Highland High

Summary:

Highland High is a public high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serving 1,152 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Albuquerque School District, which is ranked 89 out of 119 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past several years, Highland High has consistently ranked in the bottom half of New Mexico high schools, with its highest ranking being 102 out of 177 schools in the 2021-2022 school year.

Highland High's academic performance is a significant concern, with test scores that are significantly lower than the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 20% of students were proficient or better in NM-ASR/Science and SAT School Day/English Language Arts, compared to 36% and 34% statewide, respectively. In mathematics, only 6% of students were proficient or better, compared to 11% statewide. The school's four-year graduation rate has also been consistently low, ranging from 55.3% to 76.7% over the past few years, which is lower than the state and district averages. Additionally, Highland High's performance on various student subgroups is concerning, with the school ranking in the bottom half or bottom third of New Mexico high schools for most subgroups.

The data shows that there are several high-performing schools in close proximity to Highland High, such as Early College Academy, Albuquerque High, College and Career High School, and Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science, which consistently outperform Highland High on various metrics. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Highland High suggests that socioeconomic factors may be playing a significant role in the school's academic performance, and the school's low rankings across multiple student subgroups indicate that there may be systemic challenges in addressing the needs of diverse learners.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 4700 Coal Av SE
       Albuquerque, NM  87108


(505) 265-3711

District: Albuquerque

SchoolDigger Rank:
151st of 190 New Mexico High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,903 Help


Feeder schools for Highland High:

Elementary:    Emerson Elementary
    Hawthorne Elementary
    La Mesa Elementary
    Manzano Mesa Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Hayes Middle
    Van Buren Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  14.7 Help
Number of students:  1,152

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
72.8%
American Indian:
7.3%
White:
6.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland High ranks worse than 79.5% of high schools in New Mexico. It also ranks 18th among 30 ranked high schools in the Albuquerque School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.21. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Highland High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (72.8%), American Indian (7.3%), White (6.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland High is 14.7, which is the 15th best among 30 high schools in the Albuquerque School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland High employs 78.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland High is $11,903, which is the 6th highest among 30 high schools in the Albuquerque School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland High:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland High 151st of 190 New Mexico public high schools. (See Highland High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
Native American students:
White students:


Albuquerque:

SchoolDigger ranks Albuquerque 89th of 119 New Mexico school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Highland High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 38.88 79th 129 38.8%
2006 24.54 103rd 134 23.1%
2007 30.42 108th 150 28.0%
2008 45.11 76th 146 47.9%
2009 33.73 98th 151 35.1%
2010 55.45 62nd 154 59.7%
2011 30.40 114th 157 27.4%
2012 38.58 104th 163 36.2%
2013 27.88 130th 177 26.6%
2014 31.41 148th 198 25.3%
2015 31.83 119th 193 38.3%
2016 23.40 146th 185 21.1%
2017 14.70 146th 158 7.6%
2018 15.88 161st 182 11.5%
2019 16.57 164th 181 9.4%
2022 31.66 102nd 177 42.4%
2023 12.09 161st 170 5.3%
2024 21.21 151st 190 20.5%
See the entire list of New Mexico High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 22.29 25th 31 19.4%
2023 33.04 14th 23 39.1%
2024 44.99 9th 21 57.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 22.93 35th 41 14.6%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 11.34 62nd 62 0.0%
2022 20.38 50th 58 13.8%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.55 143rd 164 12.8%
2019 20.29 143rd 161 11.2%
2022 40.81 62nd 154 59.7%
2023 15.54 138th 157 12.1%
2024 23.05 121st 154 21.4%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 10.72 3rd 3 0.0%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.15 137th 145 5.5%
2019 13.63 138th 144 4.2%
2022 32.05 102nd 157 35.0%
2023 13.21 130th 143 9.1%
2024 22.12 122nd 153 20.3%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.49 42nd 51 17.6%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 14.95 22nd 24 8.3%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.93 139th 143 2.8%
2019 14.96 147th 151 2.6%
2022 27.83 125th 159 21.4%
2023 13.73 137th 146 6.2%
2024 16.36 141st 159 11.3%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.16 14th 14 0.0%
2019 17.49 12th 14 14.3%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.35 14th 15 6.7%
2019 5.32 20th 21 4.8%
2022 20.81 20th 24 16.7%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.62 124th 133 6.8%
2019 16.81 131st 139 5.8%
2022 31.30 96th 150 36.0%
2023 11.25 126th 132 4.5%
2024 20.26 122nd 142 14.1%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.69 31st 47 34.0%
2019 6.79 47th 47 0.0%
2023 80.26 5th 42 88.1%
2024 31.37 31st 43 27.9%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NM State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 5.95 112th 115 2.6%
2019 20.02 91st 109 16.5%
2022 46.25 65th 133 51.1%
2023 7.53 154th 157 1.9%
2024 17.27 133rd 155 14.2%
See the entire list of Best New Mexico High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Mexico Public Education Department, 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 High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: New Mexico Public Education Department

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Open Quote After transferring my son to HHS in the middle of his sophomore year we came to find that HHS is a school with extremely caring teachers and wonderful administration. Unfortunately for the school it has garnered an extremely bad reputation for being a rough inner city school which is completely false. In the time that my son has been there, graduating this year, he has never once had any problems. he has never been in a fight, harassed, been approached to buy drugs or any other problems that are prevalent in other heights schools. Unfortunately, because of these rumors, the academics and athletics suffer.

I would highly recommend to any parent and/or student that lives in Highland district to stay and give the school an opportunity. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Highland High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1990 1085 100 131 633 139 n/a n/a 0 2088
1991 1018 104 125 708 125 n/a n/a 0 2080
1992 858 122 160 727 204 n/a n/a 0 2071
1993 869 134 189 721 203 n/a n/a 0 2116
1994 845 137 176 698 208 n/a n/a 0 2064
1995 844 152 141 870 228 n/a n/a 0 2235
1996 844 152 141 870 228 n/a n/a 0 2235
1997 826 132 119 852 229 n/a n/a 0 2158
1998 811 168 109 871 223 n/a n/a 0 2182
1999 775 163 98 879 235 n/a n/a 0 2150
2000 711 172 106 849 216 n/a n/a 0 2054
2001 651 166 99 883 193 n/a n/a 0 1992
2002 537 153 113 928 180 n/a n/a 0 1911
2003 537 153 113 928 180 n/a n/a 0 1911
2004 514 156 115 993 189 n/a n/a 0 1967
2005 484 164 96 1022 186 n/a n/a 0 1952
2006 445 168 100 993 195 n/a n/a 0 1901
2007 408 161 75 1030 223 n/a n/a 0 1897
2008 358 151 65 1032 231 n/a n/a 0 1837
2009 327 152 65 1028 225 n/a n/a 0 1797
2010 241 122 64 1013 157 0 67 0 1664
2011 221 103 57 1092 134 1 59 0 1667
2012 190 92 53 1112 129 10 48 0 1634
2013 192 80 43 1107 113 12 51 0 1598
2014 174 74 44 1095 111 6 54 0 1558
2015 150 73 42 1087 92 9 39 0 1492
2016 128 96 34 940 75 4 39 0 1316
2017 109 105 42 918 91 4 48 0 1317
2018 113 119 31 827 89 4 37 0 1220
2019 86 93 31 787 86 3 42 0 1128
2020 98 100 21 818 86 2 38 0 1163
2021 102 87 18 802 93 1 44 0 1147
2022 102 71 19 857 94 0 54 0 1197
2023 80 60 29 839 84 2 58 0 1152

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 High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 2088 113.9 18.3 n/a
1991 2080 108.3 19.2 n/a
1992 2071 110.5 18.7 17.5
1993 2116 118.3 17.9 n/a
1994 2064 114.5 18.0 n/a
1995 2235 118.7 18.8 n/a
1996 2235 118.7 18.8 n/a
1997 2158 116.9 18.5 n/a
1998 2182 119.1 18.3 n/a
1999 2150 110.5 19.5 18.6
2000 2054 110.4 18.6 20.6
2001 1992 105.3 18.9 26.5
2002 1911 103.5 18.5 41.9
2003 1911 103.5 18.5 41.9
2004 1967 110.5 17.8 53.9
2005 1952 117.7 16.6 50.2
2006 1901 119.3 15.9 50.6
2007 1897 114.0 16.6 47.2
2008 1837 117.9 15.6 51.3
2009 1797 113.7 15.8 54.9
2010 1664 111.3 14.9 59.1
2011 1667 102.7 16.2 70.6
2012 1634 99.0 16.4 77
2013 1598 103.3 15.4 76.5
2014 1558 102.2 15.2 80
2015 1492 101.0 14.7 77.5
2016 1316 91.0 14.4 100
2017 1317 87.9 14.9 100
2018 1220 79.1 15.4 99.9
2019 1128 80.6 13.9 98.5
2020 1163 80.1 14.5 99.8
2021 1147 76.0 15.0 100
2022 1197 77.5 15.4 100
2023 1152 78.2 14.7 100

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 High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1990 2088 113.9 18.3 n/a
1991 2080 108.3 19.2 n/a
1992 2071 110.5 18.7 17.5
1993 2116 118.3 17.9 n/a
1994 2064 114.5 18.0 n/a
1995 2235 118.7 18.8 n/a
1996 2235 118.7 18.8 n/a
1997 2158 116.9 18.5 n/a
1998 2182 119.1 18.3 n/a
1999 2150 110.5 19.5 18.6
2000 2054 110.4 18.6 20.6
2001 1992 105.3 18.9 26.5
2002 1911 103.5 18.5 41.9
2003 1911 103.5 18.5 41.9
2004 1967 110.5 17.8 53.9
2005 1952 117.7 16.6 50.2
2006 1901 119.3 15.9 50.6
2007 1897 114.0 16.6 47.2
2008 1837 117.9 15.6 51.3
2009 1797 113.7 15.8 54.9
2010 1664 111.3 14.9 59.1
2011 1667 102.7 16.2 70.6
2012 1634 99.0 16.4 77
2013 1598 103.3 15.4 76.5
2014 1558 102.2 15.2 80
2015 1492 101.0 14.7 77.5
2016 1316 91.0 14.4 100
2017 1317 87.9 14.9 100
2018 1220 79.1 15.4 99.9
2019 1128 80.6 13.9 98.5
2020 1163 80.1 14.5 99.8
2021 1147 76.0 15.0 100
2022 1197 77.5 15.4 100
2023 1152 78.2 14.7 100

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 High

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $11,903

Data source: New Mexico Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland High

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 164th of 181 High schoolsRanks 161st of 170 High schools
 4.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
11th Grade Language Arts (Highland High)2426
 2%
   11th Grade Language Arts (Albuquerque)4039.7
 0.3%
   11th Grade Language Arts (New Mexico)4033.1
 6.9%
11th Grade Mathematics (Highland High)612
 6%
   11th Grade Mathematics (Albuquerque)1322
 9%
   11th Grade Mathematics (New Mexico)1015.9
 5.9%
11th Grade Science (Highland High)1135.3
 24.3%
   11th Grade Science (Albuquerque)2641.9
 15.9%
   11th Grade Science (New Mexico)2540.2
 15.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11281152
 2.1%
African American9360
 35.5%
American Indian8684
 2.3%
Asian3129
 6.5%
Hispanic787839
 6.6%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White8680
 7%
Two or More Races4258
 38.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients98.5%100%
 1.5%


Schools Near Highland High









Frequently Asked Questions about Highland High

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,152 students attended Highland High.

Highland High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Emerson Elementary
Elementary : Hawthorne Elementary
Elementary : La Mesa Elementary
Elementary : Manzano Mesa Elementary
Elementary : Mark Twain Elementary
Elementary : Sandia Base Elementary
Elementary : Wherry Elementary
Elementary : Whittier Elementary
Middle : Hayes Middle
Middle : Van Buren Middle

Students at Highland High are 73% Hispanic, 7% American Indian, 7% White, 5% African American, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Highland High ranks in the bottom 20.5% of New Mexico high 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 New Mexico Public Education Department.

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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