Highland High School

Highland High School is a large public high school in Pocatello, Idaho, serving 1,456 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the Pocatello District. The school currently holds a 2-star rating and ranks 69th out of 122 Idaho high schools, a notable slide from its peak as a 4-star, top-performing school in 2015-2016. Over the past decade, Highland has gradually slipped from the 87th percentile to the 43rd percentile statewide, and it now trails both of its main same-district rivals: Century High School ranks in the 80th percentile and Pocatello High School in the 63rd.

Academically, Highland shows a clear split. English language arts is a genuine strength, with 55% of students proficient in 2024-2025, slightly above the state average of 53.9%. Math tells a different story: only 33.7% of Highland students are proficient, compared with the state average of 43.1%. Science is the most serious concern, with just 27.7% proficiency, roughly 15 points below the state average and far behind Century (43.5%) and Pocatello (44.9%). End-of-course results in 2025-2026 confirm the pattern, with Highland science scores at 31.8% versus 58.3% at Century.

Encouragingly, Highland has historically posted excellent graduation rates, hovering between 92% and 96% in recent years, well above state averages. That said, the school spends about $7,004 per student — the lowest among nearby high schools — and has a high student-teacher ratio of 22.1. It also serves a comparatively more advantaged population, with only 28.85% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, well below Century (39.51%) and Pocatello (34.66%). Chronic absenteeism is low at 15.6%. This combination of strong graduation rates, low poverty, and solid attendance makes the math and science gaps at Highland all the more striking, suggesting meaningful untapped potential for improvement.