Middle School among top in nation

Pea Ridge Middle School was named 40th best middle school in the nation, according to “The Best Schools.”

“PRMS is very honored to have received such outstanding recognition,” Matt Wood, principal, said.

“This ranking is a reflection of the dedication our school district and community has to ensuring the success of our students. Our students, teachers and stakeholders should be proud of such an amazing accomplishment, and the hard work that has went into making PRMS a topnotch middle school.”

There are 524 students enrolled in Pea Ridge Middle School for the 2015-2016 school year, according to school records

According to The Best Schools, PRMS serves 400 plus students in grades 6 through 8. “The school is renowned for its high test scores on state assessments,” according to the internet site.

Pea Ridge students may participate in Future Business Leaders of America, band, choir and athletics, including baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, track and field, cheerleading, softball and volleyball.

The school district maintains a Facebook page where pictures of students participating in different activities are displayed. Awards and Rankings: • Rated 9 (on a scale of 10) by GreatSchools.com

• Rated 10 (on a scale of 10) by Education.com

• Ranked No. 2 out of all middle schools in the state by SchoolDigger.com

• Most-Improved Open Educational Practices (OEP) Award for End-of-Course Exam Growth, 2007 through 2013

• Rated 9 (on a scale of 10) by Zillow.com.

This ranking of the best middle schools in the United States focuses on grades 7 and 8. By a “middle school,” Best Schools means a school that includes those grades.

For this study, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results in science, math, and reading for eighth graders were used as a principal (but not the sole) basis for comparison of schools. The NAEP administers the same test nationally so that one standard is applied to each student no matter which state they live in.

In the case of other common standardized test assessments, each state creates and administers its own tests, which makes cross-state comparisons difficult. That is the reason why we emphasize the NAEP. However, state assessment scores were also examined, where available, and weighed together with the NAEP scores.

Finally, other factors such as awards and rankings and geographical diversity were also taken into account.