Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 21740

In zip code 21740 (Hagerstown, MD), there are two public middle schools serving grades 6-8: Western Heights Middle and E. Russell Hicks Middle, both part of the Washington County Public Schools district.

E. Russell Hicks Middle is the standout school in this area, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 70th percentile statewide—a significant improvement over the past three years. It outperforms Western Heights Middle across nearly all academic metrics, including math proficiency (28.5% vs. 16.7%) and English Language Arts proficiency (56.5% vs. 43.9%). Both schools serve a high percentage of students from low-income households (around 69%), yet E. Russell Hicks meets or exceeds district and state averages, while Western Heights falls significantly below. Chronic absenteeism is a major challenge at both schools, with rates of 34.3% at E. Russell Hicks and 38.2% at Western Heights, both well above the district average of 29.0%.

An interesting finding is that both schools excel in Algebra I, a high school-level course taken by advanced middle school students, with proficiency rates of 85.7% at E. Russell Hicks and 68.2% at Western Heights—far exceeding the state average of 21.3%. However, Western Heights faces a critical concern with its 8th-grade performance, where only 8% of students are proficient in math and 36.8% in ELA, suggesting a widening learning gap. Overall, E. Russell Hicks Middle is a rising star with a positive trajectory, while Western Heights Middle struggles with stagnant rankings and significant academic challenges.