Western Hills Middle School

Q: Is Western Hills Middle School a good school?

Western Hills Middle School ranks 29 th of 64 Rhode Island middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Western Hills Middle School is a public middle school located in Cranston, Rhode Island, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 703 students. The school is part of the Cranston School District, which is ranked 32 out of 60 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Western Hills Middle School consistently outperforms the Cranston district average in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics on the RICAS assessments across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, 33.7% of all students at Western Hills were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 29.8% for the Cranston district, and 27.7% were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 25% for the Cranston district. The school has also maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past 10 years, indicating it is performing above average compared to other middle schools in the state.

When compared to nearby schools, Western Hills Middle School outperforms the other Cranston middle schools, such as Park View and Hope Highlands, in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency rates across all grade levels. Additionally, Western Hills significantly outperforms middle schools in the Providence School District, which is ranked 48 out of 60 districts in the state, with proficiency rates that are more than double those of Providence schools like West Broadway Middle School and Gilbert Stuart Middle School.

Detail:

Public 6-8

400 Phenix Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920

(401) 270-8030

District: Cranston

SchoolDigger Rank:
29^th of 64 Rhode Island Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,457

Students who attend Western Hills Middle School usually attend:

High:

Cranston High School West

Feeder schools for Western Hills Middle School:

Elementary:	Garden City School
	George J. Peters School
	Glen Hills School
	Stone Hill School
	More...
	Woodridge School

Student/teacher ratio: 12.5

Number of students: 703

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.9%

Hispanic:

22.0%

Asian:

10.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38%

See top rated Rhode Island middle schools

Compare Western Hills Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Western Hills Middle School ranks better than 54.7% of middle schools in Rhode Island. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked middle schools in the Cranston School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.26. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Western Hills Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Cranston School District. Racial makeup is: White (55.9%), Hispanic (22%), Asian (10%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Western Hills Middle School is 12.5, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Cranston School District! (See more...)

Compare Western Hills Middle School employs 55.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Western Hills Middle School is $15,457. 2 middle schools in the Cranston School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Western Hills Middle School 29^th of 64 Rhode Island public middle schools. (See Western Hills Middle School in the ranking list.)

Cranston:

SchoolDigger ranks Cranston 32^nd of 60 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Western Hills Middle School?

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Rank History for Western Hills Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	RI State Percentile
2009	74.60	16^th	53	69.8%
2010	76.78	15^th	54	72.2%
2011	63.96	21^st	49	57.1%
2012	74.51	14^th	48	70.8%
2013	72.97	14^th	48	70.8%
2014	68.81	18^th	49	63.3%
2015	60.24	20^th	59	66.1%
2016	61.00	23^rd	59	61.0%
2017	59.23	24^th	57	57.9%
2018	45.66	26^th	53	50.9%
2019	54.87	28^th	61	54.1%
2021	46.62	29^th	62	53.2%
2022	51.63	27^th	60	55.0%
2023	48.33	31^st	64	51.6%
2024	49.26	29^th	64	54.7%

See the entire list of Rhode Island Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Rhode Island Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Western Hills Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	659	2	8	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	673
1989	737	3	11	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	755
1990	659	2	13	6	n/a	n/a	n/a	0	680
1991	713	1	16	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	735
1992	727	3	11	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	751
1993	745	3	9	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	763
1994	794	3	8	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	814
1995	861	4	22	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	891
1996	861	4	22	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	891
1997	870	3	22	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	905
1998	913	2	18	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	937
1999	925	1	2	7	15	n/a	n/a	0	950
2000	948	3	15	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	983
2001	983	6	11	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	1019
2002	1079	7	25	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1130
2003	1079	7	25	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1130
2004	1120	6	23	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	1168
2005	1077	3	33	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	1134
2006	1041	8	31	26	2	n/a	n/a	0	1108
2007	1024	12	36	46	2	n/a	n/a	0	1120
2008	1043	10	28	42	1	n/a	n/a	0	1124
2009	691	6	24	30	2	n/a	n/a	0	753
2010	647	15	24	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	717
2011	595	18	26	47	2	0	7	0	695
2012	568	9	23	52	2	0	13	0	667
2013	536	6	25	53	2	0	12	0	634
2014	585	7	28	50	2	0	15	0	687
2015	597	13	26	60	3	0	17	0	716
2016	532	9	33	62	3	0	17	0	656
2017	617	16	51	107	4	0	19	0	814
2018	537	25	60	128	2	0	27	0	779
2019	525	24	61	130	2	0	26	0	768
2020	491	22	71	132	1	0	37	0	754
2021	448	24	67	153	5	0	41	1	739
2022	399	25	72	162	7	0	38	0	703
2023	393	33	70	155	8	1	43	0	703

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 Hills Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	673	n/a	n/a	10.4
1989	755	n/a	n/a	1.1
1990	680	n/a	n/a	2.4
1991	735	52.0	14.1	1.4
1992	751	60.0	12.5	3.3
1993	763	59.5	12.8	3.3
1994	814	56.0	14.5	3.1
1995	891	70.4	12.7	3.5
1996	891	70.4	12.7	3.5
1997	905	76.4	11.8	4.4
1998	937	65.1	14.4	4.9
1999	950	74.0	12.8	5.5
2000	983	73.4	13.4	4.1
2001	1019	79.5	12.8	5
2002	1130	n/a	n/a	5.7
2003	1130	n/a	n/a	5.7
2004	1168	104.0	11.2	6.5
2005	1134	88.0	12.9	4.2
2006	1108	80.0	13.9	5.1
2007	1120	59.6	18.8	4.7
2008	1124	89.4	12.6	6.9
2009	753	56.0	11.2	7
2010	717	55.0	13.0	11.7
2011	695	58.0	11.9	17.6
2012	667	59.0	11.3	17.4
2013	634	48.4	13.0	21
2014	687	50.4	13.6	19.7
2015	716	50.0	14.3	21.5
2016	656	61.0	10.7	21.5
2017	814	60.7	13.3	21.9
2018	779	61.2	12.7	31.8
2019	768	61.7	12.4	32.6
2020	754	61.1	12.3	33.6
2021	739	62.6	11.8	35.2
2022	703	55.1	12.7	26.9
2023	703	55.9	12.5	38

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 Hills Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	673	n/a	n/a	10.4
1989	755	n/a	n/a	1.1
1990	680	n/a	n/a	2.4
1991	735	52.0	14.1	1.4
1992	751	60.0	12.5	3.3
1993	763	59.5	12.8	3.3
1994	814	56.0	14.5	3.1
1995	891	70.4	12.7	3.5
1996	891	70.4	12.7	3.5
1997	905	76.4	11.8	4.4
1998	937	65.1	14.4	4.9
1999	950	74.0	12.8	5.5
2000	983	73.4	13.4	4.1
2001	1019	79.5	12.8	5
2002	1130	n/a	n/a	5.7
2003	1130	n/a	n/a	5.7
2004	1168	104.0	11.2	6.5
2005	1134	88.0	12.9	4.2
2006	1108	80.0	13.9	5.1
2007	1120	59.6	18.8	4.7
2008	1124	89.4	12.6	6.9
2009	753	56.0	11.2	7
2010	717	55.0	13.0	11.7
2011	695	58.0	11.9	17.6
2012	667	59.0	11.3	17.4
2013	634	48.4	13.0	21
2014	687	50.4	13.6	19.7
2015	716	50.0	14.3	21.5
2016	656	61.0	10.7	21.5
2017	814	60.7	13.3	21.9
2018	779	61.2	12.7	31.8
2019	768	61.7	12.4	32.6
2020	754	61.1	12.3	33.6
2021	739	62.6	11.8	35.2
2022	703	55.1	12.7	26.9
2023	703	55.9	12.5	38

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 Hills Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$178 (1.3%)	$13,350 (98.7%)	$13,528
2019	$187 (1.3%)	$14,075 (98.7%)	$14,262
2020	$119 (0.8%)	$14,212 (99.2%)	$14,332
2021	$357 (2.3%)	$15,100 (97.7%)	$15,457

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Western 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 28^th of 61 Middle schools	Ranks 31^st of 64 Middle schools	2.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Western Hills Middle School)	44.1	38.5	5.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Cranston)	39.9	30.9	9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	39.1	31.9	7.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Western Hills Middle School)	33.6	40.2	6.6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Cranston)	23.7	29.6	5.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	28	28.7	0.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Western Hills Middle School)	41.9	26.7	15.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Cranston)	34.4	26.9	7.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	31.5	29	2.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Western Hills Middle School)	32.8	24.2	8.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Cranston)	26.2	22.5	3.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	27.6	25.7	1.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Western Hills Middle School)	45.6	33.8	11.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Cranston)	36.7	31.3	5.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)	36.3	32.2	4.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Western Hills Middle School)	24	24.1	0.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Cranston)	19	20.1	1.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)	24.5	23	1.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Western Hills Middle School)	43.8	33.1	10.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Cranston)	41.4	32.5	8.9%
All Grades Mathematics (Western Hills Middle School)	30.1	29.7	0.4%
All Grades Mathematics (Cranston)	27.9	25.8	2.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	768	703	8.5%
African American	24	33	37.5%
American Indian	2	8	300%
Asian	61	70	14.8%
Hispanic	130	155	19.2%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	525	393	25.1%
Two or More Races	26	43	65.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	32.6%	38%	5.4%

Schools Near Western Hills Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSA Science (2024)	RICAS English Language Arts (2024)					RICAS Mathematics (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	NGSA Science All Grades	RICAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	RICAS English Language Arts All Grades	RICAS Mathematics 5th Grade	RICAS Mathematics 6th Grade	RICAS Mathematics 7th Grade	RICAS Mathematics 8th Grade	RICAS Mathematics All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Western Hills Middle School	Public	6-8	400 Phenix Avenue	Cranston	02920	Providence County	Cranston	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 270-8030	703	56	12.5	38.0%	393 (55.9%)	33 (4.7%)	155 (22.0%)	70 (10.0%)	8 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (6.1%)	49.3	29^th of 64 public middle schools	54.7%		48.3	31^st of 64 public middle schools	51.6%	2	26.0		40.0	30.2	30.7	33.7		34.3	26.5	22.0	27.7	$15,457	$357	$15,100
Hugh B. Bain Middle School	Public	6-8	135 Gansett Avenue	Cranston	02910	Providence County	Cranston	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 270-8010	561	51	10.9	67.7%	87 (15.5%)	33 (5.9%)	346 (61.7%)	65 (11.6%)	9 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.6%)	14.7	53^rd of 64 public middle schools	17.2%		14.4	53^rd of 64 public middle schools	17.2%		12.4		8.3	14.1	13.4	12.0		15.1	8.3		9.2	$16,500	$1,477	$15,023
Hope Highlands Middle School	Public	6-8	300 Hope Road	Cranston	02921	Providence County	Cranston	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 270-8148	357	29	12.1	9.8%	283 (79.3%)	9 (2.5%)	30 (8.4%)	13 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	21 (5.9%)	68.5	18^th of 64 public middle schools	71.9%		76.3	14^th of 64 public middle schools	78.1%	4	42.0		32.0	38.1	39.5	36.8		42.0	37.6	43.7	41.0	$15,867	$174	$15,692
AF Iluminar Mayoral Middle School	Public, Charter	5-8	85 Garfield Avenue	Cranston	02920	Providence County	Achievement First Rhode Island	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 347-1118	388	24	16.1	66.8%	9 (2.3%)	88 (22.7%)	269 (69.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.4%)	35.2	36^th of 64 public middle schools	43.8%		50.1	30^th of 64 public middle schools	53.1%	6	27.4	49.0	34.0	20.6	34.7	34.8	23.1	13.7	10.3	20.4	17.0
Governor Christopher DelSesto	Public	6-8	152 Springfield Street	Providence	02909	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 278-0557	731	44	16.6	88.1%	55 (7.5%)	76 (10.4%)	530 (72.5%)	17 (2.3%)	7 (1.0%)	3 (0.4%)	30 (4.1%)								(n/a)					8.9							$15,665	$1,430	$14,235
AF Providence Mayoral Middle	Public, Charter	5-8	370 Hartford Avenue	Providence	02909	Providence County	Achievement First Rhode Island	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 347-1120	405	26	15.5	68.6%	12 (3.0%)	79 (19.5%)	299 (73.8%)	6 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.0%)	27.6	41^st of 64 public middle schools	35.9%		33.3	38^th of 64 public middle schools	40.6%	3	19.9	19.0	34.3	14.3	23.2	22.6	14.9	21.4	15.2	10.2	15.4
Park View Middle School	Public	6-8	25 Park View Boulevard	Cranston	02910	Providence County	Cranston	No	(n/a)	No	No	(401) 270-8090	701	57	12.2	54.6%	269 (38.4%)	44 (6.3%)	244 (34.8%)	79 (11.3%)	5 (0.7%)	3 (0.4%)	56 (8.0%)	43.4	32^nd of 64 public middle schools	50.0%		36.6	34^th of 64 public middle schools	46.9%	2	30.8		30.8	27.2	43.3	33.4		21.9	21.6	17.3	20.4	$14,733	$521	$14,212
Gilbert Stuart Middle School	Public	6-8	188 Princeton Avenue	Providence	02907	Providence County	Providence	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 456-9340	683	55	12.5	87.1%	50 (7.3%)	92 (13.5%)	457 (66.9%)	45 (6.6%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (3.8%)	10.3	58^th of 64 public middle schools	9.4%		8.2	64^th of 64 public middle schools	0.0%	6			5.9		9.7	6.8						$14,730	$1,360	$13,369
Paul Cuffee Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	30 Barton Street	Providence	02909	Providence County	Paul Cuffee Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 453-2711	185	15	12.3	81.1%	9 (4.9%)	39 (21.1%)	121 (65.4%)	5 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.1%)	9 (4.9%)	16.9	50^th of 64 public middle schools	21.9%		21.5	47^th of 64 public middle schools	26.6%	3	11.1			7.9	21.0	10.2		12.9	14.3	11.1	12.8	$16,178	$1,731	$14,448
Providence Preparatory Charter	Public, Charter	5-8	155 Harrison Street	Providence	02907	Providence County	Providence Preparatory Charter	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(401) 400-2748	175	7	26.9	98.3%	11 (6.3%)	37 (21.1%)	117 (66.9%)	4 (2.3%)	2 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.3%)	23.4	43^rd of 64 public middle schools	32.8%		35.6	35^th of 64 public middle schools	45.3%	8	22.9	17.6	7.4	12.9	22.2	14.5	13.5	7.5	25.8	20.4	16.6

Frequently Asked Questions about Western Hills Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Western Hills Middle School?

Students at Western Hills Middle School are 56% White, 22% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 5% African American, 1% American Indian.

How many students attend Western Hills Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 703 students attended Western Hills Middle School.

What district is Western Hills Middle School in?

Cranston

Is Western Hills Middle School a good school?

Western Hills Middle School ranks 29^th of 64 Rhode Island middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of Western Hills Middle School attend?

Students who attend Western Hills Middle School usually go on to attend Cranston High School West

Rate Western Hills Middle 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 Rhode Island 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.