Enrollment
344
Combined
DISTRICT 162 · STATE 731
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MACON COUNTY SCHOOLS·NCES 370276001139
Highlands School
545 Pierson Dr, Highlands, NC 28741 · (828) 526-2147 · Macon County
GRADES KG–12COMBINED43-RURALREGULAR SCHOOL344 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
12.6:1
27 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.1:1 · STATE 16.1:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
33%
115 students
DISTRICT 84% · STATE 82%
Community
0
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other combined schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 29 | 8% |
| Grade 1 | 25 | 7% |
| Grade 2 | 24 | 7% |
| Grade 3 | 38 | 11% |
| Grade 4 | 25 | 7% |
| Grade 5 | 33 | 10% |
| Grade 6 | 25 | 7% |
| Grade 7 | 35 | 10% |
| Grade 8 | 18 | 5% |
| Grade 9 | 21 | 6% |
| Grade 10 | 23 | 7% |
| Grade 11 | 24 | 7% |
| Grade 12 | 24 | 7% |
This year's kindergarten class (29) is 61% larger than its 8th grade class (18).
Student demographics
46%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 43% · STATE 71% · 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
NC EOG / EOC 2024-25 . % Grade Level Proficient (Level 3+)English Language Arts
62.8%
NC avg 50.9%
Math
52.5%
NC avg 52.2%
What this means: On the NC EOG / EOC, North Carolina's statewide test, about 63 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 53 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all North Carolina schools, those numbers are about 51 and 52.
Source: NC EOG / EOC. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
55.0%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
68.6%
based on NC schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-13.6pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 55% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 69% typical for North Carolina schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among North Carolina's top nor bottom 10%.
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 Highlands School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands School this school | 344 | 33.4% | 55.0% |
| American Leadership Academy-Coastal Wilmington | 1,002 | 35.4% | N/A |
| Ocracoke School Ocracoke | 139 | 42.4% | 72.3% |
| Cherokee Extension School Bryson City | 110 | 2.7% | N/A |
| Union Prep Academy at Indian Trail Indian Trail | 1,268 | 43.7% | N/A |
| Boonville Elementary Boonville | 365 | 97.3% | 49.3% |
Matched among North Carolina K-12 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 Highlands School ranks
Among K-12 schools| Measure | This school | In North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 344 | #12 of 46 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.6:1 | #2 of 15 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 45.6% | #8 of 15 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 33.4% | #15 of 17 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +7.2% | #10 of 11 |
Ranked against other public K-12 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
344
-16 (-4%) vs 2020
-13% since 1990-91, when it was 395
Student : Teacher
12.6:1
was 10.6:1
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 | 344 | 27.4 | 12.6:1 | 33% (115) |
| 2023-24 | 319 | 34.4 | 9.3:1 | 44% (139) |
| 2022-23 | 332 | 34.8 | 9.6:1 | 37% (124) |
| 2020-21 | 360 | 34 | 10.6:1 | 34% (121) |
| 2017-18 | 321 | 32.9 | 9.8:1 | 45% (144) |
| 2015-16 | 334 | 31 | 10.8:1 | 49% (164) |
| 2010-11 | 360 | 35 | 10.3:1 | 44% (158) |
| 2000-01 | 410 | 39 | 10.5:1 | 28% (116) |
| 1990-91 | 395 | 27 | 14.6:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Highlands School.
Since 2017-18: students up 7% (321 to 344); teachers down 17% (32.9 to 27.4).
About Highlands School
Highlands School operates as a small school serving multiple grade levels in Highlands, North Carolina. The school counted 344 students in 2024-25, covering kindergarten through 12. That is 53% below the average of about 731 students for combined schools in North Carolina.
Besides Highlands School, Macon County Schools runs 11 other schools. The district enrolls 4,469 students.
The share of White students at Highlands School is 67%, a majority. It is also 31% Hispanic. For comparison, the population of Macon County is roughly 87% White. Its diversity index, the chance that two randomly chosen students belong to different racial or ethnic groups, is 46%.
Highlands School has 27.4 full-time-equivalent teachers on staff and a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.6:1. The gap from the 16.1:1 average for combined schools in North Carolina is 3.5 students per teacher. At Highlands School, 33% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in 2024-25. Compared with the 82% average for public schools in Macon County, the school's rate is lower.
The school's average proficiency rate across its state test results is 55.0%. For its free or reduced-price lunch share, the predicted value is 68.6%.
In the wider Macon County area, median household income comes to about $59,061, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 6% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Macon County counts 12 public schools with about 4,469 students.
Highlands School's nearest public school is Summit Charter (about 6.4 miles). There are 3 more public schools inside ten miles. Of the 7 nearby schools with scores, including this one, Highlands School is 3rd on average proficiency.
For locale, NCES codes Highlands School as Rural: Remote.
From 360 students in 2020-21, enrollment decreased to 344 by 2024-25. The number of students per teacher increased from 10.6 to 12.6 over 4 years.
Highlands School has a community page on allk12 for topics such as special education services, counseling, and support programs. You can also rate the school on this page.
Macon County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
37,941
Census ACS
Median income
$59,061
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
28%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
6%
Below federal line
Schools in county
12
4,469 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Macon County Schools
- Franklin HighHigh · 996 students
- Mountain View IntermediateMiddle · 614 students
- Macon Middle SchoolMiddle · 576 students
- South Macon ElementaryElementary · 465 students
- Iotla Valley ElementaryElementary · 408 students
- Cartoogechaye ElementaryElementary · 354 students
Other Highlands schools
4 other US public schools in 4 states are named Highlands. Highlands School is the 4th largest of the 5.
- Highlands SchoolGRAND RAPIDS, MI · 445 students
- HighlandsDanvers, MA · 385 students
- HighlandsBraintree, MA · 350 students
- HighlandsOmak, WA · 78 students
Nearby schools
- Summit Charter6.4 mi · 315
- Blue Ridge School7.1 mi · 144
- Blue Ridge Early College7.1 mi · 127
- Macon Middle School12.2 mi · 576
- Mountain View Intermediate12.3 mi · 614
- South Macon Elementary12.4 mi · 465
Frequently asked questions
About Highlands SchoolWhat is the total enrollment at Highlands School?
Highlands School enrolls approximately 344 students in grades KG-12.
Is Highlands School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Highlands School is a combined-grade school covering grades KG-12.
How many teachers does Highlands School have?
Highlands School employs 27 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.6:1.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Highlands School?
At Highlands School, the student body is approximately 67% White, 31% Hispanic, 0% Black, 0% Asian, 1% Two or more.
Who oversees Highlands School?
Highlands School is overseen by Macon County Schools in Macon County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.