Highlands Elementary School

Highlands Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 170 students in grades PK-6 in Highlands, New Jersey, which is part of the Highlands Borough School District. While the school has some positive attributes, such as a relatively low student-teacher ratio, it has consistently underperformed academically compared to state averages and nearby high-performing schools.

Academically, Highlands Elementary School has struggled, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics falling below state averages across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate was 54.5%, compared to the state average of 43.6%, while its 3rd grade Math proficiency rate was 30.4%, compared to the state's 47.6%. The school's performance has been relatively stagnant over the past few years, with its statewide ranking declining from 604 out of 1,345 schools in 2021-2022 to 745 out of 1,338 schools in 2023-2024. Additionally, the school has seen significant disparities in performance between different student subgroups, with male students, White students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds underperforming compared to their peers.

Highlands Elementary School's challenges extend beyond academic performance, as the school has also experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, with 18.1% of students chronically absent in 2021-2022 and 16.6% in 2022-2023. This is significantly higher than the state average and a concern for the school's overall performance. When compared to nearby high-performing schools, such as Navesink Elementary School and Deane-Porter Elementary School, Highlands Elementary School's performance is generally lower, despite having a relatively favorable per-student spending and student-teacher ratio. The school and district leadership should focus on addressing these key areas to improve the educational experience and outcomes for all students.