Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 38 schools in district

Highland High School

4301 E GUADALUPE RD, GILBERT, AZ 85234Gilbert Unified District (4239) →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 08–12Non-Charter
3,174
Students
Total enrolled
95%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 10% vs nat'l
$10,931
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 24% vs nat'l
24.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 58% vs nat'l
49/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 3,174 students in grades 08–12 in GILBERT, Arizona.
24% below average funding
District spends $10,931 per pupil, 24% less than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 49th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Highland High School is a very large high in GILBERT, Arizona, serving grades 08–12 with 3,174 students. The district invests $10,931 per student — 24% below the national average of $14,347, with a 24.4:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 15% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. The school's 95% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at Highland High School

3,174
Total Students
24.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
15%
Free Lunch
130
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (08–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution1,667 male · 1,507 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility15%
National avg 52% · 475 students
Student Composition
69%
19%
Asian3%
White69%
Hispanic / Latino19%
Black2%
Multiracial5%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 040340000246

Academic Outcomes at Highland High School

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
95
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
95%
State avg
70%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
49
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 49th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 77th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 85234

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$10,931Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$10,931
State avg
$16,564
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$4,810
Student Support$2,077
Administration$1,312
Operations$1,640
Other$1,093
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $10,931 spent per student, an estimated $4,842 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
45%
43%
State government
44.8%
Local (property tax)
43.1%
Federal programs
12.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 95% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 15% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-average funding — $10,931/student, 24% less than the national average
  • 24.4:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Greenfield Elementary SchoolAugusta Ranch ElementaryCanyon Rim ElementaryHighland Park Elementary
+16 more
↓
Middle
Greenfield Junior High SchoolHighland Jr High SchoolDesert Ridge Jr. HighSouth Valley Jr. High
+1 more
↓
High School
Gilbert High SchoolDesert Ridge HighCampo Verde High SchoolMesquite High School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades08 – 12
Location—
CountyMaricopa County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictGilbert Unified District (4239) →
Phone: (480)813-0051
NCES ID: 040340000246
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in GILBERT seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Gilbert Unified District (4239)
High
Gilbert High School
2,354 students · 07–12
● 49 opp29% FRL
High
Desert Ridge High
2,284 students · 08–12
23% FRL
High
Campo Verde High School
1,991 students · 08–12
14% FRL
High
Mesquite High School
1,430 students · 08–12
● 48 opp36% FRL
Mid
Greenfield Junior High School
1,204 students · 06–08
20% FRL
Mid
Highland Jr High School
979 students · 06–08
● 41 opp30% FRL
Mid
Desert Ridge Jr. High
973 students · 07–08
26% FRL
Elem
Greenfield Elementary School
969 students · PK–06
● 49 opp5% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4301 E GUADALUPE RD, GILBERT, AZ 85234
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.