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Public elementary school · Renton School District · Renton, Washington

Highlands Elementary School

Highlands Elementary School rates 4.1, below most Renton School District elementary schools, whose rated median is 7.4.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
4.1this school

4.1 on a one-to-ten scale; the Renton School District median is 7.4.

#2,115 of 2,251 schools in Washington · Renton School District: 15 elementary schools rated, median 7.4

The brief

A Renton School District elementary school where students score 11 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 2,115 of 2,251 schools in Washington and 25 of 27 in Renton School District.

Highlands Elementary School is listed in Renton School District, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math24%23 points below the Washington average of 47%2026 SBA
Reading22%29 points below the Washington average of 51%2026 SBA
Proficiency has held near 23% across the 3-year record (2024–2026).2026 SBA; 54 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
4.1
50% of the rating
Academics
3.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.9
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2026

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 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 34% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

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 · 2026 SBA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 SBA. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 SBA · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2026 SBA. A newer release may be available.
  • 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 98056; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

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

The area

Median income
$108,596
Median home value
$726,300
Median rent
$1,992/mo
College educated
44.1%
Homeownership
55%
Poverty rate
7.1%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98056; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
42
Car-Dependent
Transit Score
38
Some Transit
Bike Score
35
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
2,717/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Renton. 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 (Renton), 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.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
71%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.9Compare →
  2. 8.4Compare →
  3. 8.4Compare →
  4. 7.5Compare →
  5. 7.4Compare →
  6. 6.1Compare →
  7. 5.5Compare →
  8. Highlands Elementary Schoolthis school
    4.1
  9. not ratedCompare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and seven rate higher than Highlands Elementary School among the rated peers.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.

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 Highlands Elementary School serve?

Highlands Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Highlands Elementary School?

Highlands Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 403 students.

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

The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Elementary School is 15.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highlands Elementary School rank in WA?

Highlands Elementary School ranks #2,115 of 2,251 schools in WA.

What is Highlands Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highlands Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.1 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 Highlands Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highlands Elementary School has 34% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 34% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Highlands Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Highlands Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

71.0% of students at Highlands 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 facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
403
Student-teacher ratio
15.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
26
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Midsize City
County
King County
Rank in district
#25 of 27
Schools in district
31
District spending per student
$19,241
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.7%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 98056)
36,872
Area average commute
28.5 min
Area median age
38.8

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

Related reading

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