Middle Schools in Needles Unified

Needles Unified School District has only one middle school, Needles Middle, which serves students in grades 6-8. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of California middle schools, with a ranking of 2014 out of 2777 schools in the 2023-2024 school year. Needles Middle's performance on standardized tests is significantly below the state averages, with only 31.53% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts/Literacy and 15.27% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to state averages of 47.04% and 35.54%, respectively.

The school faces several challenges, including a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (79.69% in 2022-2023) and a chronic absenteeism rate of 35.5% in the same school year, both of which are significantly higher than state averages. The student-teacher ratio at Needles Middle is 17:1, slightly higher than the state average.

Overall, the data suggests that Needles Unified is struggling to provide a high-quality education to its middle school students. Addressing the root causes of the school's low performance and implementing targeted interventions to support its disadvantaged student population will be crucial for improving educational outcomes in the district.