Highlands School District

426 School St
Sebring, FL 33870-4048
(District boundaries shown in map)
3/
10
Bottom 50%
For the 2024-25 school year, there are 9 public middle schools serving 3,039 students in Highlands School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in Florida.
Public Middle Schools in Highlands School District have an average math proficiency score of 49% (versus the Florida public middle school average of 53%), and reading proficiency score of 39% (versus the 52% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 61% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Florida public middle school average of 66% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (FL)
# Schools
23 Schools
1,719 Schools
# Students
12,362 Students
1,028,832 Students
# Teachers
616 Teachers
54,685 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
20:1
20:1

District Rank

Highlands School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 73 school districts in Florida (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 83% has increased from 72% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (FL)
#54 out of 73 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
This chart displays the overall district rank of Highlands  School District, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
48%
52%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Highlands  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Math of Florida by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
42%
52%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Highlands  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Reading/Language Arts of Florida by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
44%
52%
This chart displays the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Highlands  School District and the percentage of public school students that scored at or above 'proficient' levels in Science of Florida by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.
83%
87%
This chart displays public school graduation rate of Highlands  School District and public school graduation rate of Florida by year, with the latest 2021-22 school year data.

Students by Ethnicity:

0.68
0.70
# American Indian Students
37 Students
2,965 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
n/a
# Asian Students
174 Students
28,145 Students
% Asian Students
1%
3%
# Hispanic Students
4,678 Students
387,831 Students
% Hispanic Students
38%
38%
# Black Students
2,011 Students
215,168 Students
% Black Students
16%
21%
# White Students
4,901 Students
352,586 Students
% White Students
40%
34%
# Hawaiian Students
16 Students
1,772 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
545 Students
40,365 Students
% of Two or more races Students
5%
4%

Students by Grade:

# Students in PK Grade:
360
6,188
# Students in K Grade:
939
37,252
# Students in 1st Grade:
934
38,998
# Students in 2nd Grade:
890
38,925
# Students in 3rd Grade:
951
41,876
# Students in 4th Grade:
839
38,781
# Students in 5th Grade:
847
42,333
# Students in 6th Grade:
934
213,315
# Students in 7th Grade:
896
216,950
# Students in 8th Grade:
1,034
222,952
# Students in 9th Grade:
1,203
34,902
# Students in 10th Grade:
965
33,714
# Students in 11th Grade:
804
31,237
# Students in 12th Grade:
766
31,409
# Ungraded Students:
-
-

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $11,220 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,974. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,810 is less than the state median of $11,627. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (FL)
Total Revenue
$139 MM
$34,349 MM
This chart displays total revenue of Highlands  School District and median value from total revenues of all school districts in Florida by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending
$134 MM
$33,354 MM
This chart displays total spending of Highlands  School District and median value from total spendings of all school districts in Florida by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Revenue / Student
$11,220
$11,974
This chart displays average revenue per public school student in Highlands  School District and average revenue per public school student of all school districts in Florida by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Spending / Student
$10,810
$11,627
This chart displays average spending per public school student in Highlands  School District and average spending per public school student of all school districts in Florida by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Best Highlands School District Public Middle Schools (2024-25)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Highlands County Hospital/homebound Program
Special Education School
Magnet School
(Math: <50% | Reading: <50%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
426 School St
Sebring, FL 33870
(863) 471-5583
Grades: PK-12
| 28 students
Rank: #22.
Hill-gustat Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 55% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
4700 Schumacher Rd
Sebring, FL 33872
(863) 471-5437
Grades: 6-10
| 705 students
Rank: #33.
Sebring Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 52% | Reading: 42%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
500 E Center Ave
Sebring, FL 33870
(863) 471-5700
Grades: 6-8
| 815 students
Rank: #44.
Highlands Virtual School
Magnet School
(Math: 35-39% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
5/
10
Bottom 50%
426 School St
Sebring, FL 33870
(863) 471-5610
Grades: K-12
| 168 students
Rank: #55.
Lake Placid Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 48% | Reading: 35%)
Rank:
4/
10
Bottom 50%
201 S Tangerine Ave
Lake Placid, FL 33852
(863) 699-5030
Grades: 6-9
| 621 students
Rank: #66.
The Academy At Youth Care Lane
Alternative School
Magnet School
(Math: <50% | Reading: 21-39%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
4121 Youth Care Ln
Sebring, FL 33870
(863) 471-5457
Grades: 4-12
| 60 students
Rank: #77.
Avon Park Middle School
Magnet School
(Math: 41% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
3/
10
Bottom 50%
401 S Lake Ave
Avon Park, FL 33825
(863) 452-4333
Grades: 6-8
| 638 students
Rank: n/an/a
Highlands County Schools Jail Program
Alternative School
Magnet School
426 School St
Sebring, FL 33870
(863) 471-5583
Grades: 8-12
| 4 students
Rank: n/an/a
Highlands Virtual Franchise
Magnet School
426 School St
Sebring, FL 33870
(863) 471-5610
Grades: 6-12
| n/a students

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Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • District size: 23 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 12,362 students
  • Student:Teacher Ratio: 20:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 60%
  • : 83% (Btm 50% in FL)
  • : Bottom 50%
  • : 48% (Btm 50%)
  • : 42% (Btm 50%)
  • : 44% (Btm 50%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), FL Dept. of Education

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