Schools in Zip Code 42501

Schools in zip code 42501 include six schools serving elementary through high school grades: three elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. In 2025–2026, results were generally above state rates, but performance varied substantially by school and grade. The clearest difference is in eighth grade: Southern Middle School outscored Meece Middle School by 21 percentage points in math, 26 in reading, 37 in writing, 29 in social studies and 22 in editing and mechanics.

Hopkins Elementary School stands out in grades 3–4, leading in math and reading; its grade-4 results were 71% in math and 68% in reading, respectively 28 and 18 points above state rates. Burnside Elementary School leads the grade-5 results in all five reported subjects, including 64% in math and 67% in writing. Somerset High School was above state rates in five of six subjects and matched the state in writing. Meece has the weakest pattern, with several eighth-grade subjects below state rates, including writing by 12 points and social studies by 9. SchoolDigger’s 2025–2026 statewide rankings place Hopkins highest among these schools at the 93rd percentile and Meece lowest at the 46th.

Results declined on average across matched tests from 2024–2025 to 2025–2026: school scores fell about 4 percentage points, while state results were essentially flat. Burnside had the largest average drop, about 10 points; Southern Middle’s scores were nearly level, and its average gap over the state improved by about 1 point. Other SchoolDigger rankings range from the 72nd percentile for Southern Elementary School to the 87th for Southern Middle. All six schools reported free/reduced lunch eligible figures for school year 2024–2025; the school-level average was 68%, ranging from 56% to 81%. Those measures are context, not an explanation for results. For additional comparison, Somerset High’s graduation rate was 98%, but chronic absenteeism was 38%, above the state’s 24%.