Highcliff Elementary School

Q: Is Highcliff Elementary School a good school?

Highcliff Elementary School ranks 395 th of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Highcliff Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, serving 540 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the North Hills School District, which is ranked 92 out of 610 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highcliff Elementary consistently ranks in the top 25% of Pennsylvania elementary schools, with strong performance on PSSA tests. In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates were 68.9% in ELA, 58.1% in Math, and an impressive 92.2% in Science, significantly exceeding the state averages. The school's performance is particularly noteworthy in Science, where it outperforms both the state and district. Highcliff's student-teacher ratio of around 12-13 students per teacher is lower than the state average, which may contribute to its academic success.

While Highcliff's performance is generally stronger than nearby schools in the North Hills School District, such as Ross Elementary and McIntyre Elementary, it faces competition from exceptional schools in neighboring districts, like McKnight Elementary in the North Allegheny School District. However, Highcliff's consistent high performance over the past decade, with a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggests that the school serves a student population with a higher socioeconomic status, which may contribute to its academic success.

Detail:

Public K-5

156 Peony Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15229

(412) 318-1582

District: North Hills School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
395^th of 1,526 Pennsylvania Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,348

Students who attend Highcliff Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	North Hills Middle School
High:	North Hills High School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.7

Number of students: 540

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.6%

Two or more races:

7.4%

Hispanic:

4.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 28.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highcliff Elementary School ranks better than 74.1% of elementary schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the North Hills School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.96. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.6%), two or more races (7.4%), Hispanic (4.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 28.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highcliff Elementary School is 12.7, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the North Hills School District. (See more...)

Compare Highcliff Elementary School employs 42.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highcliff Elementary School is $14,348, which is the lowest among 4 elementary schools in the North Hills School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highcliff Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highcliff Elementary School 395^th of 1526 Pennsylvania public elementary schools. (See Highcliff Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

North Hills School District:

SchoolDigger ranks North Hills School District 92^nd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Highcliff Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Highcliff Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile
2012	74.92	390^th	1599	75.6%
2013	75.08	368^th	1519	75.8%
2014	81.46	176^th	1467	88.0%
2015	79.56	272^nd	1474	81.5%
2016	80.04	276^th	1554	82.2%
2017	82.72	229^th	1547	85.2%
2018	82.68	225^th	1530	85.3%
2019	83.51	204^th	1544	86.8%
2021	75.55	343^rd	1433	76.1%
2022	79.55	297^th	1534	80.6%
2023	72.80	435^th	1534	71.6%
2024	74.96	395^th	1526	74.1%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	74.16	288^th	1414	79.6%
2024	65.65	476^th	1432	66.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Highcliff Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	71.96	430^th	1488	71.1%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Highcliff Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.25	210^th	1043	79.9%
2024	69.71	242^nd	1084	77.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Highcliff Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	75.41	353^rd	1495	76.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Highcliff Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	60.74	478^th	1236	61.3%
2024	64.21	437^th	1229	64.4%

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 Highcliff Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2011	496	18	6	4	0	524
2012	485	19	5	4	5	518
2013	467	16	3	4	10	500
2014	451	12	3	6	17	489
2015	445	11	3	7	17	483
2016	463	18	2	6	18	507
2017	521	26	4	8	29	588
2018	538	28	6	13	32	617
2019	541	34	8	16	34	633
2020	536	27	6	15	36	620
2021	454	20	4	12	33	523
2022	459	23	1	19	39	541
2023	457	19	1	23	40	540

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 Highcliff Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	524	36.7	14.2	20.4
2012	518	36.3	14.2	23.9
2013	500	35.3	14.1	28
2014	489	34.3	14.2	29.2
2015	483	35.0	13.8	29
2016	507	38.0	13.3	30.4
2017	588	40.3	14.5	n/a
2018	617	38.7	15.9	27.2
2019	633	44.8	14.1	24.3
2020	620	44.3	13.9	n/a
2021	523	41.7	12.5	24.3
2022	541	40.7	13.2	22.6
2023	540	42.3	12.7	28.1

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 Highcliff Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2011	524	36.7	14.2	20.4
2012	518	36.3	14.2	23.9
2013	500	35.3	14.1	28
2014	489	34.3	14.2	29.2
2015	483	35.0	13.8	29
2016	507	38.0	13.3	30.4
2017	588	40.3	14.5	n/a
2018	617	38.7	15.9	27.2
2019	633	44.8	14.1	24.3
2020	620	44.3	13.9	n/a
2021	523	41.7	12.5	24.3
2022	541	40.7	13.2	22.6
2023	540	42.3	12.7	28.1

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 Highcliff Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$276 (2.1%)	$13,092 (97.9%)	$13,368
2020	$257 (1.8%)	$14,112 (98.2%)	$14,370
2021	$421 (2.6%)	$15,475 (97.4%)	$15,896
2022	$602 (4.2%)	$13,746 (95.8%)	$14,348

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highcliff 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 204^th of 1544 Elementary schools	Ranks 435^th of 1534 Elementary schools	15.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Math (Highcliff Elementary School)	63.7	63.6	0.1%
3rd Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	56	51.7	4.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Highcliff Elementary School)	76.7	60.3	16.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	61.9	54	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Highcliff Elementary School)	73.2	59.7	13.5%
4th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	46.2	46.5	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Highcliff Elementary School)	95.3	84.2	11.1%
4th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	77.8	74.1	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Highcliff Elementary School)	83.3	54.9	28.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63.6	51.8	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Highcliff Elementary School)	65.1	62.6	2.5%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Highcliff Elementary School)	75	78.3	3.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
All Grades Math (Highcliff Elementary School)	69.4	62	7.4%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Highcliff Elementary School)	95.3	84.2	11.1%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Highcliff Elementary School)	80.4	64.4	16%
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	633	540	14.7%
African American	34	19	44.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	8	1	87.5%
Hispanic	16	23	43.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	541	457	15.5%
Two or More Races	34	40	17.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	24.3%	28.1%	3.8%

Schools Near Highcliff Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				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	PSSA Math 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th 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 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
Highcliff Elementary School	Public	K-5	156 Peony Ave	Pittsburgh	15229	Allegheny County	North Hills School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 318-1582	540	42	12.7	28.1%	457 (84.6%)	19 (3.5%)	23 (4.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (7.4%)	75	395^th of 1526 public elementary schools	74.1%		72.8	435^th of 1534 public elementary schools	71.6%	40	55.2	59.5	59.5				58.1	92.2		92.2	73.6	68.5	64.1				68.9	$14,348	$602	$13,746
West View Elementary School	Public	K-5	47 Chalfonte Ave	Pittsburgh	15229	Allegheny County	North Hills School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 318-1502	457	32	14.4	35.7%	371 (81.2%)	18 (3.9%)	12 (2.6%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (10.1%)	78.4	321^st of 1526 public elementary schools	79.0%		78.1	321^st of 1534 public elementary schools	79.1%		61.0	66.1	55.7				60.6	91.5		91.5	80.5	62.7	72.9				73.0	$16,492	$953	$15,539
Avalon Elementary School	Public	K-6	721 California Ave	Pittsburgh	15202	Allegheny County	Northgate School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 732-3300	262	24	10.8	100.0%	167 (63.7%)	54 (20.6%)	4 (1.5%)	1 (0.4%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (12.6%)	56	778^th of 1526 public elementary schools	49.0%		50.9	860^th of 1534 public elementary schools	43.9%	82	50.0	40.7	31.3	24.3			36.2	88.9		88.9	66.7	62.9	53.2	62.2			61.2	$23,850	$2,710	$21,139
Bellevue Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	435 Lincoln Ave	Pittsburgh	15202	Allegheny County	Northgate School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 732-3300	317	27	11.8	100.0%	202 (63.7%)	58 (18.3%)	21 (6.6%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (10.4%)	50.6	854^th of 1526 public elementary schools	44.0%		57.8	739^th of 1534 public elementary schools	51.8%	115	42.2	35.3	43.2	29.0			37.7	79.4		79.4	54.6	54.6	54.0	60.5			55.9	$21,066	$2,662	$18,404
Avonworth Primary Center	Public	K-2	1310 Roosevelt Road	Pittsburgh	15237	Allegheny County	Avonworth School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 366-7171	464	35	13.2	11.2%	409 (88.1%)	7 (1.5%)	9 (1.9%)	12 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.8%)								(n/a)																		$14,310	$713	$13,597
Avonworth Elementary School	Public	3-6	1320 Roosevelt Rd	Pittsburgh	15237	Allegheny County	Avonworth School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 366-7170	612	38	16.2	12.7%	545 (89.1%)	15 (2.5%)	12 (2.0%)	12 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.6%)	83.9	211^th of 1526 public elementary schools	86.2%		83.1	223^rd of 1534 public elementary schools	85.5%	12	68.4	68.5	63.4	67.1			66.9	90.3		90.3	74.2	72.1	70.1	74.8			72.7	$14,423	$826	$13,597
Ross Elementary School	Public	K-5	90 Houston Rd	Pittsburgh	15237	Allegheny County	North Hills School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 318-1542	501	45	11.1	20.4%	437 (87.2%)	7 (1.4%)	14 (2.8%)	12 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.2%)	88.6	119^th of 1526 public elementary schools	92.2%		90.4	87^th of 1534 public elementary schools	94.3%	32	82.2	75.6	67.9				75.1	95.0		95.0	84.9	78.2	72.2				78.3	$16,281	$438	$15,843
Sto-Rox Primary Center	Public	K-3	300 Ewing Rd	Mc Kees Rocks	15136	Allegheny County	Sto-Rox School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 771-3213	328	23	14.0	100.0%	52 (15.9%)	194 (59.1%)	9 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (22.3%)								(n/a)	10.8						10.8				27.0						27.0	$32,011	$4,090	$27,922
McIntyre Elementary School	Public	K-5	200 McIntyre Rd	Pittsburgh	15237	Allegheny County	North Hills School District	No	No	No	No	(412) 318-1622	618	41	15.0	20.2%	435 (70.4%)	15 (2.4%)	47 (7.6%)	97 (15.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (3.7%)	77.9	332^nd of 1526 public elementary schools	78.2%		80.9	262^nd of 1534 public elementary schools	82.9%	70	58.8	61.6	67.3				62.8	84.6		84.6	67.3	76.9	75.0				72.9	$14,422	$388	$14,034
Pittsburgh Morrow K-8	Public	PK, KG-8	1611 Davis Ave	Pittsburgh	15212	Allegheny County	Pittsburgh School District	No	No	No	Yes	(412) 529-6600	510	44	11.6	98.0%	104 (20.4%)	307 (60.2%)	14 (2.7%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (15.7%)	8.1	1389^th of 1526 public elementary schools	9.0%		8.8	1378^th of 1534 public elementary schools	10.2%	11	14.7	18.8	4.4	0.0	5.0	4.8	7.1	58.1	19.1	35.6	20.5	25.0	20.0	14.9	7.7	17.0	17.3	$26,602	$3,422	$23,179

Frequently Asked Questions about Highcliff Elementary School

Is Highcliff Elementary School a good school?

Highcliff Elementary School ranks 395^th of 1526 Pennsylvania elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Highcliff Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 540 students attended Highcliff Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Highcliff Elementary School?

Students at Highcliff Elementary School are 85% White, 7% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 4% African American.

What schools do graduates of Highcliff Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : North Hills Middle School
High : North Hills High School

What district is Highcliff Elementary School in?

North Hills School District

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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.