Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 18 schools in district

Highlands Elementary School

1400 S Brannon Stand Rd, Dothan, AL 36305Dothan City →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–06Non-Charter
565
Students
Total enrolled
$14,925
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
20.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 31% vs nat'l
40/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 20% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 565 students in grades KG–06 in Dothan, Alabama.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,925 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 40th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Highlands Elementary School is a large elementary in Dothan, Alabama, serving grades KG–06 with 565 students. The district invests $14,925 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 20.2:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 43% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body.

Student Body & Demographics at Highlands Elementary School

565
Total Students
20.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
43%
Free Lunch
28
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution287 male · 278 female
51%
49%
Male 51%Female 49%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility43%
National avg 52% · 243 students
Student Composition
65%
8%
19%
Asian7%
White65%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black19%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 010123001448

Academic Outcomes at Highlands Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
40
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 40th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 29th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 36305

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,925Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,925
State avg
$14,511
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,567
Student Support$2,836
Administration$1,791
Operations$2,239
Other$1,493
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,925 spent per student, an estimated $6,612 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
53%
22%
State government
53.0%
Local (property tax)
21.5%
Federal programs
25.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Kelly Springs Elementary SchoolHidden Lake Primary SchoolCarver School of Mathematics Science and TechnologyFaine Elementary School
+6 more
↓
Middle
Dothan Preparatory Academy
↓
High School
Dothan High SchoolDothan City Virtual SchoolDothan Technology CenterPASS Academy
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 06
Location—
CountyHouston County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictDothan City →
Phone: (334)794-1459
NCES ID: 010123001448
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Dothan seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Dothan City
High
Dothan High School
1,454 students · 10–12
● 34 opp70% FRL
Mid
Dothan Preparatory Academy
1,133 students · 07–08
● 31 opp77% FRL
Other
Carver 9th Grade Academy
543 students · 09–09
● 34 opp77% FRL
Elem
Kelly Springs Elementary School
533 students · KG–06
● 34 opp80% FRL
Elem
Hidden Lake Primary School
442 students · KG–02
● 40 opp87% FRL
Elem
Carver School of Mathematics Science and Technology
438 students · 03–06
● 40 opp58% FRL
Elem
Faine Elementary School
413 students · KG–06
● 34 opp97% FRL
Elem
Selma Street Elementary School
413 students · KG–06
● 40 opp93% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1400 S Brannon Stand Rd, Dothan, AL 36305
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.