Highland MS

Set in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, Highland MS is a reasonably sized middle school, one of the schools within Blackhawk SD. It enrolls 698 students across grades 5 through 8.

Within Blackhawk SD, which oversees 4 schools and 2,310 students, Highland MS is one campus in the system.

For racial and ethnic makeup, Highland MS reports that nearly all students (90%) are White; the rest consists of 4% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. Compared to Beaver County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, The school reports having 46 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.2:1. The state averages around 13.2:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. About 36% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. By comparison, Beaver County runs at roughly 55%, so the school's eligibility rate is below the surrounding baseline.

After controlling for student poverty, Highland MS is in the bottom 10% of Pennsylvania public schools. The BeatsExpectations model predicts schools with this FRL share to land around 62.1%; Highland MS posts 43.8%, -18.3 points below that line.

Across the wider county, ACS estimates for Beaver County put median household income runs about $71,089, roughly 29% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Highland MS is one of 52 public schools in Beaver County (combined enrollment of about 31,222 students).

Nearest neighbor: Blackhawk Intermediate Sch, around 0.7 miles off. Counting just inside five miles, 8 other public schools cluster around Highland MS. Among the 8 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Highland MS ranks 5th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 52.9%.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count declined 6%: 743 students in 2018 compared to 698 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share contracted from 94% to 90%. Class-load math has pulled in: from 17.4:1 in 2018 to 15.2:1 in 2025.

On the community side, the feed for Highland MS typically covers classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.