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Average

#4199 of 9,539 schools in CA

Top 44% in state

Highlands Elementary

Elementary School · Saugus Union · Saugus, CA

A Saugus Union elementary school where students score 5 points below what's typical for similar communities.

27332 Catala Ave., Saugus, CA 91350

  • Math 51% vs CA 38% (2024)
  • Reading 53% vs CA 45% (2024)
  • 24.3:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.1Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-1.1 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.2Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency51.6% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency53.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg+5.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+10.5 pts
Overall Proficiency52% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)57% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-5.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile58th
Resources & Environment5.1Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio24.3:1
District spending per student$14,046
Chronic Absenteeism12.3%

Students at Highlands Elementary score 52% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 57%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency51%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
38%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency53%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
45%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 12 points since 2018, reaching 52% in 2024.

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
61%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
63%
ELA
63%
2011
Math
65%
ELA
70%
2012
Math
65%
ELA
64%
2014
Math
36%
ELA
45%
2015
Math
38%
ELA
49%
2016
Math
35%
ELA
47%
2017
Math
41%
ELA
49%
2018
Math
35%
ELA
46%
2019
Math
35%
ELA
46%
2022
Math
53%
ELA
60%
2024
Math
51%
ELA
53%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 54% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

30.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Highlands Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Los Angeles map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 15Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low245/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$135,612

Median home value

$733,000

Median rent

$2,485/mo

College educated

40.7%

Homeownership

82.4%

Poverty rate

6.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 91350; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Santa Clarita ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.1K–60.7 mi170Compare →
James Foster ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.5K–60.8 mi475Compare →
Emblem AcademyEnrollment path unverified8.3K–60.9 mi777Compare →
Rosedell ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.7K–61.0 mi662Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Saugus Union

Schools in district
15
Rank in district
#9 of 15
District spending per student
$14,046NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highlands Elementary is listed in Saugus Union; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highlands Elementary

Highlands Elementary is a public elementary school in Saugus, CA, part of Saugus Union, serving approximately 583 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 24.3:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 out of 10 and ranks #4,199 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highlands Elementary

What grades does Highlands Elementary serve?

Highlands Elementary serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Highlands Elementary?

Highlands Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 583 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary is 24.3:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highlands Elementary rank in CA?

Highlands Elementary ranks #4,199 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Highlands Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Highlands Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.7 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 Highlands Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highlands Elementary has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Highlands Elementary a charter school?

No, Highlands Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highlands Elementary a Title I school?

No, Highlands Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highlands Elementary?

30.2% of students at Highlands Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 6th
Enrollment
583
Student-Teacher Ratio
24.3:1
Teachers (FTE)
24
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Los Angeles County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
12.3%
Area population (ZIP 91350)
43,621
Area average commute
34.9 min
Area median age
38
About this school's data

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

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 · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · 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 91350; 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, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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