Foothills Middle

Foothills Middle is a consistently top-performing public school serving about 650 students in grades 6-8 within the high-achieving Arcadia Unified School District.

The school stands out for its remarkable academic stability, ranking in the top 6% of all California middle schools for over a decade, with particular strength in mathematics where it outperforms nearby schools like Oak Avenue Intermediate and Sierra Madre Middle. Perhaps most impressively, Foothills provides exceptional support for economically disadvantaged students and English Language Learners, with these groups performing at levels that rank in the state's 98th and 96th percentiles, respectively—a true testament to the school's effective, targeted programs.

This excellence is achieved within a district context that makes a significant difference; all Arcadia middle schools (Richard Henry Dana Middle and First Avenue Middle) perform at a similarly high level, while schools just a few miles away in other districts, such as Olive Middle in Baldwin Park Unified, show dramatically different outcomes. Foothills also maintains very low chronic absenteeism and demonstrates efficient use of resources, delivering outstanding results with moderate per-student spending compared to some neighboring schools.