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What tradition at Highland Arts Elementary should never be changed?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
648
Elementary
DISTRICT 515 · STATE 451
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MESA UNIFIED DISTRICT (4235)·NCES 040497001073
Highland Arts Elementary
3042 E ADOBE ST, MESA, AZ 85213 · (480) 472-7600 · Maricopa County
GRADES PK–06ELEMENTARY11-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL648 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
17.0:1
38 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.7:1 · STATE 17.0:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
STATE 95%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 71 | 11% |
| Grade 1 | 91 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 102 | 16% |
| Grade 3 | 83 | 13% |
| Grade 4 | 84 | 13% |
| Grade 5 | 118 | 18% |
| Grade 6 | 99 | 15% |
This year's kindergarten class (71) is 28% smaller than its 6th grade class (99).
Student demographics
58%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 63% · STATE 65% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
AASA 2024-25 . % PassingEnglish Language Arts
52.0%
AZ avg 45.4% . -4.0pp since 2017
Math
51.0%
AZ avg 37.8% . -9.0pp since 2017
What this means: On the AASA, Arizona's statewide test, about 52 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 51 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Arizona schools, those numbers are about 45 and 38. Reading and writing scores are down about 4 points since 2017, while math scores are down about 9 points.
AASA results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 52.0% | 51.0% |
| 2023-24 | 52.0% | 44.0% |
| 2022-23 | 47.0% | 46.0% |
| 2021-22 | 49.0% | 47.0% |
| 2020-21 | 56.0% | 48.0% |
| 2018-19 | 59.0% | 56.0% |
| 2017-18 | 56.0% | 60.0% |
% Passing, all students and all tested grades.
Source: AASA. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Highland Arts Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Arizona | In Maricopa County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 51.0% | #238 of 1,072 ▲ 66 | #184 of 646 ▲ 37 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 52.0% | #276 of 1,072 ▲ 6 | #216 of 646 ▲ 5 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +3.5pp | #247 of 930 | #146 of 577 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 648 | #266 of 1,223 | #210 of 692 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 17.0:1 | #529 of 991 | #321 of 615 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 58.4% | #361 of 1,007 | #244 of 627 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -18.3% | #341 of 721 | #219 of 456 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
648
-59 (-8%) vs 2020
-41% since 1990-91, when it was 1,098
Student : Teacher
17.0:1
was 16.1:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 648 | 38.1 | 17.0:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 711 | 42.2 | 16.9:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 704 | 42.2 | 16.7:1 | 40% (281) |
| 2020-21 | 707 | 44 | 16.1:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 793 | 40.3 | 19.7:1 | 44% (348) |
| 2015-16 | 728 | 37 | 19.7:1 | 45% (328) |
| 2010-11 | 708 | 36 | 19.7:1 | 42% (298) |
| 2000-01 | 754 | 37 | 20.4:1 | N/A |
| 1990-91 | 1,098 | 42 | 26.1:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Highland Arts Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 18% (793 to 648); teachers down 5% (40.3 to 38.1).
About Highland Arts Elementary
Highland Arts Elementary is a medium-sized elementary school in MESA, Arizona, (ZIP code 85213). The grade span is pre-K through 6, and enrollment is 648 students. An average school in this group (elementary schools in Arizona) has about 451 students.
Highland Arts Elementary is run by Mesa Unified District (4235), whose 81 schools enroll 55,821 students.
Highland Arts Elementary is 58% White by enrollment. The remaining students are 27% Hispanic, 7% Black, and 5% multiracial. The county population is about 59% White, within a few points of the school. Highland Arts Elementary's diversity index is 58%, against a US figure of 70%.
Teachers at the school number 38.1 full-time equivalents, and the ratio is 17.0:1. For comparison, elementary schools in Arizona average 17.0:1.
According to the American Community Survey, in Maricopa County, the median household income is $89,300, 37% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 8% of people live in poverty. Highland Arts Elementary is one of 1,352 public schools in the county.
Nearest public school: Mountain View High School, about 0.7 miles away. Highland Arts Elementary has at least 8 other public schools within five miles.
By NCES locale, the school is City: Large, or inside a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more.
Federal data show an 8% enrollment decrease, from 707 in 2020-21 to 648 in 2024-25.
Topics for discussion here include science fairs, picture day, and bus routes. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Maricopa County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
4,559,748
Census ACS
Median income
$89,300
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
37%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
1,352
725,139 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Mesa Unified District (4235)
- Mountain View High SchoolHigh · 3,421 students
- Red Mountain High SchoolHigh · 3,379 students
- Mesa High SchoolHigh · 3,233 students
- Westwood High SchoolHigh · 3,135 students
- Dobson High SchoolHigh · 2,284 students
- Skyline High SchoolHigh · 1,995 students
Other schools in MESA
- Mountain View High SchoolHigh · 3,421 students
- Red Mountain High SchoolHigh · 3,379 students
- Mesa High SchoolHigh · 3,233 students
- Westwood High SchoolHigh · 3,135 students
- Dobson High SchoolHigh · 2,284 students
- Desert Ridge HighHigh · 2,103 students
Nearby schools
- Mountain View High School0.7 mi · 3,421
- Poston Junior High School0.8 mi · 782
- Field Elementary School0.9 mi · 564
- Hale Elementary School1.2 mi · 477
- Montessori Education Centre Charter School - North Campus1.3 mi · 186
- Entz Elementary School1.3 mi · 567
Frequently asked questions
About Highland Arts ElementaryHow many students attend Highland Arts Elementary?
Highland Arts Elementary enrolls approximately 648 students in grades PK-06.
What grades does Highland Arts Elementary serve?
Highland Arts Elementary serves grades PK-06.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Arts Elementary?
The student-to-teacher ratio at Highland Arts Elementary is approximately 17.0:1 (38 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at Highland Arts Elementary?
At Highland Arts Elementary, the student body is approximately 58% White, 27% Hispanic, 7% Black, 0% Asian, 5% Two or more.
What district is Highland Arts Elementary in?
Highland Arts Elementary is part of Mesa Unified District (4235).
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.