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Highland School

Summary:

Highland School is an exceptional elementary school located in Abington, PA, serving 440 students in grades K-5. As part of the Abington School District, which is ranked 103 out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania, Highland School has consistently ranked in the top 20% of Pennsylvania elementary schools over the past 10 years.

Highland School's academic performance is particularly noteworthy, with students consistently outperforming the district and state averages in PSSA test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. In the 2023-2024 school year, Highland School's proficiency rates were 72.2% in English Language Arts, 63.9% in Math, and 91.4% in Science, compared to the district averages of 66%, 54%, and 74.3%, respectively, and the state averages of 53%, 40.4%, and 65.8%. The school's performance is especially strong in Science, where it has ranked in the top 5% of Pennsylvania elementary schools for African American, Hispanic, and multi-racial students.

Highland School's diverse student population, with significant representation of African American, Hispanic, and multi-racial students, is another key factor that sets it apart. The school's performance for these student subgroups is exceptional, with the African American and Hispanic students ranking in the top 5-7% of Pennsylvania elementary schools in Math and English Language Arts. When compared to nearby schools, such as Glenside Elementary School and Wyncote Elementary School in the Cheltenham School District, Highland School significantly outperforms them in all subject areas. However, Thomas Fitzwater Elementary School in the Upper Dublin School District performs at a similar or slightly higher level than Highland School in many areas.


Detail:

Public K-5

 1301 Edge Hill Rd
       Abington, PA  19001

(215) 884-1048

District: Abington School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
277th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,775 Help


Students who attend Highland School usually attend:

Middle:    Abington Middle School
High:    Abington Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  440

Racial breakdown:

White:
56.4%
African American:
21.1%
Two or more races:
10.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  35.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highland School ranks better than 81.8% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 2nd among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Abington School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.42. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.4%), African American (21.1%), two or more races (10.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 35.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland School is 14. 5 elementary schools in the Abington School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland School employs 31.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland School is $18,775, which is the highest among 7 elementary schools in the Abington School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland School 277th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Highland School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Abington School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Abington School District 103rd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Highland School.

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Rank History for Highland School

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Rank History for all students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 93.87 25th 1302 98.1%
2004 87.64 103rd 1308 92.1%
2005 76.75 269th 1299 79.3%
2006 81.75 177th 1545 88.5%
2007 75.92 337th 1555 78.3%
2008 76.78 292nd 1551 81.2%
2009 75.81 319th 1549 79.4%
2010 75.31 332nd 1579 79.0%
2011 80.79 186th 1597 88.4%
2012 75.17 382nd 1599 76.1%
2013 77.52 301st 1519 80.2%
2014 86.36 55th 1467 96.3%
2015 83.81 185th 1474 87.4%
2016 85.41 155th 1554 90.0%
2017 85.02 169th 1547 89.1%
2018 84.17 189th 1530 87.6%
2019 85.84 141st 1544 90.9%
2021 73.64 384th 1433 73.2%
2022 81.27 270th 1534 82.4%
2023 78.96 301st 1534 80.4%
2024 80.42 277th 1526 81.8%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 93.18 6th 128 95.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 74.64 282nd 1414 80.1%
2024 80.16 185th 1432 87.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 74.26 373rd 1488 74.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 53.34 411th 1043 60.6%
2024 56.05 415th 1084 61.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 82.38 223rd 1495 85.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 89.41 29th 437 93.4%
2024 90.20 25th 437 94.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 87.51 34th 454 92.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 78.36 229th 1236 81.5%
2024 79.16 206th 1229 83.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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 School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Open Quote I have had children in Highland for the past four years and have been nothing but impressed. The teachers are smart, enthusiastic, and truly care about the students. The PTO is very active and there are tons of fun events to participate in. It's been very easy to get involved and I've found the entire community to be very welcoming. This is our first experience with Abington public schools and so far it has been a wonderful experience. Our kids have loved their teachers at Highland and I just hope their love of learning continues into higher grades. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Highland School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 247 16 6 2 0 n/a n/a 0 271
1989 256 23 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 287
1990 272 26 13 0 0 n/a n/a 0 311
1991 304 44 18 4 0 n/a n/a 0 370
1992 349 52 18 4 0 n/a n/a 0 423
1993 355 59 22 2 0 n/a n/a 0 438
1994 366 45 22 3 0 n/a n/a 0 436
1995 366 51 20 4 0 n/a n/a 0 441
1996 366 51 20 4 0 n/a n/a 0 441
1997 365 62 30 8 0 n/a n/a 0 465
1998 352 60 36 11 0 n/a n/a 0 459
1999 350 60 31 11 0 n/a n/a 0 452
2000 370 67 34 7 0 n/a n/a 0 478
2001 369 64 37 7 0 n/a n/a 0 477
2002 324 51 45 4 2 n/a n/a 0 426
2003 324 51 45 4 2 n/a n/a 0 426
2004 304 45 51 14 1 n/a n/a 0 415
2005 276 64 45 11 1 n/a n/a 0 397
2006 286 77 42 6 1 n/a n/a 0 412
2007 272 80 36 16 1 n/a n/a 0 405
2008 276 67 28 14 1 n/a n/a 0 386
2009 274 80 29 19 0 n/a n/a 0 402
2010 276 73 33 20 0 n/a n/a 0 402
2011 286 91 41 21 0 0 0 0 439
2012 287 85 40 27 0 0 12 0 451
2013 311 76 33 28 1 0 19 0 468
2014 323 78 28 31 1 1 28 0 490
2015 327 82 26 33 1 1 37 0 507
2016 325 84 32 30 1 0 41 0 513
2017 317 81 33 41 1 0 44 0 517
2018 322 84 23 37 1 0 45 0 512
2019 302 88 21 41 1 0 47 0 500
2020 302 88 22 41 0 0 51 0 504
2021 290 90 18 48 0 0 55 0 501
2022 281 82 14 47 0 0 56 0 480
2023 248 93 12 38 1 0 48 0 440

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 School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 271 16.7 16.2 n/a
1989 287 16.1 17.8 n/a
1990 311 17.4 17.8 0
1991 370 22.8 16.2 n/a
1992 423 23.2 18.2 n/a
1993 438 19.9 22.0 n/a
1994 436 21.0 20.8 n/a
1995 441 22.0 20.0 n/a
1996 441 22.0 20.0 n/a
1997 465 21.0 22.1 n/a
1998 459 21.0 21.9 n/a
1999 452 25.0 18.1 n/a
2000 478 27.5 17.4 10.5
2001 477 27.5 17.3 9.6
2002 426 26.5 16.1 8.2
2003 426 26.5 16.1 8.2
2004 415 26.8 15.5 7.5
2005 397 23.8 16.7 8.8
2006 412 25.1 16.4 8.7
2007 405 23.3 17.4 10.1
2008 386 26.2 14.7 11.1
2009 402 30.1 13.4 13.4
2010 402 29.6 13.5 13.2
2011 439 31.1 14.1 16.6
2012 451 32.7 13.7 17.3
2013 468 32.9 14.2 17.3
2014 490 32.8 14.9 20.2
2015 507 34.0 14.9 20.7
2016 513 35.0 14.6 24.6
2017 517 35.1 14.7 27.7
2018 512 35.8 14.2 28.9
2019 500 36.7 13.6 27
2020 504 35.5 14.1 25.8
2021 501 35.5 14.1 28.1
2022 480 35.0 13.7 27.7
2023 440 31.3 14.0 35.9

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 School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 271 16.7 16.2 n/a
1989 287 16.1 17.8 n/a
1990 311 17.4 17.8 0
1991 370 22.8 16.2 n/a
1992 423 23.2 18.2 n/a
1993 438 19.9 22.0 n/a
1994 436 21.0 20.8 n/a
1995 441 22.0 20.0 n/a
1996 441 22.0 20.0 n/a
1997 465 21.0 22.1 n/a
1998 459 21.0 21.9 n/a
1999 452 25.0 18.1 n/a
2000 478 27.5 17.4 10.5
2001 477 27.5 17.3 9.6
2002 426 26.5 16.1 8.2
2003 426 26.5 16.1 8.2
2004 415 26.8 15.5 7.5
2005 397 23.8 16.7 8.8
2006 412 25.1 16.4 8.7
2007 405 23.3 17.4 10.1
2008 386 26.2 14.7 11.1
2009 402 30.1 13.4 13.4
2010 402 29.6 13.5 13.2
2011 439 31.1 14.1 16.6
2012 451 32.7 13.7 17.3
2013 468 32.9 14.2 17.3
2014 490 32.8 14.9 20.2
2015 507 34.0 14.9 20.7
2016 513 35.0 14.6 24.6
2017 517 35.1 14.7 27.7
2018 512 35.8 14.2 28.9
2019 500 36.7 13.6 27
2020 504 35.5 14.1 25.8
2021 501 35.5 14.1 28.1
2022 480 35.0 13.7 27.7
2023 440 31.3 14.0 35.9

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 School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $374 (2.2%) $16,639 (97.8%) $17,013
2020 $365 (2.2%) $16,537 (97.8%) $16,903
2021 $610 (3.2%) $18,187 (96.7%) $18,798
2022 $767 (4.1%) $18,008 (95.9%) $18,775

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland School

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 141st of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 301st of 1534 Elementary schools
 10.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Highland School)71.955.7
 16.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland School)87.765.2
 22.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Highland School)75.473.9
 1.5%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Highland School)91.389.2
 2.1%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland School)81.179
 2.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
5th Grade Math (Highland School)73.959.4
 14.5%
   5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)4342.7
 0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland School)78.475
 3.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)58.553.6
 4.9%
6th Grade Math (Highland School)67.955.9
 12%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3932.2
 6.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Highland School)82.775.9
 6.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6356.1
 6.9%
All Grades Math (Highland School)72.162.7
 9.4%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Highland School)91.389.2
 2.1%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Highland School)82.472.9
 9.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students500440
 12%
African American8893
 5.7%
American Indian11
Asian2112
 42.9%
Hispanic4138
 7.3%
Pacific Islander00
White302248
 17.9%
Two or More Races4748
 2.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients27%35.9%
 8.9%

Schools Near Highland School








Frequently Asked Questions about Highland School

In the 2022-23 school year, 440 students attended Highland School.

Students at Highland School are 56% White, 21% African American, 11% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

Highland School ranks 277th of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Highland School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Abington Middle School
High : Abington Senior 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 Pennsylvania 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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