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Excellent

#251 of 3,192 schools in MI

Top 8% in state

Northern Hills Middle School

Middle School · Forest Hills Public Schools · Grand Rapids, MI

A Forest Hills Public Schools middle school where students score 8 points above what's typical for similar communities.

3775 LEONARD ST NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525

  • Math 65% vs MI 34% (2022)
  • Reading 77% vs MI 49% (2022)
  • 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.2Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.5 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics9.3Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency64.5% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency77% (2022 EdFacts)
Math vs. State Avg+33.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+38.7 pts
Overall Proficiency71% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)63% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected+7.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile89th
Resources & Environment6.7Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19.1:1
District spending per student$14,504
Chronic Absenteeism14.8%

Students at Northern Hills Middle School score 71% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 63%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MI average.

Math Proficiency65%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
34%(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency77%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
49%(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 24 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 71% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
95%
ELA
95%
2010
Math
96%
ELA
96%
2011
Math
71%
ELA
85%
2012
Math
69%
ELA
85%
2013
Math
63%
ELA
86%
2014
Math
66%
ELA
72%
2015
Math
65%
ELA
73%
2016
Math
66%
ELA
68%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
71%
2018
Math
70%
ELA
81%
2019
Math
70%
ELA
81%
2020*
Math
64%
ELA
80%
2021*
Math
64%
ELA
80%
2022
Math
65%
ELA
77%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 70% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 80% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 32 test records from MI state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

18%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Northern Hills Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 14Car-Dependent
  • Bike 21Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,416/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Grand Rapids), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$87,969

Median home value

$292,500

Median rent

$1,335/mo

College educated

49.1%

Homeownership

78.4%

Poverty rate

8.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 49525; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
North Pointe Christian SchoolsPrivate · tuition5.2privatePK–120.8 mi879Compare →
Northpointe Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition4.6privatePK–120.8 mi907Compare →
Lincoln SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.7K–121.3 mi112Compare →
Lincoln Developmental CenterEnrollment path unverified8.1K–121.4 mi85Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Forest Hills Public Schools

Schools in district
18
Rank in district
#7 of 17
District spending per student
$14,504NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
3.4%Census SAIPE · 2024

Northern Hills Middle School is listed in Forest Hills Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Northern Hills Middle School

Northern Hills Middle School is a public middle school in Grand Rapids, MI, part of Forest Hills Public Schools, serving approximately 534 students in grades 7th-8th with a 19.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.2 out of 10 and ranks #251 of 3,192 schools in MI. State assessment records show 70% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 80% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Northern Hills Middle School

What grades does Northern Hills Middle School serve?

Northern Hills Middle School serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Northern Hills Middle School?

Northern Hills Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 534 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Hills Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Northern Hills Middle School is 19.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Northern Hills Middle School rank in MI?

Northern Hills Middle School ranks #251 of 3,192 schools in MI.

What is Northern Hills Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Northern Hills Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Northern Hills Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Northern Hills Middle School has 70% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 80% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Northern Hills Middle School a charter school?

No, Northern Hills Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Northern Hills Middle School a Title I school?

No, Northern Hills Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Northern Hills Middle School?

18.0% of students at Northern Hills Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
534
Student-Teacher Ratio
19.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
28
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Kent County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
14.8%
Area population (ZIP 49525)
30,627
Area average commute
19.6 min
Area median age
38.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 49525; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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