The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Science. The lowest is 38% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Heritage Middle School
Heritage Middle School serves a middle-grades population in Newark, a small city that is the county seat of Licking County. The school enrollment is relatively modest, with about evenly distributed classes across grades six through eight. The student body is predominantly white, with the remainder drawn from multiracial, Black, and Hispanic backgrounds in smaller proportions. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
State assessment results for 2024-25 show uneven performance across subjects. In science, the school demonstrates strength, with proficiency well above the midpoint among other districts in Licking County. English language arts proficiency is in the lower half of the county, and mathematics proficiency is also below the county median. Participation rates in tested subjects are very high, indicating that nearly all students took the assessments. Science was tested at a smaller subset of the school's population in this data year. The school has only one year of recent test data available, so no trend direction can be assessed.
Heritage Middle sits in an economically mixed city that has been growing and diversifying. Newark's downtown has undergone deliberate revitalization centered on Courthouse Square, with restored storefronts, improved walkability, and mixed-use residential-commercial buildings. The broader city includes residential neighborhoods and industrial corridors, including major manufacturing operations and health systems. Housing values and rents in the area are below the state median and notably below the national median, and remain affordable relative to local incomes. Population has been rising, and the area is poised for industrial growth from a major semiconductor facility planned to open within a few years.
The school sits within Newark City Schools, a regular public district. The district brief search found a strategic plan revised in 2025 but uncovered no major referendums, levy changes, or curriculum overhauls in recent years that would signal shifting priorities or operational direction.
Relative to other districts in Licking County, Heritage Middle's overall proficiency index across tested subjects falls into the bottom quartile. This is the primary academic positioning. Parents may want to look into the school's instructional approach in mathematics and English language arts, as well as the pathways and support available to students who are not yet proficient in those subjects. The school does not report data on special-education enrollment or English learner enrollment, and no information is available on staffing, course offerings, discipline, or attendance. The school's website was not provided in available records.
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