Middle Schools in Hillside Public School District

The Hillside Public School District in New Jersey is home to two middle schools: Walter O. Krumbiegel Middle School and Hillside Innovation Academy. The data analysis reveals a significant performance gap between the two schools, with Hillside Innovation Academy emerging as the standout performer in the district.

Hillside Innovation Academy is ranked in the top 25% of New Jersey middle schools, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, while Walter O. Krumbiegel Middle School is ranked 669 out of 743 and has a 1-star rating. Hillside Innovation Academy consistently outperforms the district and state averages on standardized test scores across English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. Additionally, the school has a lower chronic absenteeism rate compared to Walter O. Krumbiegel Middle School.

Despite the stark performance differences, both schools face similar socioeconomic challenges, with high rates of free/reduced lunch recipients. The data also suggests that the smaller size of Hillside Innovation Academy (99 students) may be a contributing factor to its success, compared to the larger Walter O. Krumbiegel Middle School (376 students). The district may need to re-evaluate its resource allocation to ensure equitable funding across all schools and address the underlying factors that contribute to the performance disparities between the two middle schools.