Summary:
The Ferndale School District in Washington state is home to two middle schools, Vista Middle School and Horizon Middle School, serving students in grades 6-8. Based on the available data, Vista Middle School appears to be the stronger performing school, consistently outpacing Horizon Middle School and the overall district in academic achievement.
Vista Middle School boasts higher test scores across English Language Arts, Math, and Science compared to Horizon Middle School and the Ferndale School District as a whole. It also holds a higher statewide ranking, placing in the top 40% of Washington middle schools, while Horizon Middle School falls in the bottom 30%. Additionally, Vista has a greater percentage of students proficient or better in all subject areas. While both schools have high rates of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Vista Middle School serves a more diverse student population with higher percentages of Hispanic and Native American students.
Despite Horizon Middle School's higher spending per student and lower student-teacher ratio, it has not translated to better academic outcomes compared to Vista. This suggests there may be differences in the quality of education, resources, or other factors between the two schools that contribute to the significant performance gap. Further investigation would be needed to understand the underlying causes and how the district can work to improve outcomes at Horizon Middle School.
Thank you for your feedback!