HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY

HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY is a big primary school in APPLE VALLEY, Minnesota, run under ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN. The school enrolls 662 students in grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 344 students per school, that is 92% larger than typical.

Across the 36 schools in ROSEMOUNT-APPLE VALLEY-EAGAN (29,224 students total), HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY lists that the largest single group is White, at 59% of enrollment; the rest is composed of 15% Black, 11% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, 5% Asian. That is considerably less White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 74%.

On the resource side, HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY records 46 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 14.3:1. That tracks the state average closely. An estimated 27% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 50.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 50.4%.

In the broader community, census data for Dakota County shows median household income runs about $106,318, roughly 45% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Dakota County's 170 public schools (combined enrollment of about 74,687 students), HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY is one campus in the mix.

SCOTT HIGHLANDS MIDDLE is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY at 3rd of 4; the average score across the group is 53.9%.

The campus sits in a suburban setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 11%: 742 students in 2018 compared to 662 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 70% to 59% across the same window. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 16.4:1 in 2018 to 14.3:1 today.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on sports schedules, lunch menu changes, and school spirit week. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.