Highlander

The Highlander school district in Rhode Island is home to two charter schools: Highlander Secondary Charter S and Highlander Elementary Charter. Both schools are performing significantly below average compared to state-wide metrics, with consistently low rankings, ratings, and test scores over the past three school years.

Highlander Secondary Charter S is ranked 44th out of 61 high schools in Rhode Island and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are well below the state averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, only 13.6% of 7th and 8th-grade students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 26.8% and 31.9%, respectively. Similarly, Highlander Elementary Charter is ranked 148th out of 166 elementary schools in the state and has a 1-star rating, with only 16.7% of 3rd graders proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 37.8%.

Both schools serve a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at over 85%, suggesting significant socioeconomic challenges in the district. Despite the high spending per student, the schools are not achieving strong academic outcomes, raising questions about resource allocation and utilization. The consistently low performance of the Highlander schools, particularly the elementary school, may indicate issues with educational equity and access to quality instruction for students in the district. Addressing these underlying issues and implementing targeted interventions will be crucial for improving the district's performance and ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all students.