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Very Good

#221 of 1,284 schools in KY

Top 17% in state

Highlands Middle School

Middle School · Fort Thomas Independent · Fort Thomas, KY

A Fort Thomas Independent middle school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

2350 Memorial Pkwy, Fort Thomas, KY 41075

  • Math 66% proficient (2025)
  • Reading 64% proficient (2025)
  • 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.3Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.93 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendStable
Academics7.9Very Good35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency65.7% (2025 KSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency64.3% (2025 KSA)
Overall Proficiency65% (2025 KSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)69% (model expectation from 2025 KSA)
vs. Expected-4.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile68th
Resources & Environment8.4Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.9:1
District spending per student$12,975
Chronic Absenteeism4.5%

Students at Highlands Middle School score 65% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 69%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 KSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. KY average.

Math Proficiency66%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)
ELA Proficiency64%(2025 KSA)
School
State
Not reported(2025 KSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 7 points since 2020, reaching 65% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
79%
ELA
84%
2010
Math
81%
ELA
85%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
73%
2012
Math
66%
ELA
72%
2013
Math
71%
ELA
76%
2014
Math
72%
ELA
80%
2015
Math
77%
ELA
78%
2016
Math
75%
ELA
80%
2017
Math
80%
ELA
80%
2018
Math
68%
ELA
78%
2019
Math
68%
ELA
78%
2020*
Math
53%
ELA
64%
2021*
Math
53%
ELA
64%
2022
Math
66%
ELA
69%
2025
Math
66%
ELA
64%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 74% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

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

Based on 36 test records from KY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

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 Middle 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 Cincinnati map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 35Car-Dependent
  • Bike 27Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Average535/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Fort Thomas), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$99,075

Median home value

$298,700

Median rent

$1,096/mo

College educated

55.1%

Homeownership

70.1%

Poverty rate

4.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 41075; 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

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Riverview East AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.0PK–122.1 mi487Compare →
Newport School of InnovationEnrollment path unverified4.3K–122.3 mi46Compare →
Holmes Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.86–83.2 mi613Compare →
The Summit Country Day SchoolPrivate · tuition8.0privatePK–123.2 mi821Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Fort Thomas Independent

Schools in district
5
Rank in district
#4 of 5
District spending per student
$12,975NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
4.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Highlands Middle School is listed in Fort Thomas Independent; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highlands Middle School

Highlands Middle School is a public middle school in Fort Thomas, KY, part of Fort Thomas Independent, serving approximately 733 students in grades 6th-8th with a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 out of 10 and ranks #221 of 1,284 schools in KY. State assessment records show 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highlands Middle School

What grades does Highlands Middle School serve?

Highlands Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Highlands Middle School?

Highlands Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 733 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Middle School is 15.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highlands Middle School rank in KY?

Highlands Middle School ranks #221 of 1,284 schools in KY.

What is Highlands Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highlands Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 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 Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highlands Middle School has 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 74% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Highlands Middle School a charter school?

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

Is Highlands Middle School a Title I school?

No, Highlands Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

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

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
733
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
46
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Campbell County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
4.5%
Area population (ZIP 41075)
17,433
Area average commute
20.6 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 · 2025 KSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 KSA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 KSA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 KSA. 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 41075; 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

About our data · How we calculate scores

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