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Honest take: what's the hardest part about being a student at High Rock School?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
441
Middle
DISTRICT 654 · STATE 547
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·NEEDHAM·NCES 250837002690
High Rock School
77 Ferndale Road, Needham, MA 02492 · (781) 455-0400 · Norfolk County
GRADES 06–06MIDDLE21-SUBURBREGULAR SCHOOL441 STUDENTS
Student : Teacher
11.8:1
37 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 11.4:1 · STATE 11.5:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
Community
5
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 6 | 441 | 100% |
Student demographics
49%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 47% · STATE 65% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within Needham. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
MCAS 2024-25 . % Meeting or Exceeding ExpectationsEnglish Language Arts
76.0%
MA avg 43.8% . -5.0pp since 2016
Math
79.0%
MA avg 42.2% . -6.0pp since 2016
What this means: On the MCAS, Massachusetts's statewide test, about 76 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 79 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Massachusetts schools, those numbers are about 44 and 42. Reading and writing scores are down about 5 points since 2016, while math scores are down about 6 points.
MCAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 76.0% | 79.0% |
| 2023-24 | 71.0% | 70.0% |
| 2022-23 | 74.0% | 75.0% |
| 2021-22 | 74.0% | 80.0% |
| 2020-21 | 73.0% | 61.0% |
| 2018-19 | 82.0% | 77.0% |
| 2017-18 | 80.0% | 80.0% |
| 2016-17 | 81.0% | 85.0% |
% Meeting or Exceeding Expectations, all students and all tested grades.
Source: MCAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where High Rock School ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Massachusetts | In Norfolk County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 79.0% | #6 of 304 ▲ 17 | #1 of 33 ▲ 4 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 76.0% | #10 of 304 ▲ 6 | #4 of 33 no change |
| 3-year test score change ranked biggest gain first | +0.5pp | #173 of 299 | #24 of 32 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 441 | #205 of 310 | #24 of 34 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.8:1 | #169 of 296 | #24 of 34 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 48.5% | #136 of 296 | #18 of 34 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -2.0% | #194 of 204 | #20 of 20 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
441
+47 (+12%) vs 2020
-2% since 2010-11, when it was 448
Student : Teacher
11.8:1
was 10.7:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 441 | 37.4 | 11.8:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 447 | 36.5 | 12.3:1 | N/A |
| 2022-23 | 446 | 36.9 | 12.1:1 | N/A |
| 2020-21 | 394 | 37 | 10.7:1 | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 450 | 37.8 | 11.9:1 | N/A |
| 2015-16 | 451 | 37 | 12.2:1 | N/A |
| 2010-11 | 448 | 32 | 14.0:1 | 7% (33) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for High Rock School.
Since 2017-18: students down 2% (450 to 441); teachers down 1% (37.8 to 37.4).
About High Rock School
Needham, Massachusetts, is home to High Rock School, a low-enrollment middle-grades school. It had 441 students in 2024-25, spanning grade 6.
District-wide, Needham has 8 schools and 5,493 students.
The share of White students at High Rock School is 70%, a majority. The school is also 12% Asian, 7% Hispanic, 7% multiracial, and 3% Black. Census estimates put Norfolk County at about 70% White, close to the school's figure. A diversity index of 49% means there is a 49% chance two randomly chosen students at High Rock School are from different groups.
The school had 37.4 full-time-equivalent teachers in 2024-25. Its student-to-teacher ratio is 11.8:1. The 11.5:1 average for middle schools in Massachusetts is close to this figure.
For the population of Norfolk County, median household income comes to about $130,739, 59% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and about 4% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Norfolk County counts 198 public schools with about 101,300 students.
Measured in a straight line, Newman Elementary is about 0.8 miles from High Rock School. Around the school, at least 8 other public schools are within five miles.
High Rock School is coded as Suburb: Large in federal locale data.
The 2020-21-to-2024-25 change in enrollment was a 12% rise, from 394 to 441. Its ratio of students to teachers was 10.7:1 in 2020-21, and 11.8:1 in 2024-25.
People who know High Rock School can post here about special education services, counseling, and support programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to post.
Norfolk County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
730,082
Census ACS
Median income
$130,739
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
59%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
4%
Below federal line
Schools in county
198
101,300 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Needham
- Needham HighHigh · 1,633 students
- Pollard MiddleMiddle · 867 students
- Newman ElementaryElementary · 696 students
- Sunita L. Williams ElementaryElementary · 533 students
- BroadmeadowElementary · 502 students
- William MitchellElementary · 424 students
Other schools in Needham
- Needham HighHigh · 1,633 students
- Pollard MiddleMiddle · 867 students
- Newman ElementaryElementary · 696 students
- Sunita L. Williams ElementaryElementary · 533 students
- BroadmeadowElementary · 502 students
- William MitchellElementary · 424 students
Nearby schools
- Newman Elementary0.8 mi · 696
- Pollard Middle0.9 mi · 867
- Needham High1.1 mi · 1,633
- William Mitchell1.5 mi · 424
- Sunita L. Williams Elementary1.7 mi · 533
- Broadmeadow1.8 mi · 502
Frequently asked questions
About High Rock SchoolHow large is High Rock School?
High Rock School enrolls approximately 441 students in grades 06-06.
Is High Rock School an elementary, middle, or high school?
High Rock School is a middle school covering grades 06-06.
How many teachers does High Rock School have?
High Rock School employs 37 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.8:1.
How diverse is High Rock School?
High Rock School reports a student body of 70% White, 7% Hispanic, 3% Black, 12% Asian, 7% Two or more.
What district is High Rock School in?
High Rock School is part of Needham.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.