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H L Harshman Middle School vs Northview Middle School

H L Harshman Middle School has a higher overall rating of 9.7/10 compared to 8.6/10. Northview Middle School is significantly larger with 828 students, about 3.0× the size of H L Harshman Middle School (272). In math proficiency, Northview Middle School leads at 27.0%.

Ratings Comparison

Metric H L Harshman Middle School Northview Middle School
Overall Rating 9.7 / 10 8.6 / 10
Academic Score 9.1 7.4
Growth Score 10.0 9.4
Diversity Index
Free/Reduced Lunch 77.9% 62.7%
Environment Score 9.9 9.1
State Rank #3 of 1,823 #105 of 1,823
State Percentile 100th 94th

Test Scores

Subject H L Harshman Middle School Northview Middle School
Math Proficiency 15.0% 27.0%
Math (State Avg)
ELA Proficiency 27.0% 42.0%
ELA (State Avg)

School Details

Detail H L Harshman Middle School Northview Middle School
Type Middle School Middle School
Grades 7th – 8th 6th – 8th
Enrollment 272 828
Student-Teacher Ratio 7.8:1 13.6:1
Per-Pupil Spending
Free/Reduced Lunch 77.9% 62.7%
Chronic Absenteeism
District Indianapolis Public Schools MSD Washington Township
City Indianapolis Indianapolis

Neighborhood

Metric Indianapolis (46201) Indianapolis (46240)
Median Household Income $43,183 $70,728
Median Home Value $150,600 $328,600
Median Rent $929 $1,255
College Educated (Bachelor's+) 25.5% 58.7%
Poverty Rate 26.4% 9.5%
Avg Commute 26 min 21 min

The data story: H L Harshman Middle School vs Northview Middle School

H L Harshman Middle School holds a 1.1-point overall rating advantage over Northview Middle School — 9.7/10 versus 8.6/10 — and the state rank gap is substantial. H L Harshman Middle School ranks #3 of 1823 schools in Indiana while Northview Middle School ranks #105 of 1823, placing both schools well into the top tier statewide but with Harshman operating at an exceptional level that very few Indiana schools reach.

The academic and growth scores tell a similar story. H L Harshman Middle School posts a 9.1/10 academic score compared to Northview Middle School's 7.4/10 — a 1.7-point gap that reflects a meaningful difference in measured proficiency outcomes. On growth, both schools perform strongly, but Harshman's 10.0/10 edges out Northview's 9.4/10, indicating that students at Harshman are progressing at a near-perfect rate relative to peers statewide. A family weighing both proficiency and learning trajectory will find the numbers consistently favor H L Harshman Middle School.

The two schools differ sharply in size and staffing. H L Harshman Middle School enrolls 272 students with a student-teacher ratio of 7.8:1, while Northview Middle School serves 828 students at a ratio of 13.6:1. That ratio gap translates directly to class size and individual attention. On the economic dimension, H L Harshman Middle School's free and reduced-price lunch rate is 78%, compared to 63% at Northview Middle School — Harshman's high performance despite serving a higher share of economically disadvantaged students makes its top-three state ranking particularly notable.

One structural distinction shapes grade-level choices: H L Harshman Middle School serves grades 7 and 8 only, while Northview Middle School covers the full grades 6 through 8 span. Families with a sixth grader must account for this difference — Northview Middle School can house that child for three continuous years, whereas a student bound for Harshman would need a separate sixth-grade placement elsewhere. The two schools sit 8.9 miles apart within Indianapolis, making both accessible across most of the metro.

Editorial summary generated April 2026 · sonnet

Who each school fits

H L Harshman Middle School

H L Harshman Middle School suits families who prioritize academic performance and individualized attention above all else. With a 7.8:1 student-teacher ratio and a #3 state rank, it is the right choice for a seventh or eighth grader whose parents want maximum teacher access and measurably exceptional outcomes — and who have already arranged a separate sixth-grade placement.

Northview Middle School

Northview Middle School fits families seeking a single school that carries their child through all three middle school years without a transition. At 828 students with a 63% free and reduced lunch rate, it offers a larger, more socioeconomically mixed environment and still ranks #105 statewide — a strong option for families who value continuity and a broader peer community over the tightest possible ratios.

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