Spoiler Alert: Not Great

It’s important to note that these rankings are based on 2021-2022 proficiency scores—a period marked by upheaval due to the previous Board of Education (BOE) and administration’s decision to push through a chaotic reconfiguration of our schools.

While US News & World Report relies on year-old data, we have already reported updated proficiency scores for 2022-2023, and I’ll offer a more current picture of performance later on in the article.

Here’s a breakdown of how the 19 elementary schools on the 7-District Dashboard stacked up in this year’s rankings:

Thomas P. Hughes Elementary was most significantly affected by the reconfiguration, forced to accommodate higher enrollment and a strained infrastructure. The result? A school operating at maximum capacity, like a “sardine can,” impacting both students and staff.

Here is an average ranking placement of each District’s Elementary Schools:

While the rankings may be discouraging, the latest proficiency data from 2022-2023 offers a glimmer of hope. Here’s how Thomas P. Hughes and Mountain Park performed:

Math Proficiency:

Hughes improved by 5 percentage points.

Mountain Park dropped 4 percentage points.

Net Gain: A modest improvement between the two schools.

ELA Proficiency:

Hughes saw a significant 11-point increase.

Mountain Park fell by 2 points.

Net Gain: Strong overall improvement.

Science Proficiency:

Hughes improved by 5 points, but Mountain Park saw a 13-point decline.

Net Impact: A net loss

While the 2025 rankings may not paint a rosy picture, the more recent improvements in Hughes’ proficiency performance—particularly in Math and ELA—signal positive trends for the District.

I’m not sure whether science proficiency is factored into the rankings (if at all), so the full impact remains uncertain, but we should see Hughes bump up in the rankings next year, while Mountain Park may drop.

See Also: Columbia Middle School Pulls Ahead in U.S. News & World Report Rankings

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