Is Western Heights Middle a good school?

Western Heights Middle ranks 203 rd of 328 Maryland middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Western Heights Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 903 students attended Western Heights Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Western Heights Middle?

Students at Western Heights Middle are 41% White, 23% African American, 19% Hispanic, 15% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Western Heights Middle attend?

Students who attend Western Heights Middle usually go on to attend North Hagerstown High

Western Heights Middle

Summary:

Western Heights Middle is a public magnet middle school located in Hagerstown, Maryland, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 903 and is part of the Washington County Public Schools district.

While Western Heights Middle has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with 41.31% White, 23.03% African American, 18.6% Hispanic, and 14.95% two or more races, its academic performance as measured by MCAP test scores is generally lower than surrounding schools like Boonsboro Middle, Clear Spring Middle, and Middletown Middle. For example, only 10% of Western Heights Middle students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 38.4% at Boonsboro Middle, 36.6% at Clear Spring Middle, and 41.9% at Middletown Middle. The school also has a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 77.41%, much higher than the nearby schools.

Despite the higher spending per student at Western Heights Middle ($12,791) compared to the nearby schools, the school's statewide ranking has been declining, from 158th out of 328 Maryland middle schools in 2017-2018 to 203rd out of 328 in 2023-2024. The school's performance is particularly low for male students, African American students, White students, and students of low socioeconomic status, all ranking in the bottom quarter of Maryland middle schools in these categories. However, the school's students perform relatively well in Algebra I and Geometry, suggesting a focus on these advanced math courses.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

1300 Marshall St
Hagerstown, MD 21740-3509

(301) 766-8403

District: Washington County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
203^rd of 328 Maryland Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,287

Students who attend Western Heights Middle usually attend:

High:

North Hagerstown High

Feeder schools for Western Heights Middle:

Elementary:	Fountaindale Elementary
	Salem Avenue Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 903

Racial breakdown:

White:

41.3%

African American:

23.0%

Hispanic:

18.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 77.4%

See top rated Maryland middle schools

Compare Western Heights Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Western Heights Middle ranks worse than 61.9% of middle schools in Maryland. It also ranks last among 7 ranked middle schools in the Washington County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.45. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Western Heights Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Washington County Public Schools District. Student population at Western Heights Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.3%), African American (23%), Hispanic (18.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 77.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Washington County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Western Heights Middle is 15.4. 4 middle schools in the Washington County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Western Heights Middle employs 58.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Western Heights Middle is $17,287. 4 middle schools in the Washington County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Western Heights Middle was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Western Heights Middle 203^rd of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Western Heights Middle in the ranking list.)

Washington County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Washington County Public Schools 12^th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Western Heights Middle

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Rank History for all students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile
2004	61.83	101^st	252	59.9%
2005	61.41	104^th	255	59.2%
2006	63.93	86^th	254	66.1%
2007	63.86	90^th	264	65.9%
2008	29.28	224^th	283	20.8%
2009	51.04	176^th	301	41.5%
2010	39.86	223^rd	324	31.2%
2011	35.95	214^th	309	30.7%
2012	46.01	186^th	314	40.8%
2013	46.92	176^th	316	44.3%
2014	47.47	202^nd	339	40.4%
2015	27.40	225^th	315	28.6%
2016	29.33	222^nd	314	29.3%
2017	42.44	180^th	317	43.2%
2018	48.65	158^th	328	51.8%
2019	37.79	184^th	316	41.8%
2021	33.55	198^th	303	34.7%
2022	41.06	190^th	333	42.9%
2023	31.59	197^th	322	38.8%
2024	30.45	203^rd	328	38.1%

See the entire list of Maryland Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	13.85	131^st	136	3.7%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	35.22	196^th	273	28.2%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	18.43	2^nd	2	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	39.56	174^th	303	42.6%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	27.48	212^th	288	26.4%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	29.30	193^rd	259	25.5%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	41.92	108^th	207	47.8%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Western Heights Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MD State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	15.04	187^th	210	11.0%

See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State Department of 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.

Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Tuesday, April 3, 2012

This school is amazing. I have went here for two years and I am about to go to North Hagerstown High School and I am going to miss this school. All the teachers and all of the students are working rally hard to improve the school. I am really proud of WESTERN HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Western Heights Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1989	398	16	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	414
1990	404	12	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	417
1991	433	12	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	446
1992	578	18	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	602
1993	577	27	6	0	0	n/a	n/a	610
1994	572	27	5	0	0	n/a	n/a	604
1995	579	42	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	628
1996	579	42	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	628
1997	621	66	5	4	0	n/a	n/a	696
1998	636	76	12	8	0	n/a	n/a	732
1999	591	93	8	5	0	n/a	n/a	697
2000	601	106	9	15	0	n/a	n/a	731
2001	586	112	5	20	0	n/a	n/a	723
2002	566	90	5	22	0	n/a	n/a	683
2003	566	90	5	22	0	n/a	n/a	683
2004	586	94	4	20	0	n/a	n/a	704
2005	569	123	4	23	1	n/a	n/a	720
2006	477	120	5	13	2	n/a	n/a	617
2007	441	153	1	22	1	n/a	n/a	618
2008	422	182	8	39	1	n/a	n/a	652
2009	423	208	10	39	1	n/a	n/a	681
2010	418	212	9	38	3	n/a	n/a	680
2011	384	182	7	49	1	0	48	671
2012	383	180	4	55	2	0	68	692
2013	385	183	2	66	1	0	78	715
2014	403	177	4	60	2	1	90	737
2015	389	153	3	68	4	0	95	712
2016	407	147	8	63	3	0	112	740
2017	442	154	20	74	2	0	120	812
2018	469	165	21	90	1	0	114	860
2019	491	206	21	128	0	0	124	970
2020	481	235	19	160	0	0	106	1001
2021	440	234	17	149	0	1	109	950
2022	403	239	17	164	0	1	118	942
2023	373	208	18	168	1	0	135	903

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 Western Heights Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	414	30.5	13.5	n/a
1990	417	30.0	13.9	35.3
1991	446	36.0	12.3	37.2
1992	602	37.5	16.0	32.2
1993	610	37.5	16.3	31.8
1994	604	37.0	16.3	36.9
1995	628	40.0	15.7	40.8
1996	628	40.0	15.7	40.8
1997	696	42.0	16.6	37.6
1998	732	45.0	16.3	33.7
1999	697	45.0	15.5	43.2
2000	731	49.0	14.9	46.4
2001	723	47.0	15.4	47.3
2002	683	50.0	13.7	48.3
2003	683	50.0	13.7	48.3
2004	704	51.0	13.8	52.6
2005	720	51.0	14.1	58.1
2006	617	45.0	13.7	59.5
2007	618	44.0	14.0	60.5
2008	652	49.0	13.3	63.2
2009	681	60.0	11.4	64.5
2010	680	62.0	10.9	62.9
2011	671	65.0	10.3	69.6
2012	692	52.0	13.3	65.8
2013	715	52.0	13.7	70.1
2014	737	51.0	14.4	67.3
2015	712	49.0	14.5	70.4
2016	740	48.0	15.4	65.5
2017	812	45.6	17.8	59.4
2018	860	45.6	18.8	57
2019	970	50.7	19.1	54.4
2020	1001	54.5	18.3	63.2
2021	950	58.5	16.2	69.3
2022	942	58.5	16.1	69.3
2023	903	58.5	15.4	77.4

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 Western Heights Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	414	30.5	13.5	n/a
1990	417	30.0	13.9	35.3
1991	446	36.0	12.3	37.2
1992	602	37.5	16.0	32.2
1993	610	37.5	16.3	31.8
1994	604	37.0	16.3	36.9
1995	628	40.0	15.7	40.8
1996	628	40.0	15.7	40.8
1997	696	42.0	16.6	37.6
1998	732	45.0	16.3	33.7
1999	697	45.0	15.5	43.2
2000	731	49.0	14.9	46.4
2001	723	47.0	15.4	47.3
2002	683	50.0	13.7	48.3
2003	683	50.0	13.7	48.3
2004	704	51.0	13.8	52.6
2005	720	51.0	14.1	58.1
2006	617	45.0	13.7	59.5
2007	618	44.0	14.0	60.5
2008	652	49.0	13.3	63.2
2009	681	60.0	11.4	64.5
2010	680	62.0	10.9	62.9
2011	671	65.0	10.3	69.6
2012	692	52.0	13.3	65.8
2013	715	52.0	13.7	70.1
2014	737	51.0	14.4	67.3
2015	712	49.0	14.5	70.4
2016	740	48.0	15.4	65.5
2017	812	45.6	17.8	59.4
2018	860	45.6	18.8	57
2019	970	50.7	19.1	54.4
2020	1001	54.5	18.3	63.2
2021	950	58.5	16.2	69.3
2022	942	58.5	16.1	69.3
2023	903	58.5	15.4	77.4

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 Western Heights Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$760 (6.6%)	$10,680 (93.3%)	$11,441
2020	$556 (5.1%)	$10,372 (95.1%)	$10,902
2021	$1,829 (14.3%)	$10,989 (85.9%)	$12,791
2022	$1,285 (9.0%)	$13,049 (91.0%)	$14,334
2023	$3,494 (20.2%)	$13,793 (79.8%)	$17,287

Data source: Maryland Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Western Heights Middle

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 184^th of 316 Middle schools	Ranks 197^th of 322 Middle schools	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	970	903	6.9%
African American	206	208	1%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	21	18	14.3%
Hispanic	128	168	31.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	491	373	24%
Two or More Races	124	135	8.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.4%	77.4%	23%

Schools Near Western Heights Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCAP Mathematics (2024)				MCAP English Language Arts (2024)				MCAP Algebra I (2024)	MCAP Geometry (2024)	MCAP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	MCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	MCAP Mathematics All Grades	MCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	MCAP English Language Arts All Grades	MCAP Algebra I End of Course	MCAP Geometry End of Course	MCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Western Heights Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1300 Marshall St	Hagerstown	21740	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8403	903	59	15.4	77.4%	373 (41.3%)	208 (23.0%)	168 (18.6%)	18 (2.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	135 (15.0%)	30.4	203^rd of 328 public middle schools	38.1%		31.6	197^th of 322 public middle schools	38.8%	6	6.2	12.1		10.0	45.8	40.5	31.2	39.0	70.4		15.0	$17,287	$3,494	$13,793
Northern Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	701 Northern Ave	Hagerstown	21742	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8258	848	52	16.3	68.4%	365 (43.0%)	167 (19.7%)	172 (20.3%)	35 (4.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	105 (12.4%)	52.3	129^th of 328 public middle schools	60.7%		46.3	142^nd of 322 public middle schools	55.9%	13	27.6	17.6	8.4	24.5	50.4	51.4	48.9	50.3	72.3	90.5	22.7	$17,670	$4,220	$13,450
E. Russell Hicks Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1321 S Potomac St	Hagerstown	21740	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8110	824	50	16.4	74.4%	334 (40.5%)	214 (26.0%)	161 (19.5%)	22 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (11.2%)	52.4	128^th of 328 public middle schools	61.0%		50.6	126^th of 322 public middle schools	60.9%	2	23.8	21.4	10.5	21.3	53.5	50.0	46.9	50.0	52.5		21.1	$17,978	$4,254	$13,724
Springfield Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	334 Sunset Ave	Williamsport	21795	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8389	748	50	15.0	67.8%	480 (64.2%)	87 (11.6%)	107 (14.3%)	15 (2.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (7.8%)	43.8	150^th of 328 public middle schools	54.3%		47.6	139^th of 322 public middle schools	56.8%	11	14.6	18.0	5.6	21.1	47.4	52.6	47.7	49.3	76.8	88.9	16.6	$16,303	$2,609	$13,694
Smithsburg Middle	Public	6-8	68 N Main St	Smithsburg	21783	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8353	534	39	13.8	46.6%	409 (76.6%)	39 (7.3%)	48 (9.0%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.2%)	89.3	29^th of 328 public middle schools	91.2%		85.7	36^th of 322 public middle schools	88.8%	7	36.6	40.7	35.3	41.9	68.4	66.3	70.0	68.2	88.1		40.1	$15,546	$1,264	$14,282
Boonsboro Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1 J-H Wade Dr	Boonsboro	21713	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(301) 766-8038	610	44	13.8	36.4%	520 (85.2%)	31 (5.1%)	25 (4.1%)	12 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.4%)	84.8	41^st of 328 public middle schools	87.5%		86.7	32^nd of 322 public middle schools	90.1%	9	30.8	35.6	32.9	38.4	65.8	72.5	62.9	67.0	87.7		36.5	$18,441	$3,171	$15,270
Clear Spring Middle	Public	6-8	12628 Broadfording Rd	Clear Spring	21722	Washington County	Washington County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(301) 766-8094	329	28	11.8	48.6%	286 (86.9%)	9 (2.7%)	21 (6.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.6%)	78.1	56^th of 328 public middle schools	82.9%		73.2	68^th of 322 public middle schools	78.9%	12	30.2	29.8	34.5	36.6	70.8	56.2	58.3	61.8	96.1		30.3	$22,268	$4,175	$18,093
Thurmont Middle	Public	6-8	408 E Main St	Thurmont	21788	Frederick County	Frederick County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 236-5100	546	36	15.3	40.8%	461 (84.4%)	9 (1.6%)	49 (9.0%)	4 (0.7%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.8%)	39.9	165^th of 328 public middle schools	49.7%		43.9	153^rd of 322 public middle schools	52.5%	12	9.9	17.0	13.0	15.6	41.5	40.0	45.6	42.4	60.0		20.7	$17,050	$951	$16,099
Middletown Middle	Public	6-8	100 Martha Mason St	Middletown	21769	Frederick County	Frederick County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(240) 236-4200	799	46	17.5	16.9%	647 (81.0%)	19 (2.4%)	72 (9.0%)	10 (1.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (6.0%)	82	48^th of 328 public middle schools	85.4%		86.4	33^rd of 322 public middle schools	89.8%	15	32.1	38.8	15.3	35.2	70.9	69.0	64.3	68.0	70.1		35.7	$14,183	$897	$13,286

Western Heights Middle

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Rank History for Western Heights Middle

Rank History for all students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for Homeless students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for Female students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for Male students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for African American students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at Western Heights Middle

Rank History for White students at Western Heights Middle

Review counts

Enrollment information for Western Heights Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Western Heights Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Western Heights Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Western Heights Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Western Heights Middle

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Western Heights Middle

Frequently Asked Questions about Western Heights Middle

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