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What do you wish you knew before starting at Highland High?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
2,706
High
DISTRICT 1,631 · STATE 838
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·ANTELOPE VALLEY UNION HIGH·NCES 060282009515
Highland High
39055 25th St. West, Palmdale, CA 93551 · (661) 538-0304 · Los Angeles County
GRADES 09–12HIGH21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL2,706 STUDENTS
D
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 12% of California public high schools
- C-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- DBeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- B+Three-year trend Change in reading and math proficiency over the last three test years.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded California public high schools
Student : Teacher
25.2:1
107 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 22.0:1 · STATE 18.2:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
64%
1,730 students
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 65%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 701 | 26% |
| Grade 10 | 711 | 26% |
| Grade 11 | 610 | 23% |
| Grade 12 | 684 | 25% |
Student demographics
50%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 51% · STATE 62% · 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
CAASPP 2024-25 . % met or exceeded standardEnglish Language Arts
40.8%
CA avg 49.1% . -21.2pp since 2014
Math
12.9%
CA avg 37.7% . -8.1pp since 2014
What this means: On the CAASPP, California's statewide test, about 41 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 13 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all California schools, those numbers are about 49 and 38. Reading and writing scores are down about 21 points since 2014, while math scores are down about 8 points.
Performance levels, 2024-25
| Subject | Standard Exceeded | Standard Met | Standard Nearly Met | Standard Not Met |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language Arts | 14.5% | 26.3% | 24.0% | 35.2% |
| Math | 3.2% | 9.7% | 21.7% | 65.4% |
Share of tested students at each CAASPP level. Each student counts in one level, so a row adds to about 100%.
CAASPP results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 40.8% | 12.9% |
| 2023-24 | 41.7% | 13.1% |
| 2022-23 | 37.4% | 12.5% |
| 2021-22 | 34.2% | 8.6% |
| 2018-19 | 36.3% | 12.2% |
| 2017-18 | 47.0% | 18.8% |
| 2016-17 | 53.1% | 19.1% |
| 2015-16 | 53.0% | 23.0% |
| 2014-15 | 62.0% | 21.0% |
% met or exceeded standard, all students and all tested grades.
Source: CAASPP. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
UNDERPERFORMING
Bottom 10% of CA schools after controlling for student poverty
Actual proficiency
27.1%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
42.1%
based on CA schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-15.0pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 27% of students here test proficient in math and reading, below the roughly 42% typical for California schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations compares each school with others at the same poverty level, not by raw scores, so a school lands here when its results trail those comparable schools, which is not the same as having low scores. A higher-scoring school can still fall in this tier if similar schools score higher still.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like Highland High
Highland High's state test result (27.1% proficient) is higher than 3 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland High this school | 2,706 | 63.9% | 27.1% |
| Palmdale High Palmdale | 2,208 | 68.5% | 19.6% |
| Barstow High Barstow | 1,558 | 67.7% | 24.3% |
| William J. (Pete) Knight High Palmdale | 2,349 | 58.1% | 28.3% |
| Colony High Ontario | 2,109 | 69.7% | 38.0% |
| Eastside High Lancaster | 2,631 | 68.5% | 23.2% |
Matched among California high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Highland High ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In California | In Los Angeles County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 27.1% | #882 of 1,052 | #185 of 228 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 12.9% | #897 of 1,056 ▼ 73 | #197 of 229 ▼ 18 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 40.8% | #884 of 1,056 ▼ 51 | #191 of 229 ▼ 15 |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +5.4pp | #327 of 1,044 | #100 of 229 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 2,706 | #62 of 2,093 | #16 of 486 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 25.2:1 | #1,232 of 1,352 | #331 of 358 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 50.4% | #671 of 1,351 | #119 of 359 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 63.9% | #970 of 1,575 | #309 of 396 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -1.0% | #764 of 802 | #220 of 227 |
Ranked against other public high 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
2,706
-95 (-3%) vs 2020
+153% since 1990-91, when it was 1,068
Student : Teacher
25.2:1
was 24.4:1
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 | 2,706 | 107.3 | 25.2:1 | 64% (1,730) |
| 2023-24 | 2,778 | 111 | 25.0:1 | 62% (1,721) |
| 2022-23 | 2,790 | 109.4 | 25.5:1 | 58% (1,630) |
| 2020-21 | 2,801 | 115 | 24.4:1 | 63% (1,771) |
| 2017-18 | 2,734 | 120.6 | 22.7:1 | 64% (1,762) |
| 2015-16 | 2,931 | 126 | 23.3:1 | 59% (1,717) |
| 2010-11 | 3,064 | N/A | N/A | 49% (1,506) |
| 2000-01 | 2,946 | 125 | 23.6:1 | 18% (534) |
| 1990-91 | 1,068 | 43 | 24.8:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Highland High.
Since 2017-18: students down 1% (2,734 to 2,706); teachers down 11% (120.6 to 107.3).
About Highland High
Highland High is a large high school with its address in Palmdale, California. The grade span is 9 through 12, and enrollment is 2,706 students. Average enrollment for high schools in California is about 838, so this school runs 223% above that.
The 13 schools in Antelope Valley Union High enroll 21,202 students altogether, Highland High among them.
By race and ethnicity, Highland High is 68% Hispanic. Other reported shares: 16% Black, 7% White, 5% multiracial, and 3% Asian. That compares with about 48% Hispanic among all Los Angeles County residents. By the diversity index, Highland High comes in at 50%.
The school reports 107.3 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to about 25.2 students per teacher. For comparison, high schools in California average 18.2:1. Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility covers 64% of students.
allk12 grades Highland High a D. The grade compares the school only with California public high schools, because each state gives its own test.
Highland High posts an average proficiency rate on state tests of 27.1%. Schools with its free or reduced-price lunch share in California are predicted to post 42.1%, so the school is 15.0 points behind and in the state's bottom 10%.
Census estimates describe Los Angeles County this way: median household income is about $90,112, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 36%, and roughly 10% of residents are in poverty. The public schools of Los Angeles County number 2,244 and enroll about 1,265,907.
The closest public school, Cottonwood Elementary, is about 0.3 miles from Highland High. Within five miles are at least 8 other public schools. Compared with its nearest neighbors, Highland High ranks 5th of 7 on average proficiency.
NCES lists the school's locale as Suburb: Large. That means it sits in a suburban area outside a principal city, within an urbanized area with a population of 250,000 or more.
A comparison of 2020-21 and 2024-25 shows enrollment down 3%, from 2,801 to 2,706.
The Highland High community page is open for posts about enrollment questions, class placement, and PTA news. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.
Los Angeles County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
9,808,667
Census ACS
Median income
$90,112
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
36%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
10%
Below federal line
Schools in county
2,244
1,265,907 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Antelope Valley Union High
- Quartz Hill HighHigh · 3,175 students
- Lancaster HighHigh · 2,688 students
- Eastside HighHigh · 2,631 students
- William J. (Pete) Knight HighHigh · 2,349 students
- Palmdale HighHigh · 2,208 students
- Littlerock HighHigh · 1,507 students
Other schools in Palmdale
- William J. (Pete) Knight HighHigh · 2,349 students
- Palmdale Aerospace AcademyCombined · 2,259 students
- Palmdale HighHigh · 2,208 students
- Hillview MiddleMiddle · 1,100 students
- Antelope Valley Learning AcademyCombined · 1,059 students
- Los Amigos - Dual ImmersionElementary · 1,027 students
Other Highland High schools
15 other US public schools in 14 states are named Highland High. Highland High is the 2nd largest of the 16.
- Highland HighBakersfield, CA · 2,530 students
- Highland High SchoolGILBERT, AZ · 2,992 students
- Highland HighSALT LAKE CITY, UT · 1,973 students
- HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOLPOCATELLO, ID · 1,456 students
- HIGHLAND HIGHALBUQUERQUE, NM · 1,144 students
Nearby schools
- Cottonwood Elementary0.3 mi · 652
- David G. Millen Law and Government Magnet Academy0.4 mi · 952
- Summerwind Elementary1.1 mi · 569
- Palmdale Discovery Center1.2 mi · 246
- Dos Caminos Dual Immersion1.3 mi · 945
- Ocotillo Elementary1.3 mi · 588
Frequently asked questions
About Highland HighHow large is Highland High?
Highland High enrolls approximately 2,706 students in grades 09-12.
Is Highland High an elementary, middle, or high school?
Highland High is a high school covering grades 09-12.
How many teachers does Highland High have?
Highland High employs 107 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 25.2:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Highland High?
At Highland High, the student body is approximately 7% White, 68% Hispanic, 16% Black, 3% Asian, 5% Two or more.
What district is Highland High in?
Highland High is part of Antelope Valley Union High.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.