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Highland High School

Q: Is Highland High School a good school?

Highland High School ranks 50 th of 293 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

50^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 293 Arkansas High Schools

Better than 83% of Arkansas high schools

Summary

Highland High School in Hardy, AR, serves 476 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Highland School District, a high-performing district ranked 21st out of 251 in the state.

Highland High School stands out for its strong academic performance, especially given that 100% of its students come from economically disadvantaged households. In the most recent ATLAS assessments, Highland outperformed nearby schools like Sloan-Hendrix High School, Salem High School, and Mammoth Spring High School in English Language Arts (43.1% proficient) and Reading (47.9% proficient), both above the state average. The school also leads in Biology (49.1% proficient) and Algebra (45.5% proficient), though Salem excels in STEM subjects. Highland’s graduation rate is an impressive 94.1%, well above the state average of 88.9%, and its dropout rate is exceptionally low at just 0.4%. The school has maintained a consistent 4-star rating for eight consecutive years, reflecting stable, reliable quality.

One area for improvement is Geometry, where only 24.5% of students are proficient, below the state average. However, Highland’s overall trajectory is one of steady improvement, climbing from a low rank of 117th to a current position in the top 50-86 range. The school invests $14,544 per student and boasts a low student-teacher ratio of 7.3:1, which supports individualized attention. This combination of high spending, low class sizes, and strong district leadership helps Highland achieve above-average results despite high poverty levels, making it a model for rural schools facing similar challenges.

476

Students ?

7.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,544

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1 Rebel Circle
Hardy, AR 72542

(870) 856-3273

District: Highland School District

Feeder schools for Highland High School:

Elementary:	Cherokee Elementary School
Middle:	Highland Middle School

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.8%

Hispanic:

4.0%

Two or more races:

1.9%

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At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 57th percentile in 2016 → 83rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranks in the top 17% of Arkansas high schools

✓94% graduate in 4 years — above the Arkansas average (89%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 26 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school43%

District avg46%

Arkansas avg39%

50^th of 293

Arkansas public high schools ?

Top 17%▲ up 26 pts since 2016

From top 43% (2016) to top 17% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arkansas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

21^st of 251Highland School District among Arkansas districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arkansas percentile	Rating
2026	71.8	50 of 293	82.9%	★★★★☆
2025	61.5	86 of 291	70.4%	★★★★☆
2024	70.0	65 of 305	78.7%	★★★★☆
2023	67.4	79 of 295	73.2%	★★★★☆
2022	65.5	72 of 282	74.5%	★★★★☆
2021	66.2	69 of 290	76.2%	★★★★☆
2019	64.7	76 of 282	73.0%	★★★★☆
2018	61.9	82 of 263	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	54.7	116 of 264	56.1%	★★★☆☆
2016	53.1	117 of 269	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2015	48.5	97 of 267	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	49.1	141 of 268	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	46.3	152 of 271	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	66.9	52 of 266	80.5%	★★★★☆
2011	61.9	74 of 266	72.2%	★★★★☆
2010	56.4	93 of 262	64.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	67.8	46 of 261	82.4%	★★★★☆
2008	59.8	68 of 256	73.4%	★★★★☆
2007	73.7	23 of 258	91.1%	★★★★★
2006	69.1	27 of 232	88.4%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Arkansas (2025-2026) ?

Biology49%+6 vs state

Reading48%+7 vs state

Algebra46%+9 vs state

English Language Arts43%+4 vs state

Geometry24%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Highland High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2026)					ATLAS Reading (2026)					ATLAS Mathematics (2026)			ATLAS Algebra (2026)		ATLAS Geometry (2026)			ATLAS Science (2026)			ATLAS Biology (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 10th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading 10th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry 10th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 10th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland High School	Public	9-12	1 Rebel Circle	Hardy	72542	Sharp County	Highland School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 856-3273	476	65	7.3		437 (91.8%)	6 (1.3%)	19 (4.0%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.9%)	71.8	50^th of 293 public high schools	82.9%		61.5	86^th of 291 public high schools	70.4%	36			46.6	39.8	43.1			54.3	41.6	47.9				44.7	45.5	62.9	9.8	24.5				50.5	49.1	$14,544	$1,563	$12,981
Mammoth Spring High School	Public	7-12	410 Goldsmith Ave	Mammoth Spring	72554	Fulton County	Mammoth Spring School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 625-7212	198	57	3.4	100.0%	187 (94.4%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	1 (0.5%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.5%)	56	121^st of 293 public high schools	58.7%		77.2	38^th of 291 public high schools	86.9%	83	31.6	28.0	33.3	33.4	31.7	29.0	20.0	37.0	33.3	30.2	39.5	28.0	34.9	40.7	40.7		22.3	21.6	36.8	28.0	33.3	38.9	38.9	$15,102	$1,736	$13,367
Salem High School	Public	7-12	313 Hwy 62 E	Salem	72576	Fulton County	Salem School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 895-3293	376	71	5.3	59.6%	352 (93.6%)	4 (1.1%)	10 (2.7%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.9%)	75.7	38^th of 293 public high schools	87.0%		79.5	33^rd of 291 public high schools	88.7%	5	23.0	30.5	46.3	38.6	34.2	22.9	30.5	46.3	40.4	34.6	42.6	46.5	44.5	55.5	53.6		21.8	20.4	34.4	39.0	36.7	61.8	58.6	$12,075	$802	$11,274
Sloan-Hendrix High School	Public	7-12	3 Greyhound Cir.	Imboden	72434	Lawrence County	Sloan Hendrix School District	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 869-2361	398	55	7.2	68.1%	378 (95.0%)	3 (0.8%)	10 (2.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	54.6	131^st of 293 public high schools	55.3%		45.8	159^th of 291 public high schools	45.4%	28	30.8	31.3	40.0	30.4	33.1	30.8	34.4	44.6	33.3	35.7	36.9	40.6	38.8	32.8	31.3		20.3	20.3	46.2	59.4	52.7	30.9	30.0	$11,842	$662	$11,180

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland High School

Is Highland High School a good school?

Highland High School ranks 50^th of 293 Arkansas high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Highland High School in?

Highland School District

How many students attend Highland High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 476 students attended Highland High School.

What schools feed into Highland High School?

Highland High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cherokee Elementary School
Middle : Highland Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Highland High School?

Students at Highland High School are 92% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% African American.

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ARArkansas High School Rankings

ARArkansas District Rankings

Schools in Hardy, AR

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Latest Arkansas data All new data »

2025–26 ATLAS test scoresJul 13, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesMar 5, 2026

2019–20 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 6, 2026

2017–18 through 2024–25 dropout ratesJan 6, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary 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.