Highland Middle School

Highland Middle School is a 6–8 school with 808 students at 2500 North Jefferson in Hobbs, NM, part of Hobbs Municipal Schools — one of the two largest middle schools in the district, serving an area where about 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and there are roughly 17.7 students per teacher.

Statewide, Highland ranks in the 26th percentile with a 1-star rating, and its results closely track its district. The clearest comparison is Houston Middle School, 1.8 miles away with a nearly identical 822 students, which earns 2 stars and a 40th-percentile rank. Reading results at the two schools are fairly close (34.9% proficient at Highland vs. 37.47% at Houston), but math separates them: 18.17% at Highland against 24.66% at Houston. Heizer Middle School ranks in the 20th percentile with similar math results, though it has notably smaller classes. Highland's standout result is 8th-grade science at 30.04% — above its district and the best of the three schools.

A few things stand out for families. Math is the school's real weak spot, and it is worst in 8th grade, where only 7.76% of students are proficient — about half the district rate. By contrast, 6th grade is Highland's strongest group, beating both nearby schools and the district average in reading and math. Low-income students, the school's largest group, rank in the 43rd percentile — well above the school's overall 26th percentile — and have improved steadily over three years, which suggests the core program works well for most students. Class size and poverty levels do not explain the differences between these schools: Heizer has the smallest classes and the lowest reading and science scores. Because the district itself ranks 68th of 87 in New Mexico, Highland's results are typical of its system rather than an outlier.