West Liberty Middle School

Summary:

West Liberty Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 5-8 in West Liberty, Iowa, with a student population of 399. The school is part of the West Liberty Community School District, which is ranked 305 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Liberty Middle School consistently underperforms the state average in ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics were 36.7% and 33.7% for 5th grade, compared to the state averages of 69% and 70.7%, respectively. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 53.38% to 59.06% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools. Interestingly, West Liberty Middle School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.5 to 14.3 over the past three school years, which is lower than the surrounding schools.

The nearby schools, such as Northwest Junior High School, Highland Middle School, and Tipton Middle School, generally outperform West Liberty Middle School in terms of test scores, school rankings, and student demographics. This highlights the challenges faced by West Liberty Middle School in providing a high-quality education to its diverse student population. The school's declining statewide ranking, from 157 out of 343 Iowa middle schools in 2015-2016 to 313 out of 337 in 2023-2024, suggests that the school is struggling to keep up with the performance of other middle schools in the state.

Detail:

Public 5-8

203 E. 7th St
West Liberty, IA 52776

(319) 627-2118

District: West Liberty Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
313^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,387

Students who attend West Liberty Middle School usually attend:

High:

West Liberty High School

Feeder schools for West Liberty Middle School:

Elementary:	Early Childhood Center
	West Liberty Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.5

Number of students: 391

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

58.6%

White:

37.9%

Asian:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.6%

See top rated Iowa middle schools

Compare West Liberty Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details West Liberty Middle School ranks worse than 92.9% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.43. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (58.6%), White (37.9%), Asian (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Liberty Middle School is 14.5. (See more...)

Compare West Liberty Middle School employs 26.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Liberty Middle School is $13,387.

Schooldigger Rankings:

West Liberty Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks West Liberty Middle School 313^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See West Liberty Middle School in the ranking list.)

West Liberty Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks West Liberty Community School District 305^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for West Liberty Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2012	48.90	195^th	349	44.1%
2013	41.74	247^th	350	29.4%
2014	46.73	202^nd	337	40.1%
2015	51.19	193^rd	349	44.7%
2016	56.97	157^th	343	54.2%
2017	34.06	254^th	327	22.3%
2018	16.58	287^th	318	9.7%
2019	23.57	286^th	342	16.4%
2021	33.71	245^th	324	24.4%
2022	33.41	254^th	337	24.6%
2023	22.32	285^th	334	14.7%
2024	12.43	313^th	337	7.1%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for West Liberty Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	316	0	5	47	0	n/a	n/a	0	368
1989	326	0	10	44	0	n/a	n/a	0	380
1990	305	0	15	55	0	n/a	n/a	0	375
1991	309	0	14	64	0	n/a	n/a	0	387
1992	314	0	20	65	0	n/a	n/a	0	399
1993	278	0	26	86	0	n/a	n/a	0	390
1994	267	0	26	92	0	n/a	n/a	0	385
1995	388	3	33	133	0	n/a	n/a	0	557
1996	388	3	33	133	0	n/a	n/a	0	557
1997	351	2	30	154	0	n/a	n/a	0	537
1998	305	1	28	179	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1999	293	2	19	175	0	n/a	n/a	0	489
2000	342	3	21	203	1	n/a	n/a	-28	542
2001	291	3	17	228	1	n/a	n/a	0	540
2002	263	7	17	221	2	n/a	n/a	0	510
2003	263	7	17	221	2	n/a	n/a	0	510
2004	240	7	12	234	0	n/a	n/a	0	493
2005	239	9	15	248	0	n/a	n/a	0	511
2006	228	11	15	265	0	n/a	n/a	0	519
2007	209	7	14	226	1	n/a	n/a	0	457
2008	214	8	9	231	1	n/a	n/a	0	463
2009	223	7	11	245	2	n/a	n/a	0	488
2010	96	1	7	119	0	0	5	0	228
2011	101	0	8	126	0	0	5	0	240
2012	122	0	7	143	0	0	6	0	278
2013	121	0	5	163	0	0	2	0	291
2014	135	0	2	146	0	0	4	0	287
2015	116	0	8	145	1	0	0	0	270
2016	117	0	7	140	1	0	3	0	268
2017	107	0	7	157	1	0	4	0	276
2018	111	1	1	170	0	0	6	0	289
2019	112	2	2	157	0	0	5	0	278
2020	109	2	3	161	0	0	6	0	281
2021	131	2	6	157	0	0	2	0	298
2022	164	3	5	215	0	0	4	0	391
2023	164	2	5	225	0	0	3	0	399
2024	148	2	6	229	0	0	6	0	391

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at West Liberty Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	368	23.2	15.8	15.8
1989	380	23.5	16.1	15.3
1990	375	24.7	15.1	12.5
1991	387	26.1	14.8	14.7
1992	399	26.0	15.3	16
1993	390	26.8	14.6	22.1
1994	385	26.7	14.4	23.6
1995	557	38.3	14.5	22.6
1996	557	38.3	14.5	22.6
1997	537	40.0	13.4	29.2
1998	513	40.6	12.6	32
1999	489	34.8	14.1	39.5
2000	542	43.3	12.5	35.3
2001	540	42.8	12.6	40.6
2002	510	38.8	13.1	32.5
2003	510	38.8	13.1	32.5
2004	493	40.7	12.1	36.9
2005	511	40.1	12.7	42.7
2006	519	43.4	12.0	45.3
2007	457	42.8	10.7	46.6
2008	463	41.9	11.1	48.8
2009	488	45.6	10.7	45.7
2010	228	22.1	10.2	52.6
2011	240	21.0	11.4	50
2012	278	22.4	12.3	52.9
2013	291	21.2	13.6	60.1
2014	287	20.3	14.1	58.9
2015	270	23.0	11.7	58.5
2016	268	23.0	11.6	59.7
2017	276	23.2	11.8	62.3
2018	289	21.7	13.2	65.1
2019	278	24.7	11.2	60.1
2020	281	24.7	11.3	63
2021	298	25.6	11.5	59.1
2022	391	29.6	13.1	58.6
2023	399	27.8	14.3	53.4
2024	391	26.8	14.5	50.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio West Liberty Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	368	23.2	15.8	15.8
1989	380	23.5	16.1	15.3
1990	375	24.7	15.1	12.5
1991	387	26.1	14.8	14.7
1992	399	26.0	15.3	16
1993	390	26.8	14.6	22.1
1994	385	26.7	14.4	23.6
1995	557	38.3	14.5	22.6
1996	557	38.3	14.5	22.6
1997	537	40.0	13.4	29.2
1998	513	40.6	12.6	32
1999	489	34.8	14.1	39.5
2000	542	43.3	12.5	35.3
2001	540	42.8	12.6	40.6
2002	510	38.8	13.1	32.5
2003	510	38.8	13.1	32.5
2004	493	40.7	12.1	36.9
2005	511	40.1	12.7	42.7
2006	519	43.4	12.0	45.3
2007	457	42.8	10.7	46.6
2008	463	41.9	11.1	48.8
2009	488	45.6	10.7	45.7
2010	228	22.1	10.2	52.6
2011	240	21.0	11.4	50
2012	278	22.4	12.3	52.9
2013	291	21.2	13.6	60.1
2014	287	20.3	14.1	58.9
2015	270	23.0	11.7	58.5
2016	268	23.0	11.6	59.7
2017	276	23.2	11.8	62.3
2018	289	21.7	13.2	65.1
2019	278	24.7	11.2	60.1
2020	281	24.7	11.3	63
2021	298	25.6	11.5	59.1
2022	391	29.6	13.1	58.6
2023	399	27.8	14.3	53.4
2024	391	26.8	14.5	50.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for West Liberty Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$274 (2.0%)	$13,113 (98.0%)	$13,387

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Liberty Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 286^th of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 285^th of 334 Middle schools	1.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Liberty Middle School)	71.6	62.7	8.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Liberty Community School District)	71.6	62.7	8.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Liberty Middle School)	67	56	11%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Liberty Community School District)	67	56	11%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (West Liberty Middle School)	53.1	53.3	0.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (West Liberty Community School District)	53.1	53.3	0.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Liberty Middle School)	54.2	49.5	4.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Liberty Community School District)	54.2	49.5	4.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (West Liberty Middle School)	50.6	73.1	22.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (West Liberty Community School District)	50.6	73.1	22.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Liberty Middle School)	57.6	63.9	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Liberty Community School District)	57.6	63.9	6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	278	399	43.5%
African American	2	2
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	5	150%
Hispanic	157	225	43.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	112	164	46.4%
Two or More Races	5	3	40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.1%	53.4%	6.7%

Schools Near West Liberty Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)				ISASP Mathematics (2024)				ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West Liberty Middle School	Public	5-8	203 E. 7th St	West Liberty	52776	Muscatine County	West Liberty Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 627-2118	391	27	14.5	50.6%	148 (37.9%)	2 (0.5%)	229 (58.6%)	6 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.5%)	12.4	313^th of 337 public middle schools	7.1%		22.3	285^th of 334 public middle schools	14.7%	28	36.7	65.0	66.2	47.5	33.7	53.0	67.5	40.4	37.1	43.4	$13,387	$274	$13,113
West Branch Middle School	Public	5-8	900 W. Main St.	West Branch	52358	Cedar County	West Branch Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 643-5324	229	16	14.7	22.7%	200 (87.3%)	2 (0.9%)	18 (7.9%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.5%)	50.3	194^th of 337 public middle schools	42.4%		55.5	172^nd of 334 public middle schools	48.5%	22	87.5	79.1	75.9	83.6	90.0	79.1	65.5	67.2	65.0	63.9	$14,753	$580	$14,171
Southeast Junior High School	Public	7-8	2501 Bradford Dr	Iowa City	52240	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1070	853	56	15.2	49.6%	423 (49.6%)	172 (20.2%)	181 (21.2%)	13 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	57 (6.7%)	36.9	248^th of 337 public middle schools	26.4%		25.4	280^th of 334 public middle schools	16.2%	32			79.5	73.1			66.8	61.4		62.4	$13,848	$402	$13,446
Susan Clark Junior High	Public	7-8	600 Kindler Ave	Muscatine	52761	Muscatine County	Muscatine Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 263-0411	599	52	11.5	58.4%	354 (59.1%)	31 (5.2%)	179 (29.9%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.7%)	32.3	261^st of 337 public middle schools	22.6%		28.2	271^st of 334 public middle schools	18.9%	10			73.9	70.7			68.8	60.1		62.7
Tipton Middle School	Public	5-8	725 West 7th St.	Tipton	52772	Cedar County	Tipton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(563) 886-6025	267	21	12.8	33.7%	252 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	56.5	162^nd of 337 public middle schools	51.9%		44.1	212^th of 334 public middle schools	36.5%	50	80.0	88.5	89.6	72.3	72.3	80.3	65.7	75.4	70.8	63.1	$10,591	$216	$10,375
Northwest Junior High School	Public	7-8	1507 8th St	Coralville	52241	Johnson County	Iowa City Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 688-1060	720	49	14.6	43.5%	340 (47.2%)	198 (27.5%)	79 (11.0%)	56 (7.8%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	39 (5.4%)	52.6	186^th of 337 public middle schools	44.8%		56.7	167^th of 334 public middle schools	50.0%	19			80.5	77.7			72.0	69.5		72.0	$14,464	$430	$14,034
Highland Middle School	Public	6-8	1715 Vine Avenue	Riverside	52327	Washington County	Highland Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(319) 648-2891	112	8	14.1	14.3%	105 (93.8%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.7%)	47	209^th of 337 public middle schools	38.0%		60.4	142^nd of 334 public middle schools	57.5%	67		74.4	76.2	75.0		59.0	69.0	78.6		82.1	$11,058	$57	$11,001

Frequently Asked Questions about West Liberty Middle School

What district is West Liberty Middle School in?

West Liberty Community School District

How many students attend West Liberty Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 391 students attended West Liberty Middle School.

Is West Liberty Middle School a good school?

West Liberty Middle School ranks in the bottom 7.1% of Iowa middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of West Liberty Middle School?

Students at West Liberty Middle School are 59% Hispanic, 38% White, 2% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of West Liberty Middle School attend?

Students who attend West Liberty Middle School usually go on to attend West Liberty High School

Rate West Liberty Middle School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Iowa Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.