Highland Arts Elementary

Summary:

Highland Arts Elementary is a public elementary school located in Mesa, Arizona, serving grades PK-6 with a total enrollment of 704 students. The school is part of the Mesa Unified District, which is ranked 179 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland Arts Elementary consistently outperforms the Mesa Unified District and the state of Arizona in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 50% or more of its students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics for grades 3-6, significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school's performance in Science for 5th grade is also impressive, with 52% of students proficient or better, compared to 32% for the district and 34% for the state. Highland Arts Elementary has consistently ranked in the top 40% of Arizona elementary schools over the past decade, with a 3-star or 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Highland Arts Elementary outperforms the nearby schools in the Mesa Unified District, such as Michael T. Hughes Elementary, Irving Elementary, and Field Elementary, it lags behind the high-performing charter schools in the area, such as Self Development Charter School and Montessori Education Centre Charter School - North Campus, which consistently rank among the top elementary schools in Arizona. Additionally, Highland Arts Elementary has seen a significant increase in its free and reduced-price lunch rate, indicating a growing population of students from lower-income families, which may present challenges for the school.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

 3042 E Adobe St
       Mesa, AZ  85213-6920


(480) 472-7600

District: Mesa Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
335th of 912 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,200 Help


Students who attend Highland Arts Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Poston Junior High School
High:    Mountain View High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  711

Racial breakdown:

White:
57.7%
Hispanic:
27.4%
African American:
6.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  39.9% Help


 See top rated Arizona elementary schools

 Compare Highland Arts Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Highland Arts Elementary ranks better than 63.3% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 15th among 51 ranked elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 59.7. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (57.7%), Hispanic (27.4%), African American (6.5%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Highland Arts Elementary is 16.8. 41 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Highland Arts Elementary employs 42.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Highland Arts Elementary is $7,200. 50 elementary schools in the Mesa Unified District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Highland Arts Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Highland Arts Elementary 335th of 912 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Highland Arts Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Mesa Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesa Unified District 187th of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Highland Arts Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 76.99 245th 1062 76.9%
2010 74.52 271st 1090 75.1%
2011 75.59 263rd 1075 75.5%
2012 74.02 277th 1141 75.7%
2013 73.06 296th 1158 74.4%
2014 77.57 234th 1079 78.3%
2015 70.18 255th 955 73.3%
2016 72.53 287th 1079 73.4%
2017 74.78 267th 1106 75.9%
2018 71.52 310th 1109 72.0%
2019 66.85 347th 1039 66.6%
2021 78.83 251st 1226 79.5%
2022 55.38 384th 1000 61.6%
2023 66.29 376th 1245 69.8%
2024 59.70 335th 912 63.3%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.14 515th 1027 49.9%
2022 55.21 184th 444 58.6%
2023 51.04 280th 617 54.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.29 545th 975 44.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.63 156th 417 62.6%
2021 64.16 223rd 1201 81.4%
2023 43.81 398th 820 51.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 66.80 216th 820 73.7%
2022 54.48 284th 618 54.0%
2023 54.87 425th 1116 61.9%
2024 55.56 206th 556 62.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 68.68 30th 423 92.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.74 290th 1023 71.7%
2019 62.34 298th 862 65.4%
2021 76.42 263rd 1219 78.4%
2022 46.21 456th 824 44.7%
2023 60.73 426th 1219 65.1%
2024 46.94 303rd 602 49.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 46.70 118th 306 61.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Male students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.55 275th 1032 73.4%
2019 55.86 349th 850 58.9%
2021 77.60 237th 1220 80.6%
2022 51.55 394th 830 52.5%
2023 68.13 341st 1216 72.0%
2024 41.64 344th 628 45.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.04 352nd 895 60.7%
2022 24.54 260th 289 10.0%
2023 22.73 511th 607 15.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.79 352nd 911 61.4%
2019 56.89 272nd 709 61.6%
2021 65.03 317th 1198 73.5%
2022 63.09 264th 716 63.1%
2023 46.79 556th 1170 52.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 65.52 80th 654 87.8%
2023 82.23 33rd 219 84.9%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.72 46th 171 73.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Highland Arts Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.88 245th 720 66.0%
2019 47.49 330th 595 44.5%
2021 75.34 228th 1161 80.4%
2022 48.58 413th 800 48.4%
2023 64.40 325th 1024 68.3%
2024 49.28 247th 486 49.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Highland Arts Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

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Enrollment information for Highland Arts Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 812 15 5 35 77 n/a n/a 56 1000
1989 920 13 8 42 85 n/a n/a 40 1108
1990 1016 10 11 58 89 n/a n/a -102 1082
1991 1052 14 23 41 5 n/a n/a -37 1098
1992 972 9 18 46 8 n/a n/a 0 1053
1993 1066 9 12 53 11 n/a n/a 0 1151
1994 611 15 4 45 2 n/a n/a 0 677
1995 692 12 8 44 10 n/a n/a 0 766
1996 692 12 8 44 10 n/a n/a 0 766
1997 714 16 8 46 9 n/a n/a 0 793
1998 615 12 5 41 6 n/a n/a 0 679
1999 657 19 11 60 5 n/a n/a 0 752
2000 634 13 9 66 14 n/a n/a 0 736
2001 637 15 11 80 11 n/a n/a 0 754
2002 528 21 11 86 11 n/a n/a 0 657
2003 528 21 11 86 11 n/a n/a 0 657
2004 519 18 15 104 13 n/a n/a 0 669
2005 493 29 11 93 16 n/a n/a 0 642
2006 480 26 13 96 17 n/a n/a 0 632
2007 482 31 18 87 15 n/a n/a 0 633
2008 512 28 9 106 16 n/a n/a 0 671
2009 564 44 11 101 14 n/a n/a 0 734
2010 568 49 9 99 14 n/a n/a 0 739
2011 542 34 10 94 14 1 13 0 708
2012 544 34 9 105 15 0 7 0 714
2013 523 25 17 135 14 0 10 0 724
2014 520 27 10 134 13 0 15 0 719
2015 537 23 7 122 17 0 22 0 728
2016 513 25 4 138 19 5 24 0 728
2017 510 20 2 172 26 4 27 0 761
2018 522 25 3 187 21 3 32 0 793
2019 534 36 0 207 14 3 28 0 822
2020 491 32 0 185 13 3 36 0 760
2021 424 32 1 192 14 1 43 0 707
2022 424 40 3 191 14 4 44 0 720
2023 419 40 3 191 12 2 37 0 704
2024 410 46 3 195 12 2 43 0 711

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Highland Arts Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1000 39.5 25.3 n/a
1989 1108 44.2 25.0 n/a
1990 1082 44.2 24.4 n/a
1991 1098 42.2 26.0 n/a
1992 1053 41.5 25.3 n/a
1993 1151 45.0 25.6 n/a
1994 677 31.0 21.8 n/a
1995 766 38.1 20.1 n/a
1996 766 38.1 20.1 n/a
1997 793 37.0 21.4 n/a
1998 679 35.0 19.4 n/a
1999 752 36.5 20.6 n/a
2000 736 35.5 20.7 n/a
2001 754 37.4 20.2 n/a
2002 657 31.6 20.8 26
2003 657 31.6 20.8 26
2004 669 30.1 22.2 33.6
2005 642 31.1 20.6 35.8
2006 632 32.4 19.5 37.7
2007 633 31.7 20.0 28
2008 671 32.1 20.9 30.6
2009 734 37.8 19.4 30
2010 739 34.7 21.3 39.2
2011 708 36.0 19.6 42.1
2012 714 36.4 19.6 47.3
2013 724 35.6 20.3 44.8
2014 719 35.6 20.1 46.3
2015 728 36.0 20.2 43.8
2016 728 37.0 19.6 45.1
2017 761 39.3 19.3 46
2018 793 40.3 19.6 43.9
2019 822 44.6 18.4 44.8
2020 760 42.8 17.7 38.8
2021 707 44.2 15.9 n/a
2022 720 42.0 17.1 20.7
2023 704 42.2 16.6 39.9
2024 711 42.2 16.8 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Highland Arts Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1000 39.5 25.3 n/a
1989 1108 44.2 25.0 n/a
1990 1082 44.2 24.4 n/a
1991 1098 42.2 26.0 n/a
1992 1053 41.5 25.3 n/a
1993 1151 45.0 25.6 n/a
1994 677 31.0 21.8 n/a
1995 766 38.1 20.1 n/a
1996 766 38.1 20.1 n/a
1997 793 37.0 21.4 n/a
1998 679 35.0 19.4 n/a
1999 752 36.5 20.6 n/a
2000 736 35.5 20.7 n/a
2001 754 37.4 20.2 n/a
2002 657 31.6 20.8 26
2003 657 31.6 20.8 26
2004 669 30.1 22.2 33.6
2005 642 31.1 20.6 35.8
2006 632 32.4 19.5 37.7
2007 633 31.7 20.0 28
2008 671 32.1 20.9 30.6
2009 734 37.8 19.4 30
2010 739 34.7 21.3 39.2
2011 708 36.0 19.6 42.1
2012 714 36.4 19.6 47.3
2013 724 35.6 20.3 44.8
2014 719 35.6 20.1 46.3
2015 728 36.0 20.2 43.8
2016 728 37.0 19.6 45.1
2017 761 39.3 19.3 46
2018 793 40.3 19.6 43.9
2019 822 44.6 18.4 44.8
2020 760 42.8 17.7 38.8
2021 707 44.2 15.9 n/a
2022 720 42.0 17.1 20.7
2023 704 42.2 16.6 39.9
2024 711 42.2 16.8 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Highland Arts Elementary

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $179 (1.9%) $22 (0.2%) $380 (3.9%) $6,680 (69.2%) $2,778 (28.8%) $9,458 (97.9%) $9,660
2020 $474 (7.5%) $272 (4.3%) $1,220 (19.2%) $5,727 (90.1%) n/a $5,609 (88.3%) $6,355
2021 $637 (8.6%) $54 (0.7%) $1,328 (17.8%) $6,371 (85.5%) $386 (5.2%) $6,757 (90.7%) $7,448
2022 $563 (7.8%) $62 (0.9%) $1,188 (16.5%) $6,410 (89.0%) $165 (2.3%) $6,575 (91.3%) $7,200

Data source: Arizona Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Highland Arts Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 347th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 376th of 1245 Elementary schools
 3.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students822704
 14.4%
African American3640
 11.1%
American Indian1412
 14.3%
Asian03
Hispanic207191
 7.7%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White534419
 21.5%
Two or More Races2837
 32.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients44.8%39.9%
 4.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Arts Elementary

Highland Arts Elementary ranks 335th of 912 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Highland Arts Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Poston Junior High School
High : Mountain View High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 711 students attended Highland Arts Elementary.

Students at Highland Arts Elementary are 58% White, 27% Hispanic, 6% African American, 6% Two or more races, 2% American Indian.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arizona Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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