North Reading High

Summary:

North Reading High is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in North Reading, Massachusetts, with a student population of 644. The school is part of the highly-ranked North Reading School District, which is ranked 28th out of 351 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

North Reading High consistently ranks among the top high schools in Massachusetts, ranking 33rd out of 348 schools in the state for the 2023-2024 school year. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past two years and boasts exceptional academic performance, with 81.44% of 10th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 56.86%. North Reading High also excels in the performance of various student subgroups, including female students, male students, Asian students, white students, special education students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

While North Reading High outperforms many of the nearby schools, such as Andover High and Masconomet Regional High School, which also demonstrate strong academic performance, the school's student population is predominantly white, which may indicate a need to explore ways to attract and support a more diverse student body. Nevertheless, North Reading High's consistent high performance, exceptional graduation and dropout rates, and commitment to equity and inclusive practices make it a standout educational institution in the region.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 189 Park Street
       North Reading, MA  01864-2398


(978) 664-7800

District: North Reading

SchoolDigger Rank:
33rd of 348 Massachusetts High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $19,065 Help


Feeder schools for North Reading High:

Elementary:    E Ethel Little School
    J Turner Hood
    L D Batchelder
Middle:    North Reading Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  9.5 Help
Number of students:  618

Racial breakdown:

White:
85.3%
Asian:
6.0%
Hispanic:
5.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  8.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details North Reading High ranks better than 90.5% of high schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 90.33. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at North Reading High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (85.3%), Asian (6%), Hispanic (5.2%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at North Reading High is 9.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare North Reading High employs 64.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at North Reading High is $19,065.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

North Reading High:

SchoolDigger ranks North Reading High 33rd of 348 Massachusetts public high schools. (See North Reading High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
White students:


North Reading:

SchoolDigger ranks North Reading 28th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for North Reading High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 85.21 46th 304 84.9%
2004 77.10 82nd 307 73.3%
2005 76.47 79th 311 74.6%
2006 77.17 87th 314 72.3%
2007 70.29 93rd 316 70.6%
2008 82.62 46th 319 85.6%
2009 78.91 62nd 322 80.7%
2010 82.93 41st 335 87.8%
2011 82.03 37th 340 89.1%
2012 77.01 61st 340 82.1%
2013 76.73 56th 344 83.7%
2014 75.09 79th 347 77.2%
2015 76.90 60th 354 83.1%
2016 75.16 81st 351 76.9%
2017 79.69 48th 348 86.2%
2018 76.49 73rd 345 78.8%
2019 81.66 57th 351 83.8%
2021 78.42 65th 285 77.2%
2022 76.57 87th 342 74.6%
2023 91.38 27th 347 92.2%
2024 90.33 33rd 348 90.5%
See the entire list of Massachusetts High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.73 107th 344 68.9%
2019 59.13 127th 348 63.5%
2021 71.17 54th 268 79.9%
2022 59.14 132nd 339 61.1%
2023 93.14 23rd 301 92.4%
2024 96.39 18th 289 93.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.45 77th 330 76.7%
2019 65.26 106th 330 67.9%
2021 59.63 88th 253 65.2%
2022 50.12 165th 332 50.3%
2023 90.82 19th 338 94.4%
2024 91.37 25th 338 92.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.43 101st 339 70.2%
2019 81.52 56th 342 83.6%
2021 74.83 80th 281 71.5%
2022 75.76 88th 340 74.1%
2023 91.89 21st 339 93.8%
2024 86.13 49th 342 85.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.84 75th 299 74.9%
2019 68.42 67th 299 77.6%
2021 86.66 24th 202 88.1%
2022 79.94 48th 295 83.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.85 59th 343 82.8%
2019 80.62 61st 346 82.4%
2021 80.11 58th 281 79.4%
2022 74.32 94th 339 72.3%
2023 90.06 39th 343 88.6%
2024 93.01 22nd 342 93.6%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 81.89 17th 98 82.7%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for White students at North Reading High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.96 82nd 303 72.9%
2019 76.46 70th 302 76.8%
2021 69.03 80th 249 67.9%
2022 69.97 90th 300 70.0%
2023 86.38 47th 301 84.4%
2024 85.23 41st 302 86.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

North Reading High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Friday, September 18, 2015

Open Quote Low standards all around. Now that I'm in college and I'm up against students from a wide variety of different high schools, I really see how poorly I stack up against them, even though I was a great student at NRHS. The school doesn't encourage students to challenge themselves. In the challenging classes--AP classes, especially physics and chemistry, many students don't even pass the AP exam. Too many students go crying to their parents who call the teachers and argue for higher grades. Great SAT scores are a rarity. Also, most school clubs (except drama club) aren't taken seriously and don't do anything except give a few kids leadership roles for college applications. Maybe it's because students here all have that "learning is uncool" mentality, so a Model United Nations, science club, school paper, etc. would be considered dorky. I believe a few of these clubs do exist, but membership count is very low and many students consider it "really uncool" to join these clubs. The popular clubs are ones like Interact Club, a community service club that has very few meetings and activities, and really only exists for kids to put on their college applications. Looking back, what really bothers me is that I very rarely saw students with passion for the subjects they're learning--I didn't know this existed until I got to college. Going above the bare minimum is considered odd and just not a common thing. Students here rarely put forth an effort to pursue a challenging subject they are interested in. If you are very passionate about some subject, please know that the other students will not understand why, and the spirit of the school will strongly diminish that passion of yours. Students from NRHS generally go to sub-par universities--Guidance department is absolutely horrible and useless. I had a poor experience at NRHS and I am unsatisfied with my education. I did very well in NRHS and I am working very hard in college, but I see that NRHS's low standards are hurting my performance in college. Close Quote



Enrollment information for North Reading High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 485 0 6 3 0 n/a n/a 0 494
1989 440 1 3 2 0 n/a n/a 0 446
1990 419 2 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 427
1991 378 3 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 385
1992 476 3 9 3 0 n/a n/a 0 491
1993 445 2 7 5 0 n/a n/a 0 459
1994 454 4 10 6 0 n/a n/a 0 474
1995 452 4 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 467
1996 452 4 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 467
1997 483 5 8 8 0 n/a n/a 0 504
1998 528 5 8 5 0 n/a n/a 0 546
1999 541 5 5 5 0 n/a n/a 0 556
2000 535 1 7 2 0 n/a n/a 0 545
2001 534 4 4 4 3 n/a n/a 0 549
2002 572 1 9 6 5 n/a n/a 0 593
2003 572 1 9 6 5 n/a n/a 0 593
2004 632 0 11 7 5 n/a n/a 0 655
2005 658 2 14 7 5 n/a n/a 0 686
2006 688 2 11 8 0 n/a n/a 6 715
2007 693 5 15 8 0 n/a n/a 6 727
2008 680 9 18 11 0 n/a n/a 13 731
2009 684 6 17 12 0 0 14 0 733
2010 657 5 20 8 0 0 14 0 704
2011 666 3 17 7 0 0 15 0 708
2012 668 3 17 8 0 0 9 0 705
2013 692 2 17 12 0 0 10 0 733
2014 711 4 14 15 0 0 11 0 755
2015 739 5 21 16 0 2 9 0 792
2016 750 2 21 15 0 2 11 0 801
2017 759 3 22 18 0 2 7 0 811
2018 752 5 25 17 0 2 11 0 812
2019 694 4 24 14 0 1 15 0 752
2020 669 5 28 18 1 1 18 0 740
2021 587 4 30 18 2 1 20 0 662
2022 570 0 29 23 0 1 16 0 639
2023 551 1 38 32 0 0 19 3 644
2024 527 3 37 32 0 0 15 4 618

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at North Reading High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 494 n/a n/a n/a
1989 446 n/a n/a n/a
1990 427 n/a n/a n/a
1991 385 n/a n/a n/a
1992 491 n/a n/a n/a
1993 459 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 474 n/a n/a n/a
1995 467 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 467 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 504 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 546 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 556 n/a 0.0 0.7
2000 545 n/a 0.0 0.6
2001 549 n/a 0.0 0.2
2002 593 n/a n/a 4.2
2003 593 n/a n/a 4.2
2004 655 48.2 13.6 5.5
2005 686 54.9 12.5 4.2
2006 715 58.2 12.3 3.7
2007 727 57.0 12.8 3.3
2008 731 54.8 13.3 3.5
2009 733 58.8 12.5 5.3
2010 704 58.6 12.0 6.5
2011 708 62.5 11.3 8.6
2012 705 62.7 11.2 9.1
2013 733 61.7 11.8 8.2
2014 755 61.6 12.2 7.2
2015 792 65.0 12.1 8.7
2016 801 65.0 12.3 n/a
2017 811 70.5 11.4 n/a
2018 812 69.7 11.6 n/a
2019 752 69.7 10.7 n/a
2020 740 68.2 10.8 n/a
2021 662 67.1 9.8 n/a
2022 639 67.9 9.4 n/a
2023 644 67.2 9.5 n/a
2024 618 64.6 9.5 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio North Reading High

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 494 n/a n/a n/a
1989 446 n/a n/a n/a
1990 427 n/a n/a n/a
1991 385 n/a n/a n/a
1992 491 n/a n/a n/a
1993 459 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 474 n/a n/a n/a
1995 467 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 467 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 504 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 546 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 556 n/a 0.0 0.7
2000 545 n/a 0.0 0.6
2001 549 n/a 0.0 0.2
2002 593 n/a n/a 4.2
2003 593 n/a n/a 4.2
2004 655 48.2 13.6 5.5
2005 686 54.9 12.5 4.2
2006 715 58.2 12.3 3.7
2007 727 57.0 12.8 3.3
2008 731 54.8 13.3 3.5
2009 733 58.8 12.5 5.3
2010 704 58.6 12.0 6.5
2011 708 62.5 11.3 8.6
2012 705 62.7 11.2 9.1
2013 733 61.7 11.8 8.2
2014 755 61.6 12.2 7.2
2015 792 65.0 12.1 8.7
2016 801 65.0 12.3 n/a
2017 811 70.5 11.4 n/a
2018 812 69.7 11.6 n/a
2019 752 69.7 10.7 n/a
2020 740 68.2 10.8 n/a
2021 662 67.1 9.8 n/a
2022 639 67.9 9.4 n/a
2023 644 67.2 9.5 n/a
2024 618 64.6 9.5 n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for North Reading High

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $266 (1.6%) $15,858 (98.4%) $16,124
2020 $307 (1.9%) $16,063 (98.1%) $16,370
2021 $663 (3.5%) $18,402 (96.5%) $19,065

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on North Reading High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 57th of 351 High schoolsRanks 27th of 347 High schools
 8.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
10th Grade English Language Arts (North Reading High)7983
 4%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (North Reading)7880.5
 2.5%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)6158.2
 2.8%
10th Grade Mathematics (North Reading High)7579.1
 4.1%
   10th Grade Mathematics (North Reading)7577.3
 2.3%
   10th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5849.7
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students752644
 14.4%
African American41
 75%
American Indian00
Asian2438
 58.3%
Hispanic1432
 128.6%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White694551
 20.6%
Two or More Races1519
 26.7%


Schools Near North Reading High









Frequently Asked Questions about North Reading High

North Reading High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : E Ethel Little School
Elementary : J Turner Hood
Elementary : L D Batchelder
Middle : North Reading Middle

Students at North Reading High are 85% White, 6% Asian, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Yes. North Reading High ranks in the top 9.5% of Massachusetts high schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 618 students attended North Reading High.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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