The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in Math. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Primary School
Highland Primary School serves students from kindergarten through third grade in Snowflake, a small rural town in Navajo County with a strong Mormon pioneer heritage and a growing agricultural and renewable energy economy. As a regular public school in the Snowflake Unified District, it sits in a town that has seen steady population growth, driven in part by large employers like a major cannabis greenhouse operation, a biomass power plant, and wind farms. The town retains a historic Main Street and a rural, low-density feel where most residents own their homes and rely on cars for commuting. The district’s schools are on separate campuses; Highland Primary is one of four schools serving the Snowflake area, along with an intermediate school, a junior high, and a high school.
Enrollment at Highland Primary is relatively large for a primary school serving only kindergarten through third grade, with a student body that is predominantly white. Hispanic students make up a meaningful portion of the enrollment, and there are small numbers of students who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the level of economic diversity and the types of support programs in place.
Academically, the school’s state test results for third graders show a solid performance. In math, a majority of students met the proficiency standard. In English language arts, a clear majority also scored proficient, though the rate was a bit lower than in math. The most recent available data covers only a single year, so there is no multi-year trend to draw on, but the results place the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades above the midpoint and in the top quartile when compared with other schools in Navajo County. For a primary school that only goes through third grade, these results offer a useful early signal. This is a school where most students enter fourth grade having met state benchmarks in reading and math, which is a strong foundation for the intermediate years.
Because Highland Primary serves only kindergarten through third grade, there is no graduation rate, and broader outcomes like chronic absenteeism or course access data are not applicable at this level. The school does not appear to be a charter or magnet, and its Title I status was not reported, so it is unclear whether it receives federal funding to support low-income students.
For a family moving to the Snowflake area, this school fits a straightforward profile: a regular public elementary program in a growing, rural community that has preserved much of its historic character. The academic data is reassuring for a school at this grade range, with proficiency rates that compare favorably to other schools in the county. The town itself offers a small-town feel with limited walkability, no public transit, and a mix of historic homes and newer development. The absence of data on student support programs and economic need means a parent should ask the school about class sizes, intervention services, and how the school supports students who may need extra help. The school does not offer programs beyond the primary grades, so families will also want to look at the intermediate school and junior high to understand what the feeder pathway looks like.
See more original research from School Decision →