Highland Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Highland Central School District

Highland Central School District serves a mid-sized student population across kindergarten through 12th grade in Ulster County, New York, spanning three school buildings: an elementary school, middle school, and high school. The district's enrollment is stable, with roughly balanced representation across grade levels through high school.

The district's academic performance shows a pattern of concern. Proficiency rates in math and ELA tested grades cluster below half, with particular weakness in the middle grades. Third and fourth graders show more promise, with math proficiency near or above half, but results drop sharply in grades 5 through 8. By eighth grade, proficiency in math falls below a quarter of students, and ELA proficiency also dips significantly. Science proficiency in fifth grade sits below two-fifths, and eighth-grade science proficiency drops to around a quarter. Across the district's span of tested grades and subjects, the overall proficiency index places Highland below the midpoint among Ulster County's districts. A parent focused on state assessment alignment should understand that these numbers reflect a district where most students are not yet meeting state standards in core subjects, and the middle grades show the steepest challenges. The district's participation rates on these assessments are generally adequate, though eighth grade shows notably low participation in both math and science, which a parent may want to investigate further with the school.

The district completed a substantial voter-approved capital project in 2022 that delivered widespread facility improvements across all buildings: new classroom flooring, ceilings, electrical systems, lighting, and lockers. The high school athletic field was transformed from grass to turf with a new track, bleachers, concession stand, press box, and restrooms, completed by summer 2024. These upgrades represent real infrastructure investment that touches daily student experience.

In March 2024, an accidental kitchen fire at Highland Middle School caused severe smoke damage and asbestos exposure, requiring an extended remediation period. The incident forced a temporary shift to remote learning and relocated middle schoolers into the high school building for in-person instruction, with a sixth-grade wing created in the high school's G-Wing. The district worked through the summer to restore the middle school building. This disruption is recent enough that any family considering the district should ask about current operations and any lingering effects on scheduling or programming.

The district's chronic absenteeism rate sits in the top quartile among Ulster County districts, meaning absences are among the lower rates in the county. Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range but toward the lower half of district spending in the county.

The student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students each representing meaningful minorities. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner populations were not reported. A graduation rate was also not available.

Highland is a district with identified academic performance gaps in elementary and middle grades that parents should examine carefully against their own priorities and any available school-level data or intervention programs.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,546

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 16%

Black 8%

White 68%

Asian 3%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

75%

—

Gr 3

37%

63%

Gr 4

39%

58%

Gr 5

36%

53%

Gr 6

26%

53%

Gr 7

10%

36%

Gr 8

22%

51%

Math

Gr EOC

68%

—

Gr 3

36%

70%

Gr 4

64%

66%

Gr 5

24%

48%

Gr 6

27%

56%

Gr 7

16%

40%

Gr 8

27%

18%

Science

Gr EOC

62%

—

Gr 5

28%

48%

Gr 8

15%

30%

Social studies

Gr EOC

74%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL

HIGHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

55%

Grade 3

65%

Grade 4

38%

Grade 5

42%

Grade 6

30%

Grade 7

21%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

51%

Grade 3

51%

Grade 4

46%

Grade 5

41%

Grade 6

26%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

40%

Grade 5

24%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$441,298

Year-over-year change+1.8%

Range across 4 ZIP codes$424K to $537K

vs. state typical0.86x

vs. national typical1.20x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (4 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
12528	Highland	$424K	+1.8%	81.4%
12493	Highland	$537K	+1.5%	12.1%
12515	Clintondale	$450K	+0.8%	4.0%
12561	New Paltz	$529K	+2.3%	2.6%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,971/mo

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,932 to $3,200/mo

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
12528	Highland	$1,932	—	81.4%
12561	New Paltz	$3,200	—	2.6%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,227/mo

Home price / national median income5.3x

Annual rent / national median income28.2%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$256/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$510,449 (+5.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.