Is Highland Middle School a good school?

Highland Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.9% of Washington middle schools.

How many students attend Highland Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 253 students attended Highland Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Highland Middle School?

Students at Highland Middle School are 80% Hispanic, 19% White.

What high school do graduates of Highland Middle School attend?

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually go on to attend Highland High School

Highland Middle School

Summary:

Highland Middle School is a public middle school located in Cowiche, Washington, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 191 students. The school is part of the Highland School District, which is ranked 188 out of 247 districts in Washington and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Washington middle schools, with a ranking between 302 and 482 out of 535 schools in the state over the past 10 years. The school's performance on state assessments (SBAC and WCAS) is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas, particularly in mathematics, where only 9.64% of all students were proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the state average of 41.68% and the district average of 21.78%. The school's high percentage of students from low-income families, with 85.86% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, likely contributes to these academic challenges.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as East Valley Central Middle School, Selah Middle School, and West Valley Mid-Level Campus, Highland Middle School's academic performance is significantly lower across all subject areas and grade levels. This highlights the need for targeted interventions and resource allocation to improve student outcomes at Highland Middle School, which has also seen a steady decline in enrollment and a significant shift in the racial makeup of its student population.

Detail:

Public 6-8

17000 Summitview
Cowiche, WA 98923-9719

(509) 678-8870

District: Highland School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
482^nd of 535 Washington Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,802

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually attend:

High:

Highland High School

Feeder schools for Highland Middle School:

Elementary:

Marcus Whitman-Cowiche Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 17.9

Number of students: 253

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

80.2%

White:

19.0%

African American:

0.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 86.2%

See top rated Washington middle schools

Compare Highland Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Middle School ranks worse than 90.1% of middle schools in Washington. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.14. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (80.2%), White (19%), African American (0.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 86.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 17.9. (See more...)

Compare Highland Middle School employs 14 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Middle School is $14,802.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Middle School 482^nd of 535 Washington public middle schools. (See Highland Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

Highland School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland School District 188^th of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Highland Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2004	24.55	344^th	421	18.3%
2005	32.62	310^th	425	27.1%
2006	20.52	377^th	449	16.0%
2007	24.60	376^th	463	18.8%
2008	24.04	382^nd	466	18.0%
2009	29.74	363^rd	476	23.7%
2010	29.89	368^th	483	23.8%
2011	18.08	435^th	492	11.6%
2012	34.31	349^th	497	29.8%
2013	31.11	370^th	498	25.7%
2015	32.84	302^nd	445	32.1%
2016	22.26	355^th	443	19.9%
2017	16.68	375^th	435	13.8%
2018	20.66	354^th	437	19.0%
2019	33.92	346^th	512	32.4%
2021	39.13	309^th	529	41.6%
2022	32.25	370^th	541	31.6%
2023	27.26	395^th	539	26.7%
2024	13.14	482^nd	535	9.9%

See the entire list of Washington Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	32.79	93^rd	135	31.1%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	36.37	232^nd	349	33.5%
2019	50.09	214^th	448	52.2%
2021	71.11	69^th	458	84.9%
2022	57.51	147^th	475	69.1%
2023	47.01	227^th	463	51.0%
2024	23.52	370^th	455	18.7%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	36.52	30^th	43	30.2%
2019	59.66	11^th	39	71.8%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	23.09	303^rd	376	19.4%
2019	36.87	291^st	452	35.6%
2021	44.37	245^th	469	47.8%
2022	34.58	314^th	479	34.4%
2023	22.83	368^th	464	20.7%
2024	23.24	368^th	464	20.7%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	13.45	335^th	371	9.7%
2019	28.87	332^nd	453	26.7%
2021	33.20	313^th	476	34.2%
2022	27.78	353^rd	480	26.5%
2023	30.45	330^th	470	29.8%
2024	11.57	429^th	466	7.9%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	28.98	192^nd	259	25.9%
2019	48.45	166^th	344	51.7%
2021	60.43	100^th	353	71.7%
2022	55.80	131^st	360	63.6%
2023	44.00	170^th	336	49.4%
2024	24.06	274^th	344	20.3%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2018	88.78	29^th	325	91.1%
2019	59.94	169^th	470	64.0%
2021	55.82	199^th	480	58.5%
2022	35.15	320^th	488	34.4%
2023	41.43	281^st	488	42.4%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction, 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: Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Highland Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	75	0	1	88	0	n/a	n/a	0	164
2005	83	1	2	102	1	n/a	n/a	0	189
2006	84	2	1	125	0	n/a	n/a	0	212
2007	76	0	0	106	2	n/a	n/a	0	184
2008	64	0	0	105	5	n/a	n/a	0	174
2009	69	0	1	104	3	n/a	n/a	0	177
2010	71	0	2	124	0	n/a	n/a	0	197
2011	73	1	1	132	1	0	2	0	210
2012	59	1	0	128	1	0	8	0	197
2013	48	0	0	118	0	0	6	0	172
2014	52	0	2	129	0	0	4	0	187
2015	48	2	1	134	2	0	5	0	192
2016	42	1	1	119	1	0	4	0	168
2017	35	0	0	145	0	0	1	0	181
2018	35	1	0	161	0	0	0	0	197
2019	47	1	0	147	0	0	5	0	200
2020	44	0	0	140	0	0	6	0	190
2021	46	0	1	134	0	0	1	0	182
2022	39	1	1	149	0	0	0	1	191
2023	29	2	0	160	0	0	0	0	191
2024	48	1	0	203	0	0	1	0	253

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	164	9.0	18.2	64
2005	189	9.4	20.1	74.1
2006	212	11.0	19.3	93.9
2007	184	10.6	17.4	98.4
2008	174	8.6	20.2	98.3
2009	177	8.6	20.6	98.3
2010	197	10.1	19.4	98.5
2011	210	12.6	16.6	71.4
2012	197	11.3	17.3	78.7
2013	172	9.8	17.5	82
2014	187	n/a	n/a	80.2
2015	192	9.0	21.3	77.6
2016	168	9.0	18.6	81
2017	181	8.8	20.3	86.2
2018	197	10.6	18.4	86.3
2019	200	10.7	18.6	84.5
2020	190	12.8	14.8	81.6
2021	182	10.1	17.9	80.2
2022	191	11.1	17.1	82.2
2023	191	11.0	17.3	85.9
2024	253	14.0	17.9	86.2

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	164	9.0	18.2	64
2005	189	9.4	20.1	74.1
2006	212	11.0	19.3	93.9
2007	184	10.6	17.4	98.4
2008	174	8.6	20.2	98.3
2009	177	8.6	20.6	98.3
2010	197	10.1	19.4	98.5
2011	210	12.6	16.6	71.4
2012	197	11.3	17.3	78.7
2013	172	9.8	17.5	82
2014	187	n/a	n/a	80.2
2015	192	9.0	21.3	77.6
2016	168	9.0	18.6	81
2017	181	8.8	20.3	86.2
2018	197	10.6	18.4	86.3
2019	200	10.7	18.6	84.5
2020	190	12.8	14.8	81.6
2021	182	10.1	17.9	80.2
2022	191	11.1	17.1	82.2
2023	191	11.0	17.3	85.9
2024	253	14.0	17.9	86.2

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 Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,500 (14.4%)	$14,906 (85.6%)	$17,406
2020	$748 (7.8%)	$8,829 (92.2%)	$9,578
2021	$379 (2.9%)	$12,537 (97.1%)	$12,916
2022	$1,791 (12.1%)	$13,011 (87.9%)	$14,802

Data source: Washington Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Middle 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 346^th of 512 Middle schools	Ranks 395^th of 539 Middle schools	5.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	67.4	30.1	37.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Highland School District)	67.4	30.1	37.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)	62	52.1	9.9%
7th Grade Math (Highland Middle School)	45.9	9.7	36.2%
7th Grade Math (Highland School District)	45.9	9.7	36.2%
7th Grade Math (Washington)	49.9	38.6	11.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	46.2	51.6	5.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Highland School District)	46.2	51.6	5.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Washington)	59.6	51.3	8.3%
8th Grade Math (Highland Middle School)	35.2	29.6	5.6%
8th Grade Math (Highland School District)	35.2	29.6	5.6%
8th Grade Math (Washington)	47.2	34.4	12.8%
8th Grade Science (Highland Middle School)	33	34.7	1.7%
8th Grade Science (Highland School District)	33	34.7	1.7%
8th Grade Science (Washington)	53.1	43.9	9.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (Highland Middle School)	57.1	41.1	16.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Highland School District)	51.8	44.4	7.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Washington)	61	52.9	8.1%
All Grades Math (Highland Middle School)	40.7	19.9	20.8%
All Grades Math (Highland School District)	40.2	28	12.2%
All Grades Math (Washington)	50.1	41	9%
All Grades Science (Highland Middle School)	33	34.7	1.7%
All Grades Science (Highland School District)	33.7	36.1	2.4%
All Grades Science (Washington)	52.7	48.8	4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	200	191	4.5%
African American	1	2	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	147	160	8.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	47	29	38.3%
Two or More Races	5	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	84.5%	85.9%	1.4%

Schools Near Highland Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WCAS Science (2024)			SBAC English Language Arts (2024)					SBAC Math (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	WCAS Science 5th Grade	WCAS Science 8th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts All Grades	SBAC Math 5th Grade	SBAC Math 6th Grade	SBAC Math 7th Grade	SBAC Math 8th Grade	SBAC Math All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland Middle School	Public	6-8	17000 Summitview	Cowiche	98923	Yakima County	Highland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 678-8870	253	14	17.9	86.2%	48 (19.0%)	1 (0.4%)	203 (80.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	13.1	482^nd of 535 public middle schools	9.9%		27.3	395^th of 539 public middle schools	26.7%	87		13.5	13.5		29.8	49.4	21.4	32.8		6.0	15.6	7.9	9.6	$14,802	$1,791	$13,011
Naches Valley Middle School	Public	5-8	32 Shafer Avenue	Naches	98937	Yakima County	Naches Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 653-2725	401	22	17.8	57.1%	283 (70.6%)	2 (0.5%)	105 (26.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	30.9	365^th of 535 public middle schools	31.8%		29.9	378^th of 539 public middle schools	29.9%	13	47.1	27.1	38.0	49.0	45.8	40.7	46.5	45.4	38.6	31.6	29.6	14.9	29.2	$15,378	$1,086	$14,292
West Valley Virtual Academy 7-8	Public, Virtual	7-8	9206 Zier Road	Yakima	98908	Yakima County	West Valley School District (Yakima)	No	No	Yes	No	(509) 823-2602	24	0		62.5%	15 (62.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (25.0%)	1 (4.2%)	1 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.2%)								(n/a)														$5,540	$73	$5,468
West Valley Mid-Level Campus	Public	6-8	7505 Zier Rd	Yakima	98908	Yakima County	West Valley School District (Yakima)	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 972-5800	1,165	62	18.8	59.2%	617 (53.0%)	7 (0.6%)	474 (40.7%)	24 (2.1%)	7 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (3.1%)	62.4	181^st of 535 public middle schools	66.2%		60	185^th of 539 public middle schools	65.7%	4		34.9	34.9		54.4	61.6	49.7	55.4		41.7	49.2	54.1	47.9	$14,814	$985	$13,829
Selah Middle School	Public	6-8	411 North First Street	Selah	98942	Yakima County	Selah School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 698-8400	909	48	18.9	61.9%	557 (61.3%)	3 (0.3%)	315 (34.7%)	4 (0.4%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	22 (2.4%)	30.3	371^st of 535 public middle schools	30.7%		38.5	313^th of 539 public middle schools	41.9%	58		38.3	38.3		35.8	41.8	31.3	36.4		26.7	36.3	26.9	30.1	$14,796	$1,225	$13,572
Wilson Middle School	Public	6-8	902 S 44th Ave	Yakima	98908	Yakima County	Yakima School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 573-2400	837	44	18.9	77.3%	173 (20.7%)	9 (1.1%)	609 (72.8%)	7 (0.8%)	11 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.2%)	25.8	396^th of 535 public middle schools	26.0%		23.6	420^th of 539 public middle schools	22.1%	24		37.7	37.7		29.5	38.7	45.9	38.0		23.8	24.0	18.8	22.2	$16,270	$2,403	$13,866
Franklin Middle School	Public	6-8	410 S 19th Ave	Yakima	98902	Yakima County	Yakima School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 573-2100	850	46	18.3	85.6%	153 (18.0%)	12 (1.4%)	650 (76.5%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.1%)	22.6	430^th of 535 public middle schools	19.6%		26.6	402^nd of 539 public middle schools	25.4%	28		23.1	23.1		33.5	47.5	40.1	40.6		26.3	18.7	15.6	19.9	$16,057	$2,320	$13,737
Lewis & Clark Middle School	Public	6-8	1114 W Pierce St	Yakima	98902	Yakima County	Yakima School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 573-2200	827	48	17.2	92.7%	78 (9.4%)	5 (0.6%)	728 (88.0%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.1%)	13.2	480^th of 535 public middle schools	10.3%		11.5	493^rd of 539 public middle schools	8.5%	13		17.3	17.3		17.3	32.3	31.8	26.8		20.7	16.0	23.1	20.0	$17,126	$2,914	$14,212
Washington Middle School	Public	6-8	510 S 9th St	Yakima	98901	Yakima County	Yakima School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 573-2300	738	42	17.5	96.9%	27 (3.7%)	7 (0.9%)	684 (92.7%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	9 (1.2%)	7.6	520^th of 535 public middle schools	2.8%		6.5	533^rd of 539 public middle schools	1.1%	13		17.9	17.9		22.3	23.6	22.1	22.7		15.9	9.4	12.7	12.6	$17,830	$2,940	$14,890
East Valley Central Middle School	Public	6-8	2010 Beaudry Rd	Yakima	98901	Yakima County	East Valley School District (Yakima)	No	No	No	No	(509) 573-7500	833	44	19.0	71.1%	310 (37.2%)	11 (1.3%)	479 (57.5%)	5 (0.6%)	8 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.0%)	43.9	285^th of 535 public middle schools	46.7%		43.1	280^th of 539 public middle schools	48.1%	5		38.2	38.2		42.7	46.0	45.6	44.8		37.0	40.2	34.2	37.2	$14,127	$631	$13,496

Highland Middle School

Highland Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Highland School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Highland Middle School

Rank History for all students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for Migrant students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Middle School

Rank History for White students at Highland Middle School

Enrollment information for Highland Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Highland Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Highland Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highland Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Highland Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Middle School

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