How strong are the public middle schools in Long Beach?
With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com — which include comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews — to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year and those that lead their peers.
Washington Middle School's overall rating improved the most among similar schools in Long Beach, rising from a C+ to a B, according to data from Niche.
For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 1450 Cedar Ave., enrolls 1,093 students. Washington Middle School serves a diverse population: 83% of students identify as Hispanic. Niche graded the school a B- for academics (on an A-D scale).
The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.
Academically, 36% of Washington Middle School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 33% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 37% in math and 47% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable in that it serves a less-affluent population, with 96% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 24% more than the city average.
It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Hughes Middle School saw its overall rating improve from a B to a B+. The school is located at 3846 California Ave. and is a bit larger, currently serving 1,528 students, of whom 42% identify as Hispanic, 22% identify as black and 19% identify as Asian.
Niche graded Hughes Middle School a B for academics on an A-D scale. The school's latest math proficiency was at 42%, and reading proficiency was 54%.
Franklin Classical Middle School also saw improvement in its overall rating, from C+ to B-. The school is located at 540 Cerritos Ave. and has 1,298 students currently enrolled, of whom 76% identify as Hispanic and 11% identify as black.
Niche graded Franklin Classical Middle School a C+ for academics on an A-D scale. Its latest math proficiency was at 23%, and reading proficiency was 30%. The school also serves a less-affluent community, with 95% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
While some public middle schools in Long Beach are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:
- Stanford Middle School, with an overall rating of A.
- Rogers Middle School, with an A rating overall.
- Helen Keller Middle School, rated A overall.
Want more of the latest intel on Long Beach schools? Hoodline also analyzed the latest Niche ratings for the city's public elementary schools.
This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.
