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Test scores delayed: 2026 rankings for Arizona do not yet include the AzSCI Science tests, which have not yet been released by the Arizona Department of Education

Highland Junior High School

Q: Is Highland Junior High School a good school?

Highland Junior High School ranks 66 th of 536 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

66^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 536 Arizona Middle Schools

Better than 88% of Arizona middle schools

Summary

Highland Junior High School is a 961-student school serving grades 6–8 in Mesa, Arizona, within Gilbert Unified District. In 2025–26, 61% of students were proficient in English language arts (ELA) and 56% in math; eighth-grade science proficiency was 50% in 2024–25. Each result was above the state and district. The clearest takeaway is that the school combines strong results across subjects with a SchoolDigger statewide ranking near the top of its nearby-school group.

The school’s strongest state comparison is math: proficiency was 56%, compared with 33% statewide and 52% districtwide. ELA was 61%, versus 41% statewide and 58% districtwide, making its district lead the narrowest at 3 points. Science was 50%, 20 points above the state and 6 above the district. Against nearby schools with results for the same grades, the school ranked second in seventh-grade math and eighth-grade math, and third in seventh-grade ELA. In eighth grade, it ranked second in ELA and tied for second in math. Franklin Junior High School was the leading nearby school in several of those comparisons.

Science results rose overall from 46% in 2022–23 to 50% in 2024–25, though they dipped to 43% in between; the state advantage shifted from 19 to 15 to 20 points. SchoolDigger ranked the school 66th of 536 Arizona schools in 2025–26, at the 88th percentile with 4 stars; its percentile had risen from 77 in 2023–24. Its student–teacher ratio was 18.4, close to the nearby average of 18.2, and its 2022–23 free/reduced-lunch rate was 30%; nearby schools had no comparable lunch-rate figures. SchoolDigger’s ranking for how well the school serves students receiving special education was at the 33rd percentile in 2022–23, versus 80th in 2020–21, while its overall ranking was at the 87th percentile in 2022–23. Its ranking for Native American students also fell, from the 93rd percentile in 2020–21 to the 45th in 2022–23, while the schoolwide ranking was at the 87th percentile.

961

Students ?

18.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$7,395

Per pupil spending ?

14.6%

Directly certified for free meals (2024-25) ?

6915 E Guadalupe Rd
Mesa, AZ 85212-1752

(480) 632-4739

District: Gilbert Unified District

Students who attend Highland Junior High School usually attend:

High:

Highland High School

Feeder schools for Highland Junior High School:

Elementary:	Carol Rae Ranch Elementary
	Highland Park Elementary
	Superstition Springs Elementary
	Towne Meadows Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

62.6%

Hispanic:

23.8%

Two or more races:

6.0%

See top rated Arizona middle schools

Compare Highland Junior High School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 79th percentile in 2016 → 88th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Arizona average (58% vs 37% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 12% of Arizona middle schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 9 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school58%

District avg55%

Arizona avg37%

66^th of 536

Arizona public middle schools ?

Top 12%▲ up 9 pts since 2016

From top 21% (2016) to top 12% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Arizona Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 5Middle Schools in the Gilbert Unified District

73^rd of 267Gilbert Unified District among Arizona 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	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	83.0	66 of 536	87.7%	★★★★☆
2025	82.6	69 of 552	87.5%	★★★★☆
2024	72.7	124 of 550	77.5%	★★★★☆
2023	81.1	114 of 854	86.7%	★★★★☆
2022	69.1	160 of 605	73.6%	★★★★☆
2021	82.7	116 of 832	86.1%	★★★★☆
2019	70.9	161 of 605	73.4%	★★★★☆
2018	77.1	143 of 711	79.9%	★★★★☆
2017	78.9	119 of 695	82.9%	★★★★☆
2016	75.0	143 of 677	78.9%	★★★★☆
2015	75.3	111 of 521	78.7%	★★★★☆
2014	87.8	71 of 690	89.7%	★★★★☆
2013	80.8	112 of 787	85.8%	★★★★☆
2012	79.4	120 of 772	84.5%	★★★★☆
2011	81.5	105 of 685	84.7%	★★★★☆
2010	86.1	72 of 692	89.6%	★★★★☆
2009	88.0	49 of 663	92.6%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	48.7	172 of 400	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.0	233 of 573	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.3	29 of 125	76.8%	★★★★☆

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	51.8	105 of 247	57.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	44.8	114 of 192	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	63.7	135 of 404	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	41.0	21 of 31	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.7	30 of 42	28.6%	★★☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	43.5	57 of 145	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2021	56.8	48 of 606	92.1%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	79.2	50 of 370	86.5%	★★★★☆
2025	72.7	72 of 395	81.8%	★★★★☆
2024	57.4	131 of 386	66.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	78.1	129 of 806	84.0%	★★★★☆
2022	69.5	110 of 494	77.7%	★★★★☆
2021	83.3	100 of 820	87.8%	★★★★☆
2019	65.3	147 of 466	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	77.0	131 of 624	79.0%	★★★★☆

Foster Care

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	31.2	129 of 166	22.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	74.6	55 of 338	83.7%	★★★★☆
2025	73.8	62 of 345	82.0%	★★★★☆
2024	54.5	115 of 329	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	66.2	182 of 760	76.1%	★★★★☆
2022	47.5	188 of 392	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	70.0	148 of 802	81.5%	★★★★☆
2019	67.0	97 of 387	74.9%	★★★★☆
2018	65.4	133 of 543	75.5%	★★★★☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	87.0	3 of 64	95.3%	★★★★★
2021	79.7	8 of 257	96.9%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	81.4	30 of 328	90.9%	★★★★★
2025	76.3	52 of 344	84.9%	★★★★☆
2024	64.9	81 of 320	74.7%	★★★★☆
2023	75.3	98 of 717	86.3%	★★★★☆
2022	59.9	129 of 369	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	71.6	94 of 503	81.3%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	73.7	72 of 370	80.5%	★★★★☆
2025	77.8	57 of 379	85.0%	★★★★☆
2024	68.5	88 of 370	76.2%	★★★★☆
2023	80.5	116 of 810	85.7%	★★★★☆
2022	58.0	180 of 476	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	80.3	119 of 818	85.5%	★★★★☆
2019	65.8	133 of 435	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	74.4	132 of 617	78.6%	★★★★☆

Military Connected

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	32.5	86 of 110	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	33.3	58 of 68	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	50.4	70 of 143	51.0%	★★★☆☆

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	38.4	16 of 26	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	59.7	7 of 23	69.6%	★★★★☆
2024	45.1	11 of 20	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.5	194 of 384	49.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	26.9	185 of 211	12.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	76.7	80 of 650	87.7%	★★★★☆

Native American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	37.6	88 of 159	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	74.2	27 of 390	93.1%	★★★★★

Pacific Islander

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2021	48.8	44 of 108	59.3%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2023	30.6	243 of 363	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2021	57.0	157 of 789	80.1%	★★★★☆
2018	64.5	31 of 178	82.6%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Arizona percentile	Rating
2026	69.8	59 of 270	78.1%	★★★★☆
2025	69.5	63 of 277	77.3%	★★★★☆
2024	58.8	101 of 288	64.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	73.9	116 of 675	82.8%	★★★★☆
2022	57.5	174 of 446	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	76.1	128 of 780	83.6%	★★★★☆
2019	53.8	156 of 337	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	64.1	149 of 436	65.8%	★★★☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Homeless (2023)95th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)91st percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)86th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)84th percentile-4 vs school

Male (2026)81st percentile-7 vs school

White (2026)78th percentile-10 vs school

English Language Learner (2023)61st percentile-26 vs school

Pacific Islander (2021)59th percentile-27 vs school

Asian (2023)57th percentile-29 vs school

African American (2023)57th percentile-30 vs school

Native American (2023)45th percentile-42 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)38th percentile-49 vs school

Special Education (2023)33rd percentile-54 vs school

Foster Care (2021)22nd percentile-64 vs school

Military Connected (2023)22nd percentile-65 vs school

By subject vs Arizona (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts61%+20 vs state

Mathematics56%+23 vs state

5.0

3 ratings · 1 written review

5★3

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What people are saying

by a student
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I go to highland jr. and it is a great school! The music program there is amazing especially band and jazz band. the teachers there are great and really care about their students. The bullying is very small. There are rarely fights and everybody is happy. This is an amazing school Close Quote

Schools Near Highland Junior 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 Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				AASA English Language Arts (2026)				AASA Mathematics (2026)				Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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	Directly certified (2024-25)	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	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA English Language Arts All Grades	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics All Grades	Vaccination: Kindergartners fully immunized against measles (MMR)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Highland Junior High School	Public	6-8	6915 E Guadalupe Rd	Mesa	85212	Maricopa County	Gilbert Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 632-4739	961	52	18.4	14.6%	602 (62.6%)	26 (2.7%)	229 (23.8%)	30 (3.1%)	13 (1.4%)	3 (0.3%)	58 (6.0%)	83	66^th of 536 public middle schools	87.7%		82.6	69^th of 552 public middle schools	87.5%	3		63.0	59.0	61.0		56.0	55.0	56.0			$7,395	$69	$268	$337	$7,086		$7,058
Cooley Middle School	Public	6-8	1100 S Recker Rd	Gilbert	85295	Maricopa County	Higley Unified School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 279-8300	795	52	15.3	18.9%	418 (52.6%)	61 (7.7%)	210 (26.4%)	34 (4.3%)	5 (0.6%)	8 (1.0%)	59 (7.4%)	56.1	183^rd of 536 public middle schools	65.9%		58.1	190^th of 552 public middle schools	65.6%	7		48.0	43.0	46.0		36.0	43.0	39.0			$12,193	$172	$444	$617	$9,559	$2,017	$11,576
Franklin Junior High School	Public	7-9	4949 E Southern Ave	Mesa	85206	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 472-2600	288	16	18.4	18.8%	179 (62.2%)	3 (1.0%)	82 (28.5%)	5 (1.7%)	2 (0.7%)	2 (0.7%)	15 (5.2%)	97	17^th of 536 public middle schools	96.8%		97.9	14^th of 552 public middle schools	97.5%	3		87.0	86.0	87.0		70.0	68.0	69.0			$6,938	$11	$06	$16	$6,426	$495	$6,921
Greenfield Junior High School	Public	6-8	101 S Greenfield Rd	Gilbert	85296	Maricopa County	Gilbert Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 813-1770	1,160	56	20.7	15.6%	756 (65.2%)	25 (2.2%)	270 (23.3%)	23 (2.0%)	8 (0.7%)	4 (0.3%)	74 (6.4%)	80.9	77^th of 536 public middle schools	85.6%		78.7	89^th of 552 public middle schools	83.9%	12		71.0	50.0	60.0		54.0	55.0	54.0			$6,953	$65	$267	$331	$6,569	$53	$6,621
Imagine East Mesa Middle	Public, Charter	7-8	9701 E Southern Ave	Mesa	85053	Maricopa County	Imagine Middle at East Mesa Inc.	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 355-6830	140	11	12.7	37.1%	57 (40.7%)	11 (7.9%)	65 (46.4%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	5 (3.6%)	52	203^rd of 536 public middle schools	62.1%		58.4	188^th of 552 public middle schools	65.9%	15		47.0	44.0	45.0		31.0	41.0	35.0
Desert Ridge Junior High	Public	7-8	10211 E Madero Ave	Mesa	85209	Maricopa County	Gilbert Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(480) 635-2025	925	48	19.4	22.8%	530 (57.3%)	34 (3.7%)	277 (29.9%)	18 (1.9%)	4 (0.4%)	4 (0.4%)	58 (6.3%)	64.2	147^th of 536 public middle schools	72.6%		60.5	178^th of 552 public middle schools	67.8%	31		57.0	49.0	54.0		41.0	39.0	40.0			$7,595	$67	$199	$266	$7,049	$280	$7,328
Fremont Junior High School	Public	7-8	1001 N Power Rd	Mesa	85205	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 472-8300	822	46	17.9	37.5%	397 (48.3%)	37 (4.5%)	309 (37.6%)	11 (1.3%)	23 (2.8%)	8 (1.0%)	37 (4.5%)	41.9	253^rd of 536 public middle schools	52.8%		42	259^th of 552 public middle schools	53.1%	6		36.0	45.0	41.0		24.0	37.0	31.0			$8,767	$371	$113	$484	$7,700	$583	$8,283
Taylor Junior High School	Public	7-9	705 S 32nd St	Mesa	85204	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 472-1500	908	46	19.6	51.3%	229 (25.2%)	39 (4.3%)	565 (62.2%)	10 (1.1%)	20 (2.2%)	10 (1.1%)	35 (3.9%)	18.9	418^th of 536 public middle schools	22.0%		19.1	435^th of 552 public middle schools	21.2%	17		36.0	24.0	30.0		17.0	8.0	13.0			$8,465	$347	$91	$438	$7,541	$486	$8,027
Shepherd Junior High School	Public	4-8	1407 N Alta Mesa Dr	Mesa	85205	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 472-1800	581	28	20.6	28.4%	361 (62.1%)	16 (2.8%)	162 (27.9%)	4 (0.7%)	9 (1.5%)	3 (0.5%)	26 (4.5%)	42.4	250^th of 536 public middle schools	53.4%		45.9	244^th of 552 public middle schools	55.8%	6		48.0	38.0	43.0		32.0	23.0	28.0			$9,792	$501	$24	$525	$8,473	$794	$9,267
Smith Junior High School	Public	7-8	10100 E Adobe Rd	Mesa	85207	Maricopa County	Mesa Unified District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(480) 472-9900	707	42	16.8	46.1%	270 (38.2%)	29 (4.1%)	367 (51.9%)	5 (0.7%)	5 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	29 (4.1%)	15.9	452^nd of 536 public middle schools	15.7%		19.9	421^st of 552 public middle schools	23.7%	31		24.0	29.0	27.0		11.0	15.0	13.0			$9,473	$607	$48	$656	$8,317	$500	$8,817

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland Junior High School

Is Highland Junior High School a good school?

Highland Junior High School ranks 66^th of 536 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Highland Junior High School in?

Gilbert Unified District

What high school do graduates of Highland Junior High School attend?

Students who attend Highland Junior High School usually go on to attend Highland High School

What is the racial makeup of Highland Junior High School?

Students at Highland Junior High School are 63% White, 24% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 3% African American, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Highland Junior High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 961 students attended Highland Junior High School.

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Latest Arizona data All new data »

2022–23 through 2024–25 school spending dataNewNov 2, 2026

2018–19 through 2021–22 school spending data (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2015–16 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

2025–26 AASA test scoresOct 13, 2026

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.