Highlands Elementary School

Summary:

Highlands Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Tarentum, Pennsylvania, serving grades 1-4 with a total enrollment of 610 students. The school is part of the Highlands School District, which is ranked 429 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highlands Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with a ranking between 864 and 1156 out of 1500+ schools over the past decade. The school's performance on PSSA tests is below the state average across all subjects and grade levels, with particularly low performance for certain student subgroups, such as White students and students with disabilities. Despite the school's relatively high per-student spending, ranging from $14,908 to $19,149 over the past four years, its academic performance remains below the state average.

Interestingly, the nearby schools in the Riverview School District and Deer Lakes School District generally perform better academically than Highlands Elementary School, suggesting that the challenges faced by the school may be specific to the Highlands School District. Additionally, the performance of certain student subgroups, such as African American students and multi-racial students, is more variable at Highlands Elementary School, indicating a need for targeted interventions and support to address the unique needs of these students.


Detail:

Public 1-4

 101 East 9th Ave
       Tarentum, PA  15084


(724) 224-0300

District: Highlands School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1051st of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,131 Help


Students who attend Highlands Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Highlands Middle School
High:    Highlands Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.8 Help
Number of students:  585

Racial breakdown:

White:
67.5%
Two or more races:
15.2%
African American:
13.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Highlands Elementary School ranks worse than 68.9% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.38. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Highlands Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (67.5%), two or more races (15.2%), African American (13.3%). (See more...)
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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 Highlands Elementary School is 12.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highlands Elementary School employs 45.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highlands Elementary School is $17,131.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highlands Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highlands Elementary School 1051st of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Highlands Elementary 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:
White students:


Highlands School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Highlands School District 429th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Highlands Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 80.31 250th 1302 80.8%
2004 66.23 505th 1308 61.4%
2005 60.63 616th 1299 52.6%
2006 54.78 833rd 1545 46.1%
2007 65.26 600th 1555 61.4%
2008 61.79 700th 1551 54.9%
2009 52.29 925th 1549 40.3%
2010 69.39 517th 1579 67.3%
2011 75.04 338th 1597 78.8%
2012 55.99 928th 1599 42.0%
2013 56.25 864th 1519 43.1%
2014 41.91 1046th 1467 28.7%
2016 32.78 1152nd 1554 25.9%
2017 30.96 1156th 1547 25.3%
2018 35.89 1103rd 1530 27.9%
2019 34.75 1113th 1544 27.9%
2021 37.35 995th 1433 30.6%
2022 44.24 975th 1534 36.4%
2023 36.43 1066th 1534 30.5%
2024 36.38 1051st 1526 31.1%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.35 78th 117 33.3%
2024 41.17 71st 128 44.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 40.33 922nd 1414 34.8%
2024 41.67 926th 1432 35.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 30.75 1068th 1488 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 48.87 482nd 1043 53.8%
2024 27.63 806th 1084 25.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.42 988th 1495 33.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 69.46 89th 437 79.6%
2024 29.98 313th 437 28.4%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Highlands Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 18.77 1095th 1236 11.4%
2024 19.66 1066th 1229 13.3%
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.

Highlands Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Highlands Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 621 21 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 642
1989 633 22 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 655
1990 595 22 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 617
1991 598 32 1 5 0 n/a n/a 0 636
1992 603 33 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 641
1993 597 40 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 645
1994 598 46 2 2 0 n/a n/a 0 648
1995 537 48 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 592
1996 537 48 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 592
1997 520 45 5 5 1 n/a n/a 0 576
1998 502 43 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 550
1999 492 57 1 3 0 n/a n/a 0 553
2000 505 66 1 4 0 n/a n/a 0 576
2001 478 51 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 535
2002 374 41 2 3 2 n/a n/a 0 422
2003 374 41 2 3 2 n/a n/a 0 422
2004 392 39 3 4 1 n/a n/a 0 439
2005 430 46 3 3 3 n/a n/a 0 485
2006 388 72 3 5 2 n/a n/a 0 470
2007 386 78 3 5 2 n/a n/a 0 474
2008 385 72 2 3 3 n/a n/a 5 470
2009 390 69 3 5 3 n/a n/a 26 496
2010 395 53 3 5 3 n/a n/a 26 485
2011 368 44 2 5 3 0 28 0 450
2012 515 41 3 6 1 1 37 0 604
2013 526 37 2 6 0 1 41 0 613
2014 524 35 2 7 2 1 42 0 613
2015 501 35 2 6 3 0 35 0 582
2016 516 41 3 12 3 0 42 0 617
2017 503 60 7 10 2 0 67 0 649
2018 505 50 7 9 2 0 63 0 636
2019 538 58 7 12 4 0 90 0 709
2020 477 61 7 14 6 0 91 0 656
2021 429 55 9 13 6 0 96 0 608
2022 435 71 11 18 5 0 93 0 633
2023 405 70 10 19 4 0 102 0 610
2024 395 78 3 18 2 0 89 0 585

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 Highlands Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 642 33.0 19.4 n/a
1989 655 33.1 19.7 n/a
1990 617 28.5 21.6 0
1991 636 36.4 17.4 n/a
1992 641 40.2 15.9 n/a
1993 645 35.5 18.2 n/a
1994 648 36.0 18.0 n/a
1995 592 36.0 16.4 n/a
1996 592 36.0 16.4 n/a
1997 576 33.0 17.5 n/a
1998 550 32.5 16.9 n/a
1999 553 37.0 14.9 n/a
2000 576 41.0 14.0 64.8
2001 535 43.0 12.4 53.5
2002 422 40.4 10.4 82.7
2003 422 40.4 10.4 82.7
2004 439 38.4 11.4 69.7
2005 485 39.6 12.2 72
2006 470 40.9 11.5 74
2007 474 41.3 11.5 67.5
2008 470 40.0 11.8 73.1
2009 496 42.0 11.8 73.2
2010 485 42.0 11.5 86.1
2011 450 40.0 11.2 80.9
2012 604 49.0 12.3 52
2013 613 47.0 13.0 53.7
2014 613 49.0 12.5 58.1
2015 582 47.0 12.3 99.5
2016 617 44.0 14.0 100
2017 649 43.3 14.9 100
2018 636 42.3 15.0 86.6
2019 709 53.0 13.3 100
2020 656 53.4 12.2 100
2021 608 49.5 12.2 99.5
2022 633 49.0 12.9 99.5
2023 610 45.6 13.3 100
2024 585 45.5 12.8 100

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 Highlands Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 642 33.0 19.4 n/a
1989 655 33.1 19.7 n/a
1990 617 28.5 21.6 0
1991 636 36.4 17.4 n/a
1992 641 40.2 15.9 n/a
1993 645 35.5 18.2 n/a
1994 648 36.0 18.0 n/a
1995 592 36.0 16.4 n/a
1996 592 36.0 16.4 n/a
1997 576 33.0 17.5 n/a
1998 550 32.5 16.9 n/a
1999 553 37.0 14.9 n/a
2000 576 41.0 14.0 64.8
2001 535 43.0 12.4 53.5
2002 422 40.4 10.4 82.7
2003 422 40.4 10.4 82.7
2004 439 38.4 11.4 69.7
2005 485 39.6 12.2 72
2006 470 40.9 11.5 74
2007 474 41.3 11.5 67.5
2008 470 40.0 11.8 73.1
2009 496 42.0 11.8 73.2
2010 485 42.0 11.5 86.1
2011 450 40.0 11.2 80.9
2012 604 49.0 12.3 52
2013 613 47.0 13.0 53.7
2014 613 49.0 12.5 58.1
2015 582 47.0 12.3 99.5
2016 617 44.0 14.0 100
2017 649 43.3 14.9 100
2018 636 42.3 15.0 86.6
2019 709 53.0 13.3 100
2020 656 53.4 12.2 100
2021 608 49.5 12.2 99.5
2022 633 49.0 12.9 99.5
2023 610 45.6 13.3 100
2024 585 45.5 12.8 100

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 Highlands Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $460 (2.4%) $18,689 (97.6%) $19,149
2020 $1,718 (11.5%) $13,190 (88.5%) $14,908
2021 $1,471 (9.3%) $14,281 (90.7%) $15,752
2022 $1,203 (7.0%) $15,928 (93.0%) $17,131

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Highlands 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 1113th of 1544 Elementary schoolsRanks 1066th of 1534 Elementary schools
 2.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Highlands Elementary School)54.444.2
 10.2%
   3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)5651.7
 4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highlands Elementary School)59.444.4
 15%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)61.954
 7.9%
4th Grade Math (Highlands Elementary School)26.734.7
 8%
   4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)46.246.5
 0.3%
4th Grade Science (Highlands Elementary School)68.870.1
 1.3%
   4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)77.874.1
 3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highlands Elementary School)52.539.4
 13.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)63.651.8
 11.8%
All Grades Math (Highlands Elementary School)39.939.7
 0.2%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Highlands Elementary School)68.870.1
 1.3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Highlands Elementary School)55.842.1
 13.7%
   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 Students709610
 14%
African American5870
 20.7%
American Indian44
Asian710
 42.9%
Hispanic1219
 58.3%
Pacific Islander00
White538405
 24.7%
Two or More Races90102
 13.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Highlands Elementary School

In the 2023-24 school year, 585 students attended Highlands Elementary School.

Highlands Elementary School ranks 1051st of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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

Middle : Highlands Middle School
High : Highlands Senior High School

Students at Highlands Elementary School are 68% White, 15% Two or more races, 13% African American, 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.





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