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Very Good

#1335 of 3,778 schools in FL

Top 35% in state

Highland Lakes Elementary School

Elementary School · Pinellas · Palm Harbor, FL

A Pinellas elementary school where students score 10 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1230 HIGHLANDS BLVD, Palm Harbor, FL 34684

  • Math 68% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 61% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.5Average50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.05 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics8.3Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency68.3% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency61% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg+7.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+5.8 pts
Overall Proficiency65% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)55% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+10.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile74th
Resources & Environment9.3Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.2:1
District spending per student$12,514
Chronic Absenteeism21.2%

Students at Highland Lakes Elementary School score 65% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 55%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency68%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency61%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 18 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 65% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
84%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
80%
ELA
83%
2011
Math
69%
ELA
76%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
74%
2013
ELA
79%
2014
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2015
Math
68%
ELA
61%
2016
Math
74%
ELA
69%
2017
Math
74%
ELA
67%
2018
Math
70%
ELA
67%
2019
Math
70%
ELA
67%
2020*
Math
67%
ELA
65%
2021*
Math
67%
ELA
65%
2022
Math
64%
ELA
63%
2024
Math
68%
ELA
61%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

40.8%

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 Highland Lakes Elementary School 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 Tampa map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 7Car-Dependent
  • Transit 0Minimal Transit
  • Bike 31Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average277/100K

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

$67,542

Median home value

$293,800

Median rent

$1,781/mo

College educated

34.9%

Homeownership

71.7%

Poverty rate

10.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 34684; 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
Huntington Learning CenterPrivate · tuitionNot rated1–121.2 mi11Compare →
Center AcademyPrivate · tuition3.7private4–121.4 mi76Compare →
Lake St. George Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.7PK–51.6 mi572Compare →
Curlew Creek Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.3PK–51.9 mi620Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Pinellas

Schools in district
153
Rank in district
#71 of 148
District spending per student
$12,514NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highland Lakes Elementary School is listed in PINELLAS; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highland Lakes Elementary School

Highland Lakes Elementary School is a public elementary school in Palm Harbor, FL, part of Pinellas, serving approximately 468 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,335 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highland Lakes Elementary School

What grades does Highland Lakes Elementary School serve?

Highland Lakes Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Highland Lakes Elementary School?

Highland Lakes Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 468 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highland Lakes Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highland Lakes Elementary School is 14.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highland Lakes Elementary School rank in FL?

Highland Lakes Elementary School ranks #1,335 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Highland Lakes Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highland Lakes Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 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 Lakes Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highland Lakes Elementary School has 71% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 68% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Highland Lakes Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Highland Lakes Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Highland Lakes Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highland Lakes Elementary School?

40.8% of students at Highland Lakes Elementary School 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
468
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Pinellas County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
21.2%
Area population (ZIP 34684)
26,926
Area average commute
27.5 min
Area median age
55.9
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 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. 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 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. 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 34684; 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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