Henry F Lamuth Middle School

Henry F Lamuth Middle School is a 703-student public middle school at 6700 Auburn Rd in Painesville, Ohio, serving grades 5–7 as part of Riverside Local. In 2025–2026 it ranked 300th of 1,046 Ohio middle schools — the 71st percentile with 4 stars — essentially matching its district's own 72nd-percentile standing, and it has earned 4 stars in each of the last eleven reporting years.

Its strengths and soft spots are unusually specific. English Language Arts is above the state average at every grade, and 5th-grade science is a genuine standout, running roughly 10–13 points above the state in each of the past two years. Math is where it trails: 5th-grade math sits at 52.1% proficient versus 59.1% statewide and 17.8 points below the district's own figure, while 7th-grade math is 46.2% versus 48.6% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is the clearest weakness at 22.6% — above every nearby school that outranks it, including Chardon Middle School (14.4%) and Kirtland Middle School (7.1%) — and it has risen from 17.1% over two years. The school also runs a high load on modest funding: a 19.5:1 student-teacher ratio and $7,615 per student.

Two things stand out most for families. First, special-education outcomes fell sharply, from the 41st percentile to the 5th percentile in a single year, which is a serious flag worth asking the school about directly. Second, the school gets respectable results on comparatively little money — it outperforms Perry Middle School, which spends 89% more per student and ranks only 5 points higher. That said, economic need has climbed fast (22.3% to 37.1% in two years), and the closest apples-to-apples benchmark, Shore Middle School, serves a similar population and ranks slightly higher. Nearby Heritage Middle School in Painesville City Local, just 1.5 miles away, ranks 48 percentile points lower, making Lamuth the clear academic leader in its immediate area.