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Public middle school · Gilbert Unified District (4239) · Mesa, Arizona

Highland JR High School

Highland JR High School rates 9.0, among the strongest middle schools in Gilbert Unified District (4239), where the rated median is 7.4.

Middle schools, 1 to 10This campus against public middle schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
9.0this school

9.0 on a one-to-ten scale; the Gilbert Unified District (4239) median is 7.4.

#61 of 2,019 schools in Arizona · Gilbert Unified District (4239): 5 middle schools rated, median 7.4

The brief

A Gilbert Unified District (4239) middle school where students score 60 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 61 of 2,019 schools in Arizona and 9 of 38 in Gilbert Unified District (4239).

Highland JR High School is listed in Gilbert Unified District (4239), and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math54%25 points above the Arizona average of 29%2025 AASA
Reading64%23 points above the Arizona average of 41%2025 AASA
Proficiency has improved 7 points since 2024, reaching 59% in 2025, across a 2-year record (2024–2025).2025 AASA; 40 test records from AZ state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
9.7
40% of the rating
Academics
9.2
35% of the rating
Resources & Environment
7.8
25% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 AASA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 AASA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 85212; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Highland JR High School and the 20 nearest middle schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$123,404
Median home value
$530,700
Median rent
$2,024/mo
College educated
42%
Homeownership
84.7%
Poverty rate
3%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 85212; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
8
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
32
Some Transit
Bike Score
52
Bikeable
City reported crime
1,716/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Mesa. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Mesa), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Highland JR High Schoolthis school
    9.0
  2. 7.7Compare →
  3. 6.8Compare →
  4. San Tan Charter School1.6 mi · charter
    6.5Compare →
  5. 5.8Compare →
  6. 5.7Compare →
  7. Astravo Online Academy0.5 mi · charter
    4.3Compare →
  8. 3.9Compare →
  9. Astravo Online Academy0.5 mi · charter
    3.5Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Highland JR High School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Highland JR High School serve?

Highland JR High School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Highland JR High School?

Highland JR High School has an enrollment of approximately 956 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland JR High School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highland JR High School is 16.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highland JR High School rank in AZ?

Highland JR High School ranks #61 of 2,019 schools in AZ.

What is Highland JR High School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highland JR High School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.0 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Highland JR High School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highland JR High School has 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Highland JR High School a charter school?

No, Highland JR High School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highland JR High School a Title I school?

No, Highland JR High School is not currently a Title I school.

School facts

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
956
Student-teacher ratio
16.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
57
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Maricopa County
Rank in district
#9 of 38
Schools in district
38
District spending per student
$10,928
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.9%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 85212)
50,427
Area average commute
30.3 min
Area median age
34.3

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Arizona Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.