Is Highlands Senior High School a good school?

Highlands Senior High School ranks 436 th of 686 Pennsylvania high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Highlands Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 713 students attended Highlands Senior High School.

What is the racial makeup of Highlands Senior High School?

Students at Highlands Senior High School are 81% White, 9% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What schools feed into Highlands Senior High School?

Highlands Senior High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Highlands Early Childhood Center Elementary : Highlands Elementary School Middle : Highlands Middle School

Highlands Senior High School

Summary:

Highlands Senior High School is a public high school located in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, serving 713 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Highlands School District, which is ranked 429 out of 610 school districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highlands Senior High School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average on Keystone Exams, with lower proficiency rates in Algebra I, Biology, and Literature. The school's four-year graduation rate has ranged from 76% to 87.5% in recent years, which is lower than the state's average, and its dropout rate has fluctuated between 1.6% and 4.2%, which is higher than the state's average. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 90.32% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Freeport Area Senior High School, Highlands Senior High School generally underperforms. For example, Freeport Area Senior High School consistently outperforms Highlands Senior High School on Keystone Exams and has higher graduation and lower dropout rates. The significant differences in performance among student subgroups at Highlands Senior High School also highlight the need for the school and district to address equity and ensure that all students have the support and resources they need to succeed.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1500 Pacific Ave
Natrona Heights, PA 15065-2099

(724) 226-1000

District: Highlands School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
436^th of 686 Pennsylvania High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,101

Feeder schools for Highlands Senior High School:

Elementary:	Highlands Early Childhood Center
	Highlands Elementary School
Middle:	Highlands Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.0

Number of students: 713

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.9%

African American:

9.0%

Two or more races:

7.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 90.3%

See top rated Pennsylvania high schools

Compare Highlands Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Highlands Senior High School ranks worse than 63.6% of high schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 44.28. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Highlands Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (80.9%), African American (9%), two or more races (7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 90.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highlands Senior High School is 18. (See more...)

Compare Highlands Senior High School employs 39.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highlands Senior High School is $18,101.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highlands Senior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highlands Senior High School 436^th of 686 Pennsylvania public high schools. (See Highlands Senior High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Highlands School District:

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

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Rank History for Highlands Senior High School

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Rank History for all students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	53.82	325^th	583	44.3%
2004	66.97	212^th	590	64.1%
2005	71.06	169^th	593	71.5%
2006	58.92	293^rd	604	51.5%
2007	62.76	267^th	615	56.6%
2008	58.23	307^th	621	50.6%
2009	49.83	389^th	632	38.4%
2010	49.38	401^st	649	38.2%
2011	54.89	373^rd	660	43.5%
2012	42.78	464^th	664	30.1%
2013	38.80	433^rd	591	26.7%
2014	31.24	462^nd	580	20.3%
2015	44.10	463^rd	680	31.9%
2016	36.78	505^th	677	25.4%
2017	28.20	517^th	663	22.0%
2018	26.04	530^th	673	21.2%
2019	45.40	460^th	693	33.6%
2021	23.81	450^th	537	16.2%
2022	41.08	447^th	634	29.5%
2023	48.99	387^th	674	42.6%
2024	44.28	436^th	686	36.4%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	39.26	419^th	652	35.7%
2024	53.03	318^th	664	52.1%

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

Rank History for Female students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	35.17	469^th	665	29.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	83.39	59^th	502	88.2%
2024	32.82	327^th	513	36.3%

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

Rank History for Male students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	52.09	343^rd	662	48.2%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	62.66	84^th	260	67.7%
2024	51.87	128^th	284	54.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Highlands Senior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	37.07	386^th	577	33.1%
2024	32.37	434^th	595	27.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Department 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 Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Highlands Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	849	24	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	873
1989	777	24	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	801
1990	1012	29	1	1	2	n/a	n/a	0	1045
1991	989	28	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	1020
1992	1008	28	8	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	1045
1993	928	31	11	3	2	n/a	n/a	0	975
1994	930	33	10	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	977
1995	982	45	5	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	1044
1996	982	45	5	7	5	n/a	n/a	0	1044
1997	1035	42	3	5	7	n/a	n/a	0	1092
1998	1027	43	4	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	1081
1999	1006	48	7	5	4	n/a	n/a	0	1070
2000	959	52	6	4	6	n/a	n/a	0	1027
2001	918	38	5	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	972
2002	886	45	3	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	940
2003	886	45	3	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	940
2004	843	51	2	6	3	n/a	n/a	0	905
2005	847	59	5	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	919
2006	829	69	5	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	905
2007	780	88	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	872
2008	791	85	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	1	881
2009	801	79	4	4	1	n/a	n/a	4	893
2010	782	72	3	5	3	n/a	n/a	4	869
2011	765	67	4	6	3	0	8	0	853
2012	744	76	4	10	3	0	12	0	849
2013	715	79	7	7	3	0	9	0	820
2014	684	58	6	1	4	0	15	0	768
2015	664	71	7	3	3	0	11	0	759
2016	678	81	8	8	3	0	18	0	796
2017	636	83	7	9	2	1	22	0	760
2018	637	79	7	9	1	2	36	0	771
2019	636	72	10	12	1	1	38	0	770
2020	589	58	8	11	2	1	51	0	720
2021	594	62	6	14	1	1	48	0	726
2022	586	61	6	16	1	0	42	0	712
2023	577	64	4	17	1	0	50	0	713

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 Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	873	54.0	16.1	n/a
1989	801	56.0	14.3	n/a
1990	1045	69.0	15.1	0
1991	1020	58.2	17.5	n/a
1992	1045	61.0	17.1	n/a
1993	975	60.0	16.3	n/a
1994	977	55.0	17.8	n/a
1995	1044	57.0	18.3	n/a
1996	1044	57.0	18.3	n/a
1997	1092	58.3	18.7	n/a
1998	1081	60.0	18.0	n/a
1999	1070	60.0	17.8	n/a
2000	1027	58.0	17.7	24.6
2001	972	61.0	15.9	25.9
2002	940	60.0	15.7	25.9
2003	940	60.0	15.7	25.9
2004	905	57.6	15.7	27.2
2005	919	57.0	16.1	26.4
2006	905	57.0	15.9	10.8
2007	872	59.0	14.8	36.2
2008	881	89.0	9.9	37.2
2009	893	61.8	14.4	35.9
2010	869	57.8	15.0	54.8
2011	853	58.3	14.6	56.5
2012	849	57.1	14.8	36.9
2013	820	55.6	14.7	43.5
2014	768	49.6	15.4	48
2015	759	51.0	14.8	99.6
2016	796	56.0	14.2	100
2017	760	56.0	13.5	90.7
2018	771	44.0	17.5	85
2019	770	48.0	16.0	90.1
2020	720	48.0	15.0	92.5
2021	726	47.9	15.1	91.6
2022	712	43.4	16.4	91.4
2023	713	39.5	18.0	90.3

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 Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	873	54.0	16.1	n/a
1989	801	56.0	14.3	n/a
1990	1045	69.0	15.1	0
1991	1020	58.2	17.5	n/a
1992	1045	61.0	17.1	n/a
1993	975	60.0	16.3	n/a
1994	977	55.0	17.8	n/a
1995	1044	57.0	18.3	n/a
1996	1044	57.0	18.3	n/a
1997	1092	58.3	18.7	n/a
1998	1081	60.0	18.0	n/a
1999	1070	60.0	17.8	n/a
2000	1027	58.0	17.7	24.6
2001	972	61.0	15.9	25.9
2002	940	60.0	15.7	25.9
2003	940	60.0	15.7	25.9
2004	905	57.6	15.7	27.2
2005	919	57.0	16.1	26.4
2006	905	57.0	15.9	10.8
2007	872	59.0	14.8	36.2
2008	881	89.0	9.9	37.2
2009	893	61.8	14.4	35.9
2010	869	57.8	15.0	54.8
2011	853	58.3	14.6	56.5
2012	849	57.1	14.8	36.9
2013	820	55.6	14.7	43.5
2014	768	49.6	15.4	48
2015	759	51.0	14.8	99.6
2016	796	56.0	14.2	100
2017	760	56.0	13.5	90.7
2018	771	44.0	17.5	85
2019	770	48.0	16.0	90.1
2020	720	48.0	15.0	92.5
2021	726	47.9	15.1	91.6
2022	712	43.4	16.4	91.4
2023	713	39.5	18.0	90.3

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 Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$607 (2.4%)	$24,693 (97.6%)	$25,300
2020	$117 (0.7%)	$16,477 (99.3%)	$16,594
2021	$576 (3.2%)	$17,468 (96.8%)	$18,043
2022	$1,271 (7.0%)	$16,830 (93.0%)	$18,101

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highlands Senior High 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 460^th of 693 High schools	Ranks 387^th of 674 High schools	9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Algebra I (Highlands Senior High School)	60.7	25.2	35.5%
11th Grade Algebra I (Pennsylvania)	63.3	34.1	29.2%
11th Grade Biology (Highlands Senior High School)	38	44.5	6.5%
11th Grade Biology (Pennsylvania)	63.2	50.7	12.5%
11th Grade Literature (Highlands Senior High School)	74.3	66.4	7.9%
11th Grade Literature (Pennsylvania)	71.5	65.3	6.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	770	713	7.4%
African American	72	64	11.1%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	10	4	60%
Hispanic	12	17	41.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	636	577	9.3%
Two or More Races	38	50	31.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	90.1%	90.3%	0.2%

Schools Near Highlands Senior High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Keystone Exams Algebra I (2024)	Keystone Exams Biology (2024)	Keystone Exams Literature (2024)	PSSA Math (2024)			PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)			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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Keystone Exams Algebra I 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Biology 11th Grade	Keystone Exams Literature 11th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highlands Senior High School	Public	9-12	1500 Pacific Ave	Natrona Heights	15065	Allegheny County	Highlands School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 226-1000	713	40	18.0	90.3%	577 (80.9%)	64 (9.0%)	17 (2.4%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.0%)	44.3	436^th of 686 public high schools	36.4%		49	387^th of 674 public high schools	42.6%	49	37.0	42.8	57.7									$18,101	$1,271	$16,830
Burrell High School	Public	9-12	1021 Puckety Church Rd	Lower Burrell	15068	Westmoreland County	Burrell School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 334-1403	579	39	14.9	28.2%	529 (91.4%)	11 (1.9%)	6 (1.0%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.0%)	25.8	528^th of 686 public high schools	23.0%		51.8	364^th of 674 public high schools	46.0%	164	18.6	34.6	51.1									$17,824	$516	$17,308
Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center	Public	9-12	705 Stevenson Boulevard	New Kensington	15068	Westmoreland County	Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center	No	No	No	No	(724) 335-9389	6	15	.4		5 (83.3%)	1 (16.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Valley Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	703 Stevenson Blvd	New Kensington	15068	Westmoreland County	New Kensington-Arnold School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 337-4536	869	58	14.9	90.0%	397 (45.7%)	290 (33.4%)	23 (2.6%)	4 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	153 (17.6%)	8	619^th of 686 public high schools	9.8%		8	614^th of 674 public high schools	8.9%	5	9.7	19.4	31.2	4.9	4.5	4.7	25.2	25.2	31.1	31.8	31.5	$15,675	$1,470	$14,206
Springdale Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	501 Butler Rd	Springdale	15144	Allegheny County	Allegheny Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 274-8100	387	49	7.9	93.8%	351 (90.7%)	16 (4.1%)	7 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.1%)	60.7	285^th of 686 public high schools	58.5%		61.5	278^th of 674 public high schools	58.8%	7	32.6	58.7	69.4	14.4	27.1	20.4	74.6	74.6	50.7	70.5	59.9	$20,642	$836	$19,807
Freeport Area Senior High School	Public	9-12	625 South Pike Rd	Freeport	16055	Butler County	Freeport Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 295-5143	546	39	14.0	27.3%	516 (94.5%)	3 (0.5%)	6 (1.1%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.7%)	94.4	22^nd of 686 public high schools	96.8%		87.6	59^th of 674 public high schools	91.2%	37	76.9	79.4	89.2									$17,967	$352	$17,615
Kiski Area High School	Public	9-12	240 Hyde Park Rd	Vandergrift	15690	Westmoreland County	Kiski Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 845-8181	1,126	52	21.6	30.6%	1,024 (90.9%)	73 (6.5%)	13 (1.2%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (0.9%)	56.4	328^th of 686 public high schools	52.2%		47.2	401^st of 674 public high schools	40.5%	73	40.2	53.1	63.0									$21,845	$959	$20,886
Leechburg Area High School	Public	9-12	215 1st St	Leechburg	15656	Armstrong County	Leechburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 842-0571	186	18	10.3	47.3%	171 (91.9%)	3 (1.6%)	3 (1.6%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (3.8%)	93	31^st of 686 public high schools	95.5%		74.7	153^rd of 674 public high schools	77.3%	122	69.1	75.6	92.8									$20,303	$2,891	$17,412
Deer Lakes High School	Public	9-12	163 East Union Rd	Cheswick	15024	Allegheny County	Deer Lakes School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 265-5320	583	39	15.0	27.8%	557 (95.5%)	3 (0.5%)	8 (1.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (1.9%)	61.3	279^th of 686 public high schools	59.3%		56.3	328^th of 674 public high schools	51.3%	49	48.2	42.0	74.4									$12,375	$1,080	$11,294
Plum Senior High School	Public	9-12	900 Elicker Rd	Plum	15239	Allegheny County	Plum Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 795-4880	1,226	70	17.4	20.8%	1,066 (86.9%)	91 (7.4%)	18 (1.5%)	10 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (3.3%)	53.4	360^th of 686 public high schools	47.5%		50.9	373^rd of 674 public high schools	44.7%	13	41.3	46.2	63.9									$18,347	$472	$17,875

Highlands Senior High School

Highlands Senior High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Highlands School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for all students at Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for Female students at Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for Disabled students at Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for Male students at Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for African American students at Highlands Senior High School

Rank History for White students at Highlands Senior High School

Enrollment information for Highlands Senior High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Highlands Senior High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Highlands Senior High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highlands Senior High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Highlands Senior High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Highlands Senior High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Highlands Senior High School

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