Middle Schools in Independence

There is only one middle school located in Independence, Kansas - Independence Middle School. This school serves students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Independence school district.

Independence Middle School has seen a decline in its statewide ranking over the past few years, dropping from 141st out of 368 Kansas middle schools in 2021-2022 to 228th out of 362 in 2023-2024. The school's performance on state assessments is below the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics across all grade levels. In 2023-2024, the percentage of students proficient or better in ELA ranged from 17.47% (8th grade) to 31.78% (6th grade), compared to the state average of 33.55%. In Mathematics, the percentage of students proficient or better ranged from 20.71% (7th grade) to 23.07% (8th grade), compared to the state average of 31.6%. The school's performance in Science is also below the district and state averages, with only 19.57% of students proficient or better in 8th grade Science in 2023-2024.

The high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, at 72.29% in the 2022-2023 school year, indicates that the school serves a population with significant socioeconomic challenges. This factor may contribute to the school's academic performance, as research has shown that students from low-income backgrounds often face additional barriers to academic success. The school's below-average performance in core subject areas suggests that there may be opportunities for improvement in curriculum, instruction, and targeted interventions to support student learning.