Cheryl Lowe founded Highlands Latin School after decades of work in education. Her approach has proven that a focus on an academic school culture, within a classical Christian setting, leads to impressive results. Highlands Latin is a small family school but is ranked in the top 1% in the nation on the ITBS Standardized Test for K-8, and consistently scores among the top private schools in the state on the SAT.

SAT Scores

HLS was founded in 2000 and started administering the SAT in 2005, we have had 46 graduates with an average SAT of 1868.   20% of our graduates have been recognized as National Merit Finalists or Commended students, and a similar number have been selected to attend the Governor’s Scholars and Governor’s School for the Arts program.

Since HLS is only 12 years old, many of our large classes are just starting to reach 9th grade.  Last year, high school enrollment at HLS grew to 60 students, with 29 in the freshmen class.

ITBS Standardized Test  

Highlands Latin School uses the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to test every student in Kindergarten-8th Grade. We selected the ITBS because it is one of the longest running (since 1936), most respected, standardized tests in the country. It has been administered for years with little change, providing a consistent and relevant comparison of our students against others across the country.

2012 ITBS Results

For 2012, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the eighth year in a row. HLS students scored an average of 3.6 grades above their actual grade level. The grade equivalency chart below includes scores for each grade.  HLS 7th and 8th grades received the maximum possible grade equivalency on the ITBS, 13+.

An important series of numbers for parents is the longitudinal change in our students’ scores each year they attend Highlands Latin. An outperforming school should increase grade equivalency relative to actual grade each year a student attends. At Highlands Latin, our kindergarten students score about 2 grades above their grade level. By 6th grade, our students score almost 5 grades above their grade level. By 7th grade, they exceed the upper grade equivalency limit for the ITBS. Each year our students attend Highlands Latin, they master 1.6 years of material.

2011 ITBS Results

For 2011, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the seventh year in a row.

2010 ITBS Results

For 2010, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the sixth year in a row.

2009 ITBS Results

For 2009, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the fifth year in a row.

2008 ITBS Results

For 2008, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the fourth year in a row.  For the second year, both the 7th and 8th grades scored the highest possible grade equivalency of 13+.

2007 ITBS Results

For 2007, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the third year in a row.  For the first time, both the 7th and 8th grades scored the highest possible grade equivalency of 13+.
Below is a grade equivalent graph. HLS students scored an average of 3.5 grades above their actual grade level, an improvement over 3.36 for 2006 and 3.25 for 2005.

2006 ITBS Results

For 2006, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS for the second year in a row.

2005 ITBS Results

For 2005, HLS scored in the top 1% of all schools taking the ITBS.