Summary:
ZIP code 40489 has two public elementary schools, Waynesburg Elementary and Highland Elementary; both serve pre-K through grade 5 and enroll fewer than 200 students (194 and 186). Their 2025–2026 results vary by subject, but the clearest difference is reading: Highland led in every tested grade, by 23 to 38 points.
Highland stands out in reading, with proficiency of 72% in grade 3, 74% in grade 4, and 75% in grade 5; Waynesburg scored 34%, 51%, and 52%, respectively. Highland was also above the state in all three grades. The schools are much closer in math: Waynesburg led by 1 point in grade 3 and 4 points in grade 5, and both were above the state in those grades. Highland also led in grade 4 science by 17 points, grade 5 writing by 15 points, and social studies by 8 points. Writing was a strength relative to the state at both schools: Waynesburg scored 57% and Highland 72%, compared with 35% statewide.
Recent results moved in different directions: Highland improved in all seven available year-to-year comparisons, including gains of 16 to 26 points in reading, while Waynesburg declined in six of eight comparisons, with its largest drops in writing (31 points), social studies (24 points), and grade 5 reading (20 points). SchoolDigger’s percentile ranking also rose for Highland, from 39 in 2023–2024 to 80 in 2025–2026, while Waynesburg’s fell from 68 to 47. Both schools have similar student-teacher ratios (10.5 at Waynesburg and 11.3 at Highland). In 2024–2025, free/reduced lunch eligible shares were 87% and 77%, respectively; 2025–2026 chronic absenteeism was 17% at Waynesburg and 25% at Highland. These context measures describe differences but do not show what caused achievement results.
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