% African American, 9% Two or more races.

Students who attend Highland Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Highland Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 891 students attended Highland Elementary.

Highland Elementary ranks 913th of 1505 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

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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