Is Highland High a good school?

Highland High ranks 54 th of 138 Utah high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Highland High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,980 students attended Highland High.

What is the racial makeup of Highland High?

Students at Highland High are 63% White, 22% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 4% African American, 4% Pacific Islander, 3% Asian, 2% American Indian.

What schools feed into Highland High?

Highland High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Beacon Heights School Elementary : Dilworth School Elementary : Hawthorne School Elementary : Highland Park School Elementary : Liberty School Elementary : Nibley Park School Elementary : Whittier School Middle : Hillside Middle

Highland High

Summary:

Highland High is a public high school in Salt Lake City, Utah, serving 1,980 students in grades 9-12. It is part of the Salt Lake District, which is ranked 54 out of 98 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has seen fluctuations in its statewide ranking over the years, ranging from 33rd to 121st out of Utah high schools.

Highland High generally performs better than the Salt Lake District and the state average on the Utah Aspire Plus assessments, particularly in English Language Arts. For example, in 2023-2024, 47.9% of 10th-grade students at Highland High were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 36.4% for the Salt Lake District and 44.6% for the state. The school's Hispanic and White student subgroups perform relatively well compared to other schools in the state, ranking 23rd and 26th, respectively, out of Utah high schools in 2023-2024. However, the school's performance for low socioeconomic status students is weaker, ranking 77th out of 93 high schools in the state.

Highland High has a lower percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients (29.75%) compared to some nearby schools like East High (50.74%) and Innovations High School (41.64%), indicating a relatively higher socioeconomic status of its student population. This contrast suggests that Highland High may face competition for students and resources from these nearby schools, some of which are ranked among the top high schools in the state.

Detail:

Public 9-12

2166 S 1700 E
Salt Lake City, UT 84106

(801) 484-4343

District: Salt Lake District

SchoolDigger Rank:
54^th of 138 Utah High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,968

Feeder schools for Highland High:

Elementary:	Beacon Heights School
	Dilworth School
	Hawthorne School
	Highland Park School
	More...
	Liberty School
	Nibley Park School
	Whittier School
Middle:	Hillside Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 23.6

Number of students: 1,980

Racial breakdown:

White:

62.6%

Hispanic:

22.2%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.7%

See top rated Utah high schools

Compare Highland High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland High ranks better than 60.9% of high schools in Utah. It also ranks first among 4 ranked high schools in the Salt Lake District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.17. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Highland High 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.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Highland High has the largest high school student body size in the Salt Lake District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland High is $10,968, which is the 2^nd highest among 4 high schools in the Salt Lake District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland High:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland High 54^th of 138 Utah public high schools. (See Highland High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Salt Lake District:

SchoolDigger ranks Salt Lake District 54^th of 98 Utah school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Highland High.

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Your rating for Highland High?

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Rank History for Highland High

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Rank History for all students at Highland High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile
2008	25.50	115^th	142	19.0%
2009	22.91	121^st	148	18.2%
2010	23.34	125^th	153	18.3%
2011	28.10	124^th	164	24.4%
2012	29.39	131^st	166	21.1%
2013	31.53	127^th	167	24.0%
2014	35.97	79^th	120	34.2%
2015	27.37	96^th	131	26.7%
2016	24.23	101^st	129	21.7%
2017	24.46	97^th	125	22.4%
2018	33.39	89^th	123	27.6%
2019	65.32	38^th	136	72.1%
2021	63.26	33^rd	129	74.4%
2022	47.78	69^th	131	47.3%
2023	65.36	34^th	139	75.5%
2024	56.17	54^th	138	60.9%

See the entire list of Utah High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.24	5^th	20	75.0%
2024	57.20	11^th	25	56.0%

See the entire list of Best Utah High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	41.65	10^th	16	37.5%
2023	72.46	5^th	20	75.0%

See the entire list of Best Utah High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile
2022	29.69	63^rd	84	25.0%
2023	26.17	71^st	93	23.7%
2024	20.26	77^th	93	17.2%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile
2022	43.70	33^rd	62	46.8%
2023	57.35	23^rd	66	65.2%
2024	57.98	23^rd	72	68.1%

See the entire list of Best Utah High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	UT State Percentile
2022	57.81	43^rd	123	65.0%
2023	74.20	17^th	122	86.1%
2024	69.13	26^th	123	78.9%

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

Data source: test scores: Utah State Board 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: Utah State Board of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Monday, April 11, 2011

As a senior who has experienced four years at Highland, I would never pick a different school. There is an amount of diversity at Highland that you cannot find anywhere else. Everyone is very welcoming to all. The teachers are all very helpful and the student body is very united and proud of their school spirit. I think that it is a really great school where you can learn about life at the same time that you are studying and preparing for college. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Highland High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1356	10	34	42	13	n/a	n/a	0	1455
1989	1689	26	145	173	33	n/a	n/a	0	2066
1990	1676	18	165	170	31	n/a	n/a	0	2060
1991	1749	28	161	186	35	n/a	n/a	0	2159
1992	1765	31	169	248	28	n/a	n/a	0	2241
1993	1712	21	180	281	31	n/a	n/a	0	2225
1994	1669	25	156	314	23	n/a	n/a	0	2187
1995	1653	37	124	361	35	n/a	n/a	0	2210
1996	1653	37	124	361	35	n/a	n/a	0	2210
1997	1671	31	122	382	46	n/a	n/a	0	2252
1998	1678	50	124	394	36	n/a	n/a	0	2282
1999	1551	54	122	405	27	n/a	n/a	0	2159
2000	1492	57	120	463	29	n/a	n/a	0	2161
2001	1481	81	117	495	20	n/a	n/a	0	2194
2002	1226	101	130	503	24	n/a	n/a	0	1984
2003	1226	101	130	503	24	n/a	n/a	0	1984
2004	1097	81	132	474	26	n/a	n/a	0	1810
2005	1058	89	141	476	28	n/a	n/a	0	1792
2006	1019	98	138	409	32	n/a	n/a	0	1696
2007	989	96	122	343	39	n/a	n/a	0	1589
2008	931	87	133	321	45	n/a	n/a	21	1538
2009	958	87	115	296	41	n/a	n/a	19	1516
2010	960	66	125	306	42	n/a	n/a	78	1577
2011	979	75	42	326	28	83	3	0	1536
2012	990	60	64	334	26	72	16	0	1562
2013	891	61	67	367	23	65	56	0	1530
2014	933	64	70	356	15	67	65	0	1570
2015	944	65	79	366	28	73	77	0	1632
2016	946	70	76	368	31	78	76	0	1645
2017	965	72	62	395	35	70	83	0	1682
2018	967	65	62	405	22	75	87	0	1683
2019	1010	78	59	363	19	67	82	0	1678
2020	1136	78	53	379	22	66	88	0	1822
2021	1152	80	40	367	28	57	82	0	1806
2022	1194	86	50	403	28	72	77	0	1910
2023	1239	71	54	439	30	70	77	0	1980

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 High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1455	62.4	23.3	n/a
1989	2066	71.5	28.8	n/a
1990	2060	98.3	20.9	15.8
1991	2159	95.2	22.6	13.1
1992	2241	94.2	23.7	19.3
1993	2225	97.0	22.9	22.4
1994	2187	97.8	22.4	22.6
1995	2210	104.7	21.1	29.6
1996	2210	104.7	21.1	29.6
1997	2252	98.5	22.9	26.9
1998	2282	104.6	21.8	30.8
1999	2159	111.1	19.4	38.1
2000	2161	112.6	19.2	40.1
2001	2194	85.8	25.6	42.6
2002	1984	95.4	20.8	48.6
2003	1984	95.4	20.8	48.6
2004	1810	93.0	19.5	50.3
2005	1792	85.5	21.0	50.2
2006	1696	90.0	18.8	44.9
2007	1589	41.0	38.8	0.4
2008	1538	72.6	21.2	41.1
2009	1516	62.0	17.6	42.8
2010	1577	70.2	22.4	49.3
2011	1536	70.4	21.7	46.6
2012	1562	70.5	22.1	53.7
2013	1530	68.6	22.2	77.6
2014	1570	69.8	22.4	42.7
2015	1632	n/a	n/a	46.1
2016	1645	n/a	n/a	43.8
2017	1682	69.8	24.0	43.8
2018	1683	n/a	n/a	40.5
2019	1678	74.7	22.4	39.9
2020	1822	78.7	23.1	39.8
2021	1806	n/a	n/a	29.5
2022	1910	81.6	23.3	30.8
2023	1980	83.8	23.6	29.7

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 High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1455	62.4	23.3	n/a
1989	2066	71.5	28.8	n/a
1990	2060	98.3	20.9	15.8
1991	2159	95.2	22.6	13.1
1992	2241	94.2	23.7	19.3
1993	2225	97.0	22.9	22.4
1994	2187	97.8	22.4	22.6
1995	2210	104.7	21.1	29.6
1996	2210	104.7	21.1	29.6
1997	2252	98.5	22.9	26.9
1998	2282	104.6	21.8	30.8
1999	2159	111.1	19.4	38.1
2000	2161	112.6	19.2	40.1
2001	2194	85.8	25.6	42.6
2002	1984	95.4	20.8	48.6
2003	1984	95.4	20.8	48.6
2004	1810	93.0	19.5	50.3
2005	1792	85.5	21.0	50.2
2006	1696	90.0	18.8	44.9
2007	1589	41.0	38.8	0.4
2008	1538	72.6	21.2	41.1
2009	1516	62.0	17.6	42.8
2010	1577	70.2	22.4	49.3
2011	1536	70.4	21.7	46.6
2012	1562	70.5	22.1	53.7
2013	1530	68.6	22.2	77.6
2014	1570	69.8	22.4	42.7
2015	1632	n/a	n/a	46.1
2016	1645	n/a	n/a	43.8
2017	1682	69.8	24.0	43.8
2018	1683	n/a	n/a	40.5
2019	1678	74.7	22.4	39.9
2020	1822	78.7	23.1	39.8
2021	1806	n/a	n/a	29.5
2022	1910	81.6	23.3	30.8
2023	1980	83.8	23.6	29.7

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 High

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$734 (6.7%)	$10,234 (93.3%)	$10,968

Data source: Utah Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland High

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 38^th of 136 High schools	Ranks 34^th of 139 High schools	3.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Highland High)	56.1	55.1	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Salt Lake District)	36.4	39	2.6%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)	48.2	44	4.2%
9th Grade Mathematics (Highland High)	47.3	33.6	13.7%
9th Grade Mathematics (Salt Lake District)	36.7	23.6	13.1%
9th Grade Mathematics (Utah)	43.6	32.8	10.8%
9th Grade Science (Highland High)	39.4	43.8	4.4%
9th Grade Science (Salt Lake District)	31.2	30.5	0.7%
9th Grade Science (Utah)	36.2	38.1	1.9%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Highland High)	56.7	55.6	1.1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Salt Lake District)	38	42	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Utah)	49.5	45.3	4.2%
10th Grade Mathematics (Highland High)	44.2	29.1	15.1%
10th Grade Mathematics (Salt Lake District)	29	22.7	6.3%
10th Grade Mathematics (Utah)	36.3	27.7	8.6%
10th Grade Science (Highland High)	35.8	38	2.2%
10th Grade Science (Salt Lake District)	30.2	29	1.2%
10th Grade Science (Utah)	33	32.2	0.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1678	1980	18%
African American	78	71	9%
American Indian	19	30	57.9%
Asian	59	54	8.5%
Hispanic	363	439	20.9%
Pacific Islander	67	70	4.5%
White	1010	1239	22.7%
Two or More Races	82	77	6.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.9%	29.7%	10.2%

Schools Near Highland High

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts (2024)		Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics (2024)		Utah Aspire Plus Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus English Language Arts 10th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Mathematics 10th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Science 9th Grade	Utah Aspire Plus Science 10th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland High	Public	9-12	2166 S 1700 E	Salt Lake City	84106	Salt Lake County	Salt Lake District	No	No	No	No	(801) 484-4343	1,980	84	23.6	29.7%	1,239 (62.6%)	71 (3.6%)	439 (22.2%)	54 (2.7%)	30 (1.5%)	70 (3.5%)	77 (3.9%)	56.2	54^th of 138 public high schools	60.9%		65.4	34^th of 139 public high schools	75.5%	20	40.8	47.9	37.5	27.7	43.7	40.4	$10,968	$734	$10,234
Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts	Public, Magnet, Charter	9-12	2291 S 2000 E	Salt Lake City	84106	Salt Lake County	Salt Lake School for the Performing Arts	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(801) 466-6700	203	12	16.9	13.3%	160 (78.8%)	2 (1.0%)	29 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.9%)								(n/a)							$9,428	$194	$9,234
East High	Public	9-12	840 S 1300 E	Salt Lake City	84102	Salt Lake County	Salt Lake District	No	No	No	No	(801) 583-1661	1,886	85	22.1	50.7%	646 (34.3%)	96 (5.1%)	868 (46.0%)	90 (4.8%)	20 (1.1%)	108 (5.7%)	58 (3.1%)	19.9	117^th of 138 public high schools	15.2%		14.2	121^st of 139 public high schools	12.9%	4	23.0	28.8	22.1	27.2	25.7	25.0	$10,321	$734	$9,587
Innovations High School	Public	9-12	1700 South State Street	Salt Lake City	84115	Salt Lake County	Salt Lake District	No	No	No	No	(801) 481-4946	293	10	30.8	41.6%	108 (36.9%)	13 (4.4%)	147 (50.2%)	7 (2.4%)	3 (1.0%)	6 (2.0%)	9 (3.1%)	8.6	128^th of 138 public high schools	7.2%					(n/a)		23.4		10.4		17.7	$6,896	$971	$5,925
Salt Lake Technology Center	Public	9-12	1560 S 200 E	Salt Lake City	84115	Salt Lake County	Salt Lake District	No	No	No	No	(801) 481-4946	0	11	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Granite Technical Institute	Public	7-12	2500 S State	Salt Lake City	84115	Salt Lake County	Granite District	No	No	No	No	(385) 646-4350	126	37	3.3	2.4%	67 (53.2%)	5 (4.0%)	45 (35.7%)	5 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)					38.3		$45,780	$449	$45,331
Horizonte Instruction & Training Center	Public	7-12	1234 S Main	Salt Lake City	84101	Salt Lake County	Salt Lake District	No	No	No	No	(801) 578-8574	323	38	8.5	71.8%	55 (17.0%)	20 (6.2%)	196 (60.7%)	2 (0.6%)	2 (0.6%)	39 (12.1%)	9 (2.8%)								(n/a)							$12,027	$931	$11,096
Olympus High	Public	9-12	4055 S 2300 E	Salt Lake City	84124	Salt Lake County	Granite District	No	No	No	No	(385) 646-5400	2,123	88	24.1	15.6%	1,764 (83.1%)	44 (2.1%)	206 (9.7%)	56 (2.6%)	11 (0.5%)	15 (0.7%)	27 (1.3%)	53.3	59^th of 138 public high schools	57.2%		76.9	23^rd of 139 public high schools	83.5%	36	41.2	55.2	38.5	36.8	23.1	34.2	$9,882	$729	$9,153
Utah International Charter School	Public, Charter	6-12	350 E Baird Circle (3605 South	Salt Lake City	84115	Salt Lake County	Utah International Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(385) 290-1306	236	19	12.4	1.7%	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)				0.0			$9,469	$1,355	$8,114
Skyline High	Public	7-12	3251 E 3760 S	Salt Lake City	84109	Salt Lake County	Granite District	No	No	No	No	(385) 646-5420	2,124	80	26.7	8.3%	1,697 (79.9%)	23 (1.1%)	147 (6.9%)	177 (8.3%)	3 (0.1%)	21 (1.0%)	56 (2.6%)	95.1	6^th of 138 public high schools	95.7%		93.8	6^th of 139 public high schools	95.7%		64.4	70.8	54.9	44.5	69.5	64.7	$8,716	$500	$8,215

Highland High

Highland High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Salt Lake District:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Highland High

Rank History for all students at Highland High

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland High

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland High

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland High

Rank History for White students at Highland High

Review counts

Enrollment information for Highland High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Highland High

Student/Teacher Ratio Highland High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highland High

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Highland High

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland High

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