Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 22 schools in district

Highlands Elem School

525 S Brainard St, Naperville, IL 60540Naperville CUSD 203 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
508
Students
Total enrolled
$22,453
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 57% vs nat'l
14.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
47/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 508 students in grades KG–05 in Naperville, Illinois.
57% above average funding
District spends $22,453 per pupil, 57% more than the national average of $14,347.
Near-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 47th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Highlands Elem School is a large elementary in Naperville, Illinois, serving grades KG–05 with 508 students. The district invests $22,453 per student — 57% above the national average of $14,347, with a 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 7% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at Highlands Elem School

508
Total Students
14.7 : 1
Student:Teacher
7%
Free Lunch
35
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution267 male · 241 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility7%
National avg 52% · 37 students
Student Composition
25%
61%
Asian25%
White61%
Hispanic / Latino6%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 172771002932

Academic Outcomes at Highlands Elem School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
47
/ 100
Near-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 47th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 65th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 60540

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$22,453Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$22,453
State avg
$20,102
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$9,879
Student Support$4,266
Administration$2,694
Operations$3,368
Other$2,245
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $22,453 spent per student, an estimated $9,947 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
26%
70%
State government
25.6%
Local (property tax)
69.9%
Federal programs
4.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $22,453/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 7% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • 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
Elmwood Elem SchoolSteeple Run Elem SchoolBeebe Elem SchoolMill Street Elem School
+9 more
↓
Middle
Kennedy Junior High SchoolJefferson Jr High SchoolLincoln Jr High SchoolWashington Jr High School
+1 more
↓
High School
Naperville North High SchoolNaperville Central High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyDuPage County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictNaperville CUSD 203 →
Phone: (630)420-6335
NCES ID: 172771002932
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Naperville seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Naperville CUSD 203
High
Naperville North High School
2,553 students · 09–12
● 54 opp18% FRL
High
Naperville Central High School
2,551 students · 09–12
● 47 opp16% FRL
Mid
Kennedy Junior High School
931 students · 06–08
● 48 opp11% FRL
Mid
Jefferson Jr High School
817 students · 06–08
● 54 opp29% FRL
Mid
Lincoln Jr High School
766 students · 06–08
● 60 opp14% FRL
Elem
Elmwood Elem School
712 students · KG–05
● 47 opp16% FRL
Elem
Steeple Run Elem School
638 students · KG–05
● 47 opp20% FRL
Elem
Beebe Elem School
616 students · KG–05
● 54 opp22% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
525 S Brainard St, Naperville, IL 60540
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.