Highland Middle School

Q: Is Highland Middle School a good school?

Highland Middle School ranks 88 th of 535 Washington middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Highland Middle School is a public middle school in Spokane, Washington, serving 741 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Mead School District, which is ranked 42 out of 247 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Highland Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Washington, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's academic performance on state assessments is significantly higher than the state and district averages across all grades and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 66.22% of Highland Middle School students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 52.63% statewide and 63.33% in the Mead School District. The school's diverse student population, with 80.84% White, 5.53% Hispanic, and 1.62% Asian, is also noteworthy, as it is more diverse than nearby Mountainside Middle School and Northwood Middle School. Additionally, Highland Middle School has a lower percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients (26.99%) compared to the Mead School District average and nearby Spokane School District schools.

Highland Middle School's consistent academic excellence, particularly among its Hispanic and low-socioeconomic status student subgroups, is a testament to the school's commitment to providing a quality education for all students. The school's performance on state assessments and its diverse, relatively affluent student population set it apart from other middle schools in the area, suggesting that Highland Middle School may have more effective instructional practices or resources that contribute to its academic success.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3515 W Hawthorne Rd
Spokane, WA 99208

(509) 465-6510

District: Mead School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
88^th of 535 Washington Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,330

Students who attend Highland Middle School usually attend:

High:

Mead Senior High School

Feeder schools for Highland Middle School:

Elementary:	Evergreen Elementary School
	Prairie View Elementary
	Skyline Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

Number of students: 741

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.8%

Two or more races:

9.0%

Hispanic:

5.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 27%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Highland Middle School ranks better than 83.6% of middle schools in Washington. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Mead School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.77. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Highland Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Mead School District. Racial makeup is: White (80.8%), two or more races (9%), Hispanic (5.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 27% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Mead School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Middle School is 18.8, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Mead School District! (See more...)

Compare Highland Middle School employs 39.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Middle School is $13,330, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Mead School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Middle School 88^th of 535 Washington public middle schools. (See Highland Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Military Connected students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Mead School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mead School District 42^nd of 247 Washington school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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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
2021	76.38	108^th	529	79.6%
2022	83.24	76^th	541	86.0%
2023	86.44	65^th	539	87.9%
2024	80.77	88^th	535	83.6%

See the entire list of Washington Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2021	50.38	117^th	250	53.2%
2022	71.26	58^th	257	77.4%
2023	74.48	48^th	244	80.3%
2024	53.91	97^th	243	60.1%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2022	35.92	116^th	199	41.7%
2023	50.18	72^nd	167	56.9%
2024	55.85	69^th	179	61.5%

See the entire list of Best Washington Middle Schools for Special Education 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
2021	56.58	159^th	458	65.3%
2022	82.82	37^th	475	92.2%
2023	74.90	70^th	463	84.9%
2024	76.95	64^th	455	85.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2021	73.89	97^th	469	79.3%
2022	79.76	82^nd	479	82.9%
2023	86.37	53^rd	464	88.6%
2024	79.92	81^st	464	82.5%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2021	62.90	11^th	44	75.0%
2022	92.58	2^nd	51	96.1%
2024	70.35	8^th	46	82.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Highland Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WA State Percentile
2021	77.89	92^nd	476	80.7%
2022	84.96	63^rd	480	86.9%
2023	84.46	66^th	470	86.0%
2024	80.87	78^th	466	83.3%

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
2021	87.69	28^th	353	92.1%
2022	91.43	20^th	360	94.4%
2023	93.89	13^th	336	96.1%
2024	84.25	34^th	344	90.1%

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
2021	71.79	109^th	480	77.3%
2022	77.41	88^th	488	82.0%
2023	80.98	73^rd	488	85.0%
2024	78.37	82^nd	486	83.1%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

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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
2021	636	13	10	56	3	1	74	0	793
2022	616	11	13	38	2	5	69	3	757
2023	599	6	12	41	5	8	67	3	741

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

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2021	793	40.9	19.3	18.3
2022	757	40.8	18.5	23.1
2023	741	39.2	18.8	27

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

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2021	793	40.9	19.3	18.3
2022	757	40.8	18.5	23.1
2023	741	39.2	18.8	27

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)
2021	$1,017 (7.6%)	$12,337 (92.4%)	$13,354
2022	$544 (4.1%)	$12,785 (95.9%)	$13,330

Data source: Washington Department of Education

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 8th Grade	WCAS Science All Grades	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 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	3515 W Hawthorne Rd	Spokane	99208	Spokane County	Mead School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 465-6510	741	39	18.8	27.0%	599 (80.8%)	6 (0.8%)	41 (5.5%)	12 (1.6%)	5 (0.7%)	8 (1.1%)	67 (9.0%)	80.8	88^th of 535 public middle schools	83.6%		86.4	65^th of 539 public middle schools	87.9%	23	45.4	45.4	59.1	67.8	71.6	66.2	59.7	58.6	54.4	57.5	$13,330	$544	$12,785
Salk Middle School	Public	6-8	6411 N Alberta St	Spokane	99208	Spokane County	Spokane School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 354-5600	749	44	16.8	63.0%	518 (69.2%)	19 (2.5%)	73 (9.7%)	11 (1.5%)	4 (0.5%)	14 (1.9%)	108 (14.4%)	25.7	397^th of 535 public middle schools	25.8%		24.4	413^th of 539 public middle schools	23.4%	16	30.4	30.4	41.4	44.2	39.3	41.6	25.8	25.1	11.0	20.5	$16,813	$1,736	$15,076
Glover Middle School	Public	6-8	2330 W Longfellow Ave	Spokane	99205	Spokane County	Spokane School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 354-5400	590	42	14.1	79.7%	369 (62.5%)	25 (4.2%)	72 (12.2%)	6 (1.0%)	7 (1.2%)	11 (1.9%)	98 (16.6%)	17.9	455^th of 535 public middle schools	15.0%		16.9	461^st of 539 public middle schools	14.5%	6	18.3	18.3	26.9	36.7	29.9	31.1	25.5	29.3	19.0	24.7	$19,801	$2,157	$17,644
Pauline Flett Middle School	Public	6-8	5020 W Wellesley	Spokane	99205	Spokane County	Spokane School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 824-8000	371	24	15.5	60.9%	267 (72.0%)	8 (2.2%)	29 (7.8%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	4 (1.1%)	57 (15.4%)	23.6	415^th of 535 public middle schools	22.4%		27.3	394^th of 539 public middle schools	26.9%	21	28.3	28.3	27.5	44.9	32.4	35.0	23.4	31.1	23.6	26.2
Garry Middle School	Public	6-8	725 E Joseph Ave	Spokane	99207	Spokane County	Spokane School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 354-5200	569	46	12.4	87.9%	289 (50.8%)	18 (3.2%)	97 (17.0%)	22 (3.9%)	10 (1.8%)	31 (5.4%)	101 (17.8%)	17.7	457^th of 535 public middle schools	14.6%		11.9	492^nd of 539 public middle schools	8.7%	35	26.8	26.8	26.5	31.2	33.3	30.5	19.1	27.6	22.2	23.1	$18,600	$2,205	$16,395
Northwood Middle School	Public	6-8	12908 N Pittsburg St	Spokane	99208	Spokane County	Mead School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 465-7500	798	43	18.4	32.1%	647 (81.1%)	9 (1.1%)	65 (8.1%)	11 (1.4%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	56 (7.0%)	65.3	166^th of 535 public middle schools	69.0%		65.9	157^th of 539 public middle schools	70.9%	9	48.8	48.8	52.5	62.6	62.4	59.3	41.8	48.2	36.1	42.0	$13,720	$508	$13,212
Shaw Middle School	Public	6-8	4106 N Cook St	Spokane	99207	Spokane County	Spokane School District	No	No	No	Yes	(509) 354-5800	764	54	14.0	88.2%	424 (55.5%)	35 (4.6%)	103 (13.5%)	16 (2.1%)	11 (1.4%)	49 (6.4%)	125 (16.4%)	7.3	523^rd of 535 public middle schools	2.2%		9.2	508^th of 539 public middle schools	5.8%	15	18.8	18.8	15.5	18.6	26.3	20.4	13.9	16.6	9.1	13.0	$21,284	$3,225	$18,059
Denny Yasuhara Middle School	Public	6-8	914 E. North Foothills Dr.	Spokane	99207	Spokane County	Spokane School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 824-8200	385	29	13.4	89.9%	202 (52.5%)	11 (2.9%)	67 (17.4%)	11 (2.9%)	8 (2.1%)	22 (5.7%)	64 (16.6%)	8	514^th of 535 public middle schools	3.9%		5.7	535^th of 539 public middle schools	0.7%	21	16.7	16.7	22.6	27.0	22.0	23.9	15.3	17.5	6.8	13.4
Mountainside Middle School	Public	6-8	4717 E Day Mt. Spokane Rd	Colbert	99005	Spokane County	Mead School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 465-7400	795	42	18.7	41.0%	655 (82.4%)	12 (1.5%)	38 (4.8%)	5 (0.6%)	6 (0.8%)	17 (2.1%)	60 (7.5%)	64.3	173^rd of 535 public middle schools	67.7%		69.6	140^th of 539 public middle schools	74.0%	33	48.6	48.6	50.7	67.9	59.5	59.8	35.2	45.9	42.3	41.4	$14,011	$484	$13,527
Lakeside Middle School	Public	6-8	6169 Highway 291	Nine Mile Falls	99026	Spokane County	Nine Mile Falls School District	No	No	No	No	(509) 340-4100	323	18	17.5	33.7%	261 (80.8%)	1 (0.3%)	30 (9.3%)	3 (0.9%)	4 (1.2%)	4 (1.2%)	19 (5.9%)	84.6	76^th of 535 public middle schools	85.8%		87.8	57^th of 539 public middle schools	89.4%	19	64.1	64.1	55.6	70.5	64.1	62.9	61.1	68.2	52.4	60.2	$15,207	$2,687	$12,520

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Middle School

Is Highland Middle School a good school?

Highland Middle School ranks 88^th of 535 Washington middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Highland Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 741 students attended Highland Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Highland Middle School attend?

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

What district is Highland Middle School in?

Mead School District

What is the racial makeup of Highland Middle School?

Students at Highland Middle School are 81% White, 9% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 2% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington Office of Superindentent of Public Instruction.

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.