Northern Hills Middle School

Summary:

Northern Hills Middle School is a public middle school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, serving 546 students in grades 7-8 and part of the highly-ranked Forest Hills Public Schools district.

Northern Hills Middle School consistently ranks among the top 30 middle schools in Michigan, with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in state assessments are significantly higher than the state and district averages, particularly in English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, 70.4% of 7th-grade students were proficient or better in M-Step English Language Arts, compared to 67.4% for the Forest Hills Public Schools district and 37.9% for the state of Michigan. Northern Hills Middle School also excels in the performance of various student subgroups, including female students, Asian students, Hispanic students, and students with special needs, ranking among the top 10-20 middle schools in Michigan for these subgroups.

When compared to other middle schools in the surrounding area, such as East Grand Rapids Middle School and Central Middle School, both also part of the Forest Hills Public Schools district, Northern Hills Middle School stands out as a high-performing institution, outperforming many of its peers in academic measures and student subgroup performance. The school's consistent high performance, low chronic absenteeism, and diverse student population suggest that it is effectively addressing the needs of all learners and promoting equitable educational outcomes.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 3775 Leonard St NE
       Grand Rapids, MI  49525-3369


(616) 493-8650

District: Forest Hills Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
21st of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,836 Help


Students who attend Northern Hills Middle School usually attend:

High:    Northern High School

Feeder schools for Northern Hills Middle School:

Elementary:    Collins Elementary School
    Meadow Brook Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  18.2 Help
Number of students:  546

Racial breakdown:

White:
71.4%
Asian:
9.0%
Hispanic:
7.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  17% Help


 See top rated Michigan middle schools

 Compare Northern Hills Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Northern Hills Middle School ranks better than 97.7% of middle schools in Michigan. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.68. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (71.4%), Asian (9%), Hispanic (7.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 17% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Forest Hills Public Schools District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northern Hills Middle School is 18.2, which is the 3rd best among 3 middle schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Northern Hills Middle School employs 29.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northern Hills Middle School is $14,836, which is the highest among 6 middle schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northern Hills Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern Hills Middle School 21st of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Northern Hills Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Forest Hills Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Hills Public Schools 15th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Northern Hills Middle School?

Rank History for Northern Hills Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 90.11 16th 806 98.0%
2007 92.28 6th 823 99.3%
2008 89.68 13th 839 98.5%
2009 89.58 11th 847 98.7%
2010 87.61 14th 851 98.4%
2011 89.56 10th 858 98.8%
2012 97.10 11th 900 98.8%
2013 96.23 14th 919 98.5%
2014 94.16 26th 921 97.2%
2015 96.78 20th 919 97.8%
2016 96.48 20th 894 97.8%
2017 95.22 26th 821 96.8%
2018 96.02 27th 838 96.8%
2019 95.63 21st 792 97.3%
2021 95.40 27th 675 96.0%
2022 95.43 26th 776 96.6%
2023 96.53 20th 883 97.7%
2024 96.68 21st 897 97.7%
See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.43 5th 156 96.8%
2021 90.61 1st 15 93.3%
2023 80.11 22nd 163 86.5%
2024 96.11 3rd 176 98.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 86.70 2nd 19 89.5%
2022 90.51 1st 70 98.6%
2023 97.49 2nd 199 99.0%
2024 99.11 2nd 201 99.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.51 95th 815 88.3%
2019 78.37 74th 672 89.0%
2021 90.35 23rd 523 95.6%
2022 96.76 6th 691 99.1%
2023 93.75 16th 825 98.1%
2024 95.95 10th 836 98.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.29 17th 794 97.9%
2019 94.08 21st 658 96.8%
2021 94.97 19th 521 96.4%
2022 94.44 20th 657 97.0%
2023 95.02 20th 770 97.4%
2024 96.83 11th 771 98.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 95.14 33rd 797 95.9%
2019 95.07 24th 639 96.2%
2021 93.23 29th 540 94.6%
2022 94.48 28th 658 95.7%
2023 95.49 22nd 776 97.2%
2024 94.89 25th 786 96.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.51 19th 104 81.7%
2022 73.01 17th 57 70.2%
2023 76.10 24th 87 72.4%
2024 83.16 9th 88 89.8%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.15 79th 366 78.4%
2019 71.43 40th 196 79.6%
2022 97.36 1st 182 99.5%
2023 81.61 36th 310 88.4%
2024 69.46 51st 300 83.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.28 3rd 266 98.9%
2023 91.86 7th 246 97.2%
2024 98.85 2nd 257 99.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northern Hills Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.72 36th 678 94.7%
2019 95.40 18th 624 97.1%
2021 94.40 15th 577 97.4%
2022 94.81 18th 638 97.2%
2023 95.39 14th 688 98.0%
2024 95.02 21st 701 97.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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.

Northern Hills Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Northern Hills Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 427 5 12 1 0 n/a n/a -2 443
1989 443 7 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 459
1990 471 8 7 2 0 n/a n/a -1 487
1991 485 6 12 4 3 n/a n/a 11 521
1992 550 12 17 7 2 n/a n/a 0 588
1993 577 12 15 6 3 n/a n/a 0 613
1994 596 19 10 6 0 n/a n/a 0 631
1995 699 12 21 9 2 n/a n/a 0 743
1996 699 12 21 9 2 n/a n/a 0 743
1997 788 10 27 12 2 n/a n/a -13 826
1998 547 6 20 11 2 n/a n/a -5 581
1999 566 12 30 10 1 n/a n/a 0 619
2000 574 11 22 10 1 n/a n/a 29 647
2001 586 11 25 9 0 n/a n/a 0 631
2002 624 12 9 3 1 n/a n/a 0 649
2003 624 12 9 3 1 n/a n/a 0 649
2004 618 23 8 2 3 n/a n/a 0 654
2005 321 29 9 5 2 n/a n/a 0 366
2006 346 29 31 9 1 n/a n/a 0 416
2007 399 24 40 10 1 n/a n/a 0 474
2008 370 35 38 13 n/a n/a n/a 0 456
2009 365 37 55 14 0 n/a n/a 0 471
2010 427 34 47 10 0 n/a n/a 0 518
2011 443 33 41 17 0 1 8 0 543
2012 444 41 49 20 1 1 4 0 560
2013 456 35 55 13 0 0 3 0 562
2014 412 40 56 24 1 1 29 0 563
2015 410 37 52 38 0 1 30 0 568
2016 438 22 65 35 1 1 24 0 586
2017 434 29 64 31 0 1 32 0 591
2018 437 32 56 32 0 1 33 0 591
2019 424 36 61 36 1 0 32 0 590
2020 416 30 55 36 0 1 31 0 569
2021 415 32 39 22 0 1 30 0 539
2022 395 35 40 31 0 0 30 0 531
2023 390 34 49 39 2 0 32 0 546

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 Northern Hills Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 443 n/a n/a n/a
1989 459 n/a n/a 2.2
1990 487 42.0 11.5 2.9
1991 521 n/a n/a n/a
1992 588 n/a n/a 4.9
1993 613 n/a 0.0 3.8
1994 631 40.0 15.8 2.9
1995 743 45.6 16.3 4
1996 743 45.6 16.3 4
1997 826 51.0 16.2 1.8
1998 581 38.0 15.3 3.2
1999 619 39.0 15.9 1.6
2000 647 43.2 14.3 3.7
2001 631 43.8 14.4 5.9
2002 649 39.2 16.6 6.2
2003 649 39.2 16.6 6.2
2004 654 41.2 15.9 7.2
2005 366 27.4 13.4 11.5
2006 416 25.9 16.1 12.3
2007 474 26.8 17.7 12.7
2008 456 28.1 16.2 11.2
2009 471 26.3 17.9 15.1
2010 518 26.6 19.4 12.7
2011 543 26.5 20.4 12.3
2012 560 28.2 19.8 15
2013 562 29.5 19.0 11.7
2014 563 29.2 19.2 11.7
2015 568 32.0 17.7 13.2
2016 586 32.0 18.3 11.8
2017 591 30.3 19.4 8.6
2018 591 27.5 21.4 10.3
2019 590 26.5 22.2 14.9
2020 569 27.3 20.8 13.9
2021 539 26.9 20.0 17.3
2022 531 28.8 18.3 17.9
2023 546 29.9 18.2 17

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 Northern Hills Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 443 n/a n/a n/a
1989 459 n/a n/a 2.2
1990 487 42.0 11.5 2.9
1991 521 n/a n/a n/a
1992 588 n/a n/a 4.9
1993 613 n/a 0.0 3.8
1994 631 40.0 15.8 2.9
1995 743 45.6 16.3 4
1996 743 45.6 16.3 4
1997 826 51.0 16.2 1.8
1998 581 38.0 15.3 3.2
1999 619 39.0 15.9 1.6
2000 647 43.2 14.3 3.7
2001 631 43.8 14.4 5.9
2002 649 39.2 16.6 6.2
2003 649 39.2 16.6 6.2
2004 654 41.2 15.9 7.2
2005 366 27.4 13.4 11.5
2006 416 25.9 16.1 12.3
2007 474 26.8 17.7 12.7
2008 456 28.1 16.2 11.2
2009 471 26.3 17.9 15.1
2010 518 26.6 19.4 12.7
2011 543 26.5 20.4 12.3
2012 560 28.2 19.8 15
2013 562 29.5 19.0 11.7
2014 563 29.2 19.2 11.7
2015 568 32.0 17.7 13.2
2016 586 32.0 18.3 11.8
2017 591 30.3 19.4 8.6
2018 591 27.5 21.4 10.3
2019 590 26.5 22.2 14.9
2020 569 27.3 20.8 13.9
2021 539 26.9 20.0 17.3
2022 531 28.8 18.3 17.9
2023 546 29.9 18.2 17

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 Northern Hills Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $185 (1.9%) $9,482 (98.1%) $9,667
2020 $153 (1.5%) $10,375 (98.5%) $10,529
2021 $592 (5.0%) $11,258 (95.0%) $11,850
2022 $535 (4.1%) $12,672 (96.0%) $13,206
2023 $535 (3.6%) $14,301 (96.4%) $14,836

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern Hills Middle School

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 21st of 792 Middle schoolsRanks 20th of 883 Middle schools
 0.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Northern Hills Middle School)70.368.2
 2.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Hills Public Schools)70.763.5
 7.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)42.736.9
 5.8%
7th Grade Math (Northern Hills Middle School)6560.1
 4.9%
   7th Grade Math (Forest Hills Public Schools)67.261.7
 5.5%
   7th Grade Math (Michigan)35.731
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Northern Hills Middle School)50.248.3
 1.9%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Forest Hills Public Schools)4657.3
 11.3%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)2826.7
 1.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Northern Hills Middle School)91.386.1
 5.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Hills Public Schools)87.289.2
 2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)61.959.7
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Northern Hills Middle School)73.275.3
 2.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Forest Hills Public Schools)72.179.6
 7.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)41.436.3
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students590546
 7.5%
African American3634
 5.6%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian6149
 19.7%
Hispanic3639
 8.3%
Pacific Islander00
White424390
 8%
Two or More Races3232
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients14.9%17%
 2.1%


Schools Near Northern Hills Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Northern Hills Middle School

Yes! Northern Hills Middle School is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 21st of 897 Michigan middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 546 students attended Northern Hills Middle School.

Students at Northern Hills Middle School are 71% White, 9% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 6% African American, 6% Two or more races.

Students who attend Northern Hills Middle School usually go on to attend Northern High School


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