Is Northern High School a good school?

Yes. Northern High School ranks in the top 5.0% of Michigan high schools.

How many students attend Northern High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,134 students attended Northern High School.

What is the racial makeup of Northern High School?

Students at Northern High School are 73% White, 10% Asian, 7% African American, 6% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Northern High School?

Northern High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Collins Elementary School Elementary : Meadow Brook Elementary School Middle : Northern Hills Middle School Middle : Northern Trails 56 School

Northern High School

Public 9-12

3801 Leonard St NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525-3372

(616) 493-8600

District: Forest Hills Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
37^th of 735 Michigan High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,550

Feeder schools for Northern High School:

Elementary:	Collins Elementary School
	Meadow Brook Elementary School
Middle:	Northern Hills Middle School
	Northern Trails 56 School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.0

Number of students: 1,134

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.2%

Asian:

9.8%

African American:

6.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 16.5%

See top rated Michigan high schools

Compare Northern High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Northern High School ranks better than 95% of high schools in Michigan. It also ranks last among 3 ranked high schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.81. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Northern High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Northern High School has the largest high school student body size in the Forest Hills Public Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (73.2%), Asian (9.8%), African American (6.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 16.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northern High School is 19, which is the 2^nd best among 3 high schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Northern High School employs 59.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northern High School is $15,550, which is the 2^nd highest among 3 high schools in the Forest Hills Public Schools District.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Northern High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northern High School 37^th of 735 Michigan public high schools. (See Northern High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Forest Hills Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Forest Hills Public Schools 18^th of 606 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Northern High School

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Rank History for all students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2006	90.33	34^th	705	95.2%
2007	89.76	37^th	767	95.2%
2008	87.26	71^st	750	90.5%
2009	89.61	53^rd	754	93.0%
2010	91.60	20^th	765	97.4%
2011	90.67	28^th	784	96.4%
2012	95.47	21^st	773	97.3%
2013	95.53	28^th	805	96.5%
2014	94.49	29^th	799	96.4%
2015	90.85	51^st	832	93.9%
2016	95.76	20^th	852	97.7%
2017	97.56	9^th	835	98.9%
2018	95.93	22^nd	824	97.3%
2019	95.26	24^th	666	96.4%
2021	83.95	69^th	561	87.7%
2022	98.22	9^th	531	98.3%
2023	92.81	37^th	735	95.0%

See the entire list of Michigan High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	84.93	13^th	93	86.0%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	88.97	42^nd	755	94.4%
2019	96.64	14^th	532	97.4%
2021	84.52	45^th	417	89.2%
2022	92.18	20^th	369	94.6%
2023	72.92	116^th	614	81.1%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	93.87	31^st	710	95.6%
2019	91.43	37^th	554	93.3%
2021	70.81	98^th	462	78.8%
2022	98.06	6^th	416	98.6%
2023	88.11	49^th	611	92.0%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	95.65	12^th	707	98.3%
2019	96.11	13^th	543	97.6%
2021	87.84	49^th	472	89.6%
2022	97.33	15^th	440	96.6%
2023	94.18	30^th	611	95.1%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	83.04	15^th	87	82.8%
2019	65.32	17^th	42	59.5%
2022	69.99	12^th	31	61.3%
2023	81.21	14^th	63	77.8%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	64.36	63^rd	254	75.2%
2022	99.32	1^st	51	98.0%
2023	65.98	38^th	170	77.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	95.54	12^th	201	94.0%
2019	96.37	3^rd	97	96.9%
2022	93.35	4^th	83	95.2%
2023	64.50	54^th	190	71.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northern High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	MI State Percentile
2018	95.62	17^th	708	97.6%
2019	95.64	20^th	582	96.6%
2021	75.32	94^th	516	81.8%
2022	98.19	6^th	492	98.8%
2023	90.32	48^th	647	92.6%

See the entire list of Best Michigan High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Northern High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	620	6	12	0	2	n/a	n/a	-3	637
1989	605	2	10	0	0	n/a	n/a	-3	614
1990	576	5	16	2	0	n/a	n/a	-6	593
1991	593	6	17	1	4	n/a	n/a	25	646
1992	687	9	16	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	714
1993	709	9	17	7	3	n/a	n/a	0	745
1994	760	16	18	12	3	n/a	n/a	0	809
1995	855	24	21	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	910
1996	855	24	21	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	910
1997	899	23	21	14	2	n/a	n/a	-3	956
1998	999	17	24	12	2	n/a	n/a	-19	1035
1999	1060	18	24	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	1119
2000	1124	13	43	14	1	n/a	n/a	44	1239
2001	1251	18	49	23	3	n/a	n/a	0	1344
2002	1307	28	43	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	1396
2003	1307	28	43	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	1396
2004	1344	39	47	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	1449
2005	1000	49	36	18	5	n/a	n/a	0	1108
2006	833	90	59	19	5	n/a	n/a	0	1006
2007	751	100	63	16	6	n/a	n/a	0	936
2008	748	87	68	15	7	n/a	n/a	0	925
2009	786	91	66	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	966
2010	769	84	86	23	3	n/a	n/a	0	965
2011	803	88	95	28	2	0	2	0	1018
2012	864	82	93	33	2	0	8	0	1082
2013	855	81	98	40	3	1	11	0	1089
2014	869	70	95	45	1	1	40	0	1121
2015	885	68	95	41	0	2	34	0	1125
2016	839	74	100	48	0	2	43	0	1106
2017	828	76	108	57	0	2	46	0	1117
2018	852	68	116	61	0	0	46	0	1143
2019	857	68	120	64	1	1	54	0	1165
2020	881	64	122	61	2	1	57	0	1188
2021	872	64	130	65	2	1	60	0	1194
2022	839	65	122	65	1	2	59	0	1153
2023	830	76	111	63	0	0	54	0	1134

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Northern High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	637	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	614	n/a	n/a	1.5
1990	593	53.0	11.1	1.3
1991	646	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	714	n/a	n/a	0.8
1993	745	n/a	0.0	2.8
1994	809	44.1	18.3	1.7
1995	910	51.6	17.6	2.7
1996	910	51.6	17.6	2.7
1997	956	56.0	17.1	1.7
1998	1035	59.0	17.5	1.6
1999	1119	63.0	17.8	1.3
2000	1239	70.8	16.9	2.4
2001	1344	76.0	17.7	3.6
2002	1396	76.4	18.3	4.9
2003	1396	76.4	18.3	4.9
2004	1449	79.8	18.2	6.1
2005	1108	65.2	17.0	10
2006	1006	57.9	17.4	14.2
2007	936	57.4	16.3	15.8
2008	925	58.0	15.9	13.8
2009	966	62.9	15.4	16.4
2010	965	60.9	15.8	14.1
2011	1018	56.5	18.0	14.5
2012	1082	58.7	18.4	15.1
2013	1089	58.5	18.5	12.6
2014	1121	62.6	17.9	12.8
2015	1125	61.0	18.4	11.7
2016	1106	58.0	19.0	11.8
2017	1117	58.9	18.9	10.6
2018	1143	61.0	18.7	14.1
2019	1165	60.0	19.4	14.7
2020	1188	58.4	20.3	14.1
2021	1194	56.3	21.1	15.3
2022	1153	57.5	20.0	14.7
2023	1134	59.4	19.0	16.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Northern High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	637	n/a	n/a	n/a
1989	614	n/a	n/a	1.5
1990	593	53.0	11.1	1.3
1991	646	n/a	n/a	n/a
1992	714	n/a	n/a	0.8
1993	745	n/a	0.0	2.8
1994	809	44.1	18.3	1.7
1995	910	51.6	17.6	2.7
1996	910	51.6	17.6	2.7
1997	956	56.0	17.1	1.7
1998	1035	59.0	17.5	1.6
1999	1119	63.0	17.8	1.3
2000	1239	70.8	16.9	2.4
2001	1344	76.0	17.7	3.6
2002	1396	76.4	18.3	4.9
2003	1396	76.4	18.3	4.9
2004	1449	79.8	18.2	6.1
2005	1108	65.2	17.0	10
2006	1006	57.9	17.4	14.2
2007	936	57.4	16.3	15.8
2008	925	58.0	15.9	13.8
2009	966	62.9	15.4	16.4
2010	965	60.9	15.8	14.1
2011	1018	56.5	18.0	14.5
2012	1082	58.7	18.4	15.1
2013	1089	58.5	18.5	12.6
2014	1121	62.6	17.9	12.8
2015	1125	61.0	18.4	11.7
2016	1106	58.0	19.0	11.8
2017	1117	58.9	18.9	10.6
2018	1143	61.0	18.7	14.1
2019	1165	60.0	19.4	14.7
2020	1188	58.4	20.3	14.1
2021	1194	56.3	21.1	15.3
2022	1153	57.5	20.0	14.7
2023	1134	59.4	19.0	16.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Northern High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$185 (1.6%)	$11,223 (98.4%)	$11,408
2020	$153 (1.3%)	$11,674 (98.7%)	$11,828
2021	$568 (4.4%)	$12,458 (95.6%)	$13,026
2022	$464 (3.3%)	$13,507 (96.7%)	$13,971
2023	$484 (3.1%)	$15,065 (96.9%)	$15,550

Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 24^th of 666 High schools	Ranks 37^th of 735 High schools	1.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
11th Grade Social Studies (Northern High School)	70	50.2	19.8%
11th Grade Social Studies (Forest Hills Public Schools)	74.8	59.3	15.5%
11th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)	46.6	36.1	10.5%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Northern High School)	80.9	79.6	1.3%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Forest Hills Public Schools)	82.9	80.7	2.2%
11th Grade Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Michigan)	55.3	52.2	3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Northern High School)	67.1	64	3.1%
11th Grade Mathematics (Forest Hills Public Schools)	67.1	67.8	0.7%
11th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)	36.3	29.9	6.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1165	1134	2.7%
African American	68	76	11.8%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	120	111	7.5%
Hispanic	64	63	1.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	857	830	3.2%
Two or More Races	54	54
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	14.7%	16.5%	1.8%

Schools Near Northern High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (2023)	SAT Mathematics (2023)	M-Step Science (2023)	M-Step Social Studies (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	M-Step Science 11th Grade	M-Step Social Studies 11th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Northern High School	Public	9-12	3801 Leonard St NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Forest Hills Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 493-8600	1,134	59	19.0	16.5%	830 (73.2%)	76 (6.7%)	63 (5.6%)	111 (9.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (4.8%)	92.8	37^th of 735 public high schools	95.0%		98.2	9^th of 531 public high schools	98.3%	28	79.6	64.0	60.1	50.2	$15,550	$484	$15,065
Forest Hills Transition Center	Public	12	3787 Leonard St NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Forest Hills Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 493-8685	21	2	10.5	23.8%	18 (85.7%)	1 (4.8%)	1 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.8%)								(n/a)					$20,162	$10,422	$9,740
Kent Career Technical Center	Public	9-12	1655 E Beltline Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Kent Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 364-8421	0	61	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Kent Innovation High School	Public	9-12	1655 E Beltline Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Kent Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 363-8020	0	3	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
MySchoolKent	Public	6-12	1655 E Beltline Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Kent Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 447-5680	0	15	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Kent Education CenterBeltline	Public	9-12	1606 Leffingwell Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49525	Kent County	Kent Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 410-4760	46	11	4.1	69.6%	22 (47.8%)	14 (30.4%)	5 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (10.9%)								(n/a)
Eastern High School	Public	9-12	2200 Pettis Ave NE	Ada	49301	Kent County	Forest Hills Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 493-8830	802	40	19.8	15.2%	641 (79.9%)	21 (2.6%)	36 (4.5%)	68 (8.5%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (3.9%)	97.2	15^th of 735 public high schools	98.0%		96.1	24^th of 531 public high schools	95.5%	9	79.9	67.4	67.9	63.6	$15,256	$732	$14,524
Lighthouse Academy The Pier	Public, Charter	9-12	703 Ball Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Lighthouse Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 304-8537	31	3	9.7	90.3%	3 (9.7%)	23 (74.2%)	4 (12.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.2%)								(n/a)					$31,647	$12,776	$18,871
Empower U	Public	6-12	225 Mayfield Ave NE	Grand Rapids	49503	Kent County	Kent Independent School District (Isd)	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 410-4860	150	29	5.1	32.7%	92 (61.3%)	25 (16.7%)	17 (11.3%)	6 (4.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.0%)								(n/a)
East Grand Rapids High School	Public	9-12	2211 Lake Dr SE	Grand Rapids	49506	Kent County	East Grand Rapids Public Schools	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(616) 235-7555	914	48	19.1	8.5%	747 (81.7%)	22 (2.4%)	51 (5.6%)	22 (2.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (7.7%)	98.7	6^th of 735 public high schools	99.2%		98.7	6^th of 531 public high schools	98.9%		87.0	69.7	69.1	79.7	$12,838	$704	$12,134

Northern High School

Northern High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Forest Hills Public Schools:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Northern High School

Rank History for all students at Northern High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northern High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northern High School

Rank History for Female students at Northern High School

Rank History for Male students at Northern High School

Rank History for Asian students at Northern High School

Rank History for African American students at Northern High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northern High School

Rank History for White students at Northern High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Northern High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Northern High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Northern High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Northern High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Northern High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Northern High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Northern High School

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