Highland Elementary School

Summary:

Highland Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in the Ambridge Area School District in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, with a student population of 316 as of the 2022-2023 school year.

Despite spending more per student than the state average, Highland Elementary School consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with significantly lower proficiency rates on standardized tests compared to the district and state averages across all subject areas and grade levels. The school's African American students perform better than the overall school, but its White students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds perform significantly worse, ranking near the bottom of the state. With an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, the school's high poverty concentration likely plays a significant role in its academic challenges.

When compared to nearby schools like Economy Elementary School and State Street Elementary School, both within the same Ambridge Area School District, the performance gap is quite stark, suggesting that factors beyond just district-level policies and resources may be at play. Addressing these challenges will likely require a multifaceted approach that considers the school's high poverty concentration, targeted interventions for underperforming subgroups, and a critical examination of resource allocation and utilization.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1101 Highland Avenue
Ambridge, PA 15003-1529

(724) 266-2833

District: Ambridge Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1201^st of 1,534 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,488

Students who attend Highland Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ambridge Area Middle School
High:	Ambridge Area High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.2

Number of students: 316

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.6%

African American:

29.7%

Two or more races:

16.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Elementary School ranks worse than 78.3% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks last among 3 ranked elementary schools in the Ambridge Area School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.01. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Highland Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (50.6%), African American (29.7%), two or more races (16.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Ambridge Area School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Elementary School is 12.2, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Ambridge Area School District! (See more...)

Compare Highland Elementary School employs 25.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Elementary School is $15,488, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Ambridge Area School District!

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Highland Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Elementary School 1201^st of 1534 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Highland Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

African American students:

White students:

Ambridge Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Ambridge Area School District 396^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Highland Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Highland Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2006	61.68	678^th	1545	56.1%
2007	64.72	615^th	1555	60.5%
2008	59.50	753^rd	1551	51.5%
2009	42.27	1119^th	1549	27.8%
2010	30.23	1298^th	1579	17.8%
2011	49.60	1038^th	1597	35.0%
2012	31.03	1287^th	1599	19.5%
2013	35.49	1160^th	1519	23.6%
2014	23.60	1210^th	1467	17.5%
2016	18.61	1276^th	1554	17.9%
2017	22.77	1225^th	1547	20.8%
2018	20.03	1248^th	1530	18.4%
2019	11.52	1344^th	1544	13.0%
2021	7.74	1288^th	1433	10.1%
2022	14.97	1269^th	1534	17.3%
2023	22.01	1201^st	1534	21.7%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.15	1073^rd	1414	24.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highland Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	18.60	900^th	1043	13.7%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	59.83	140^th	437	68.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	8.27	1176^th	1236	4.9%

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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Highland Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	451	124	7	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	592
2006	405	114	6	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	535
2007	413	129	2	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	556
2008	426	135	2	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	573
2009	432	162	1	8	1	n/a	n/a	2	606
2010	348	172	6	9	1	n/a	n/a	8	544
2011	358	189	4	9	1	3	7	0	571
2012	313	172	2	8	2	3	17	0	517
2013	308	164	9	5	1	2	19	0	508
2014	302	171	10	7	1	1	27	0	519
2015	261	174	9	12	1	1	25	0	483
2016	248	173	8	6	0	0	40	0	475
2017	224	165	7	5	0	0	31	0	432
2018	221	158	6	5	0	0	37	0	427
2019	178	121	5	6	0	1	39	0	350
2020	186	136	6	9	2	1	35	0	375
2021	154	97	5	6	0	1	49	0	312
2022	160	97	4	10	0	1	48	0	320
2023	160	94	2	8	0	1	51	0	316

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 School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	592	38.1	15.5	0
2006	535	38.0	14.1	52.1
2007	556	36.9	15.1	58.6
2008	573	37.4	15.3	47.8
2009	606	36.4	16.6	52.5
2010	544	37.2	14.6	61.8
2011	571	40.3	14.1	61.1
2012	517	36.4	14.1	66.3
2013	508	37.0	13.7	72
2014	519	38.0	13.6	76.5
2015	483	36.0	13.4	73.1
2016	475	34.0	13.9	100
2017	432	35.9	12.0	75.2
2018	427	33.9	12.5	99.3
2019	350	28.6	12.2	99.7
2020	375	32.2	11.6	99.5
2021	312	28.3	11.0	91.7
2022	320	25.4	12.5	99.1
2023	316	25.7	12.2	99.1

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 School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	592	38.1	15.5	0
2006	535	38.0	14.1	52.1
2007	556	36.9	15.1	58.6
2008	573	37.4	15.3	47.8
2009	606	36.4	16.6	52.5
2010	544	37.2	14.6	61.8
2011	571	40.3	14.1	61.1
2012	517	36.4	14.1	66.3
2013	508	37.0	13.7	72
2014	519	38.0	13.6	76.5
2015	483	36.0	13.4	73.1
2016	475	34.0	13.9	100
2017	432	35.9	12.0	75.2
2018	427	33.9	12.5	99.3
2019	350	28.6	12.2	99.7
2020	375	32.2	11.6	99.5
2021	312	28.3	11.0	91.7
2022	320	25.4	12.5	99.1
2023	316	25.7	12.2	99.1

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 School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,354 (7.8%)	$16,094 (92.2%)	$17,448
2020	$1,111 (6.4%)	$16,149 (93.6%)	$17,260
2021	$1,497 (9.6%)	$14,169 (90.4%)	$15,667
2022	$1,765 (11.4%)	$13,723 (88.6%)	$15,488

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Elementary 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 1344^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 1201^st of 1534 Elementary schools	8.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Highland Elementary School)	21.7	23.9	2.2%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	39.1	41.3	2.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Highland Elementary School)	13.6	32.5	18.9%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Highland Elementary School)	48.9	60.5	11.6%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	34.9	36.6	1.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Highland Elementary School)	12	13	1%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	42.1	31.9	10.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Highland Elementary School)	15.6	22.9	7.3%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Highland Elementary School)	48.9	60.5	11.6%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Highland Elementary School)	39.1	36.6	2.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	350	316	9.7%
African American	121	94	22.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	2	60%
Hispanic	6	8	33.3%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	178	160	10.1%
Two or More Races	39	51	30.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	99.7%	99.1%	0.7%

Schools Near Highland Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)					PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)					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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1101 Highland Avenue	Ambridge	15003	Beaver County	Ambridge Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 266-2833	316	26	12.2	99.1%	160 (50.6%)	94 (29.7%)	8 (2.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	51 (16.1%)	22	1201^st of 1534 public elementary schools	21.7%		15	1269^th of 1534 public elementary schools	17.3%	68	23.9	32.5	13.0		22.9	60.5	60.5	41.3	36.6	31.9		36.6	$15,488	$1,765	$13,723
Margaret Ross Elementary School	Public	K-4	1955 Maratta Rd	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Hopewell Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 375-2956	219	15	14.3	39.3%	184 (84.0%)	8 (3.7%)	5 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	20 (9.1%)	72.7	437^th of 1534 public elementary schools	71.5%		80	289^th of 1534 public elementary schools	81.2%	148	73.9	56.0			64.6	81.7	81.7	76.0	56.0			65.6	$17,966	$1,198	$16,768
State Street Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	600 Harmony Road	Baden	15005	Beaver County	Ambridge Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 266-2833	275	18	15.1	100.0%	184 (66.9%)	51 (18.5%)	3 (1.1%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (12.4%)	50.1	870^th of 1534 public elementary schools	43.3%		38.9	1034^th of 1534 public elementary schools	32.6%	164	57.2	37.8	36.8		43.2	75.5	75.5	57.1	43.2	57.9		52.1	$10,054	$817	$9,237
Edgeworth Elementary School	Public	K-5	200 Meadow Ln	Sewickley	15143	Allegheny County	Quaker Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 749-3605	412	32	13.0	21.4%	340 (82.5%)	9 (2.2%)	24 (5.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (8.7%)	91.6	67^th of 1534 public elementary schools	95.6%		93.8	24^th of 1534 public elementary schools	98.4%	43	88.5	80.6	69.9		79.6	94.0	94.0	84.2	80.6	83.6		82.9	$21,591	$1,242	$20,349
Aliquippa Elementary School	Public	K-6	800 Twenty-First Street	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Aliquippa School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 857-7500	474	50	9.4	85.7%	56 (11.8%)	307 (64.8%)	36 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	74 (15.6%)	4.6	1489^th of 1534 public elementary schools	2.9%		5.3	1463^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	4.6%	26	11.3	8.6	2.9	2.9	6.1	34.5	34.5	17.0	13.8	9.0	11.5	12.5	$23,054	$1,287	$21,767
Bon Meade Elementary School	Public	K-4	1595 Brodhead Rd	Moon township	15108	Allegheny County	Moon Area School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 264-9440	594	38	15.8	15.7%	486 (81.8%)	24 (4.0%)	22 (3.7%)	33 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.9%)	89.9	97^th of 1534 public elementary schools	93.7%		91.8	62^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	96.0%	35	75.4	88.4			81.4	96.2	96.2	77.2	83.7			80.2	$17,513	$356	$17,158
Hopewell Elementary School	Public	K-4	3000 Kane Road	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Hopewell Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 375-1111	354	21	17.0	35.3%	304 (85.9%)	12 (3.4%)	17 (4.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.1%)	61.1	670^th of 1534 public elementary schools	56.3%		74.5	402^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	73.8%	268	59.7	40.5			49.0	83.5	83.5	57.1	62.0			59.9	$14,452	$651	$13,801
Baden Academy Charter School	Public, Charter	K-6	1016 State Street	Baden	15005	Beaver County	Baden Academy Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(855) 590-2227	586	39	15.0	64.5%	326 (55.6%)	152 (25.9%)	10 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	97 (16.6%)	32.6	1104^th of 1534 public elementary schools	28.0%		37.5	1053^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	31.4%	51	43.0	42.0	30.2	28.8	36.6	62.9	62.9	41.8	37.5	33.4	39.0	37.9	$16,715	$1,505	$15,210
Provident Charter School - West	Public, Charter	1-4	200 Quigley Drive	Baden	15005	Beaver County	Provident Charter School - West	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(412) 709-5160	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
J.A. Allard Elementary School	Public	K-4	170 Shafer Road	Moon Township	15108	Allegheny County	Moon Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 262-2500	208	15	13.6	31.7%	151 (72.6%)	9 (4.3%)	27 (13.0%)	17 (8.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.9%)	78.9	307^th of 1534 public elementary schools	80.0%		84.8	203^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	86.8%	104	73.4	71.0			72.3	74.2	74.2	73.9	72.4			73.3	$17,174	$349	$16,826

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Elementary School

What district is Highland Elementary School in?

Ambridge Area School District

What schools do graduates of Highland Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Ambridge Area Middle School
High : Ambridge Area High School

Is Highland Elementary School a good school?

Highland Elementary School ranks in the bottom 21.7% of Pennsylvania elementary schools.

How many students attend Highland Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 316 students attended Highland Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Highland Elementary School?

Students at Highland Elementary School are 51% White, 30% African American, 16% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

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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.