The top reported proficiency rate is 89% in Math. The lowest is 63% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Hills Elementary School
Hills Elementary serves early grades in a small working-class Ohio River village shaped by steel manufacturing. The school enrolls a modest number of students across pre-K through fourth grade, drawn from a population that is substantially white and economically disadvantaged, with most families qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.
The school sits in Mingo Junction, a post-industrial town whose identity centers on the JSW steel mill that reopened in the past few years after a long shutdown. The village is compact and walkable, and residents describe it as close-knit. Civic life clusters along Commercial Street at the town center, while schools occupy a separate campus zone on Wilson Avenue. Housing values are low relative to state and national benchmarks, making this an economically accessible area, though the community is in a long-term demographic decline rather than growth phase. The Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County serves the town, and bus service connects the village to nearby Steubenville and surrounding areas.
Academically, Hills Elementary shows strength in math proficiency, with the majority of tested third and fourth graders performing at or above proficiency. English language arts proficiency is notably lower, with less than three-quarters of students meeting the standard. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile relative to other districts in Jefferson County, a positioning that reflects solid foundational performance in the county context. State testing data for social studies is dated and sparse; no recent proficiency results were available for that subject. The school participates fully in state assessments, with near-universal participation rates.
The district has invested in the school's physical plant through recent renovations and is adding a new community innovation center on the Hills campus, slated to open in the 2026-27 school year. That facility will house a walk-in clinic, an alternative school program, a K-8 day treatment program, and job services, bringing additional resources and support to the campus. The district is also implementing a new reading and phonics curriculum grounded in the science of reading specifically at Hills Elementary, signaling attention to early literacy instruction. Systemwide, the district has adopted a student-led goal-setting model called Leader In Me and is shifting toward student-led portfolio conferences in place of traditional parent-teacher meetings, changing how families engage with their children's learning.
Families considering Hills should understand that this is a school serving a economically vulnerable population in a small town anchored by industrial employment. The academic profile is solid in math and moderate in reading, positioning the school competitively within its county. Special-education and English-learner enrollment data were not available. The school's future campus includes wraparound services being added over the next year, which may broaden its role in the community beyond traditional academics.
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