Nessacus Regional Middle School

Summary:

Nessacus Regional Middle School is a public middle school located in Dalton, MA, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 345 students. The school is part of the Central Berkshire District, which is ranked 161 out of 351 districts in Massachusetts and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Nessacus Regional Middle School consistently performs above the state average in MCAS Next Generation English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics assessments across all grades. In 2023-2024, the school's ELA proficiency rate for all grades was 42.9%, compared to the state average of 39.17%. In Mathematics, the school's proficiency rate was 32.95%, slightly below the state average of 40.91%. The school's performance in Science is more mixed, with proficiency rates slightly below the state average in recent years. Nessacus Regional Middle School performs particularly well for its low socioeconomic status (SES) students, ranking in the top 25% of Massachusetts middle schools in this category for the past three years. However, the school's performance for its special education and disabled student subgroups is more concerning, ranking in the bottom half of Massachusetts middle schools in recent years.

Compared to nearby schools, Nessacus Regional Middle School generally outperforms Hoosac Valley Middle School and Theodore Herberg Middle School in academic assessments, particularly in Mathematics. However, the school lags behind the higher-performing W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School in both ELA and Mathematics proficiency rates. Additionally, Nessacus Regional Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of White students compared to the nearby schools, which have more diverse student populations.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 35 Fox Road
       Dalton, MA  01226


(413) 684-0780

District: Central Berkshire

SchoolDigger Rank:
211th of 493 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,499 Help


Students who attend Nessacus Regional Middle School usually attend:

High:    Wahconah Regional High

Feeder schools for Nessacus Regional Middle School:

Elementary:    Becket Washington School
    Craneville
    Kittredge

Student/teacher ratio:  14.0 Help
Number of students:  358

Racial breakdown:

White:
89.9%
Hispanic:
5.0%
Two or more races:
3.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  31.2% Help


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 Compare Nessacus Regional Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Nessacus Regional Middle School ranks better than 57.2% of middle schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 52.48. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (89.9%), Hispanic (5%), two or more races (3.4%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nessacus Regional Middle School is 14. (See more...)
Help
Compare Nessacus Regional Middle School employs 25.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nessacus Regional Middle School is $16,499.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Nessacus Regional Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Nessacus Regional Middle School 211th of 493 Massachusetts public middle schools. (See Nessacus Regional Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Central Berkshire:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Berkshire 161st of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Nessacus Regional Middle School?

Rank History for Nessacus Regional Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 59.87 138th 339 59.3%
2004 51.11 180th 344 47.7%
2005 54.23 174th 356 51.1%
2006 49.84 221st 399 44.6%
2007 51.17 218th 399 45.4%
2008 52.47 213th 407 47.7%
2009 46.11 248th 409 39.4%
2010 45.27 271st 434 37.6%
2011 44.82 274th 449 39.0%
2012 47.79 265th 455 41.8%
2013 50.33 240th 455 47.3%
2014 43.06 274th 455 39.8%
2015 57.85 186th 441 57.8%
2016 36.78 316th 482 34.4%
2017 33.85 329th 487 32.4%
2018 31.36 342nd 484 29.3%
2019 38.28 316th 498 36.5%
2021 47.30 253rd 501 49.5%
2022 51.30 215th 497 56.7%
2023 48.30 238th 501 52.5%
2024 52.48 211th 493 57.2%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 10.09 103rd 110 6.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.94 305th 467 34.7%
2019 37.92 306th 484 36.8%
2021 46.12 230th 489 53.0%
2022 57.51 162nd 503 67.8%
2023 21.12 400th 444 9.9%
2024 29.84 298th 441 32.4%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.62 286th 438 34.7%
2019 41.98 271st 452 40.0%
2021 55.51 170th 462 63.2%
2022 63.23 133rd 489 72.8%
2023 57.11 183rd 481 62.0%
2024 68.12 107th 469 77.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.05 331st 463 28.5%
2019 44.02 283rd 478 40.8%
2021 40.07 282nd 483 41.6%
2022 49.53 230th 494 53.4%
2023 51.91 214th 489 56.2%
2024 54.29 202nd 481 58.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.70 257th 417 38.4%
2019 37.03 244th 424 42.5%
2021 34.03 265th 431 38.5%
2022 28.20 319th 445 28.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.61 331st 466 29.0%
2019 32.53 328th 478 31.4%
2021 53.05 204th 485 57.9%
2022 52.02 214th 497 56.9%
2023 43.39 265th 489 45.8%
2024 47.86 227th 483 53.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 49.57 234th 491 52.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for White students at Nessacus Regional Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.43 348th 395 11.9%
2019 21.60 329th 396 16.9%
2021 33.15 275th 401 31.4%
2022 36.07 246th 404 39.1%
2023 30.51 279th 403 30.8%
2024 33.64 251st 392 36.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Nessacus Regional Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Thursday, March 14, 2019

Open Quote The program is revolved around the popular kids and the girls
The unpopular students are not given an opportunity to learn because the teachers would rather have a conversation with the popular kids.
So if you want to enroll your child in this school
You should absolutely reconsider Close Quote



Enrollment information for Nessacus Regional Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 492 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 492
1989 504 2 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 507
1990 518 3 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 522
1991 506 3 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 509
1992 490 4 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 495
1993 524 6 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 531
1994 539 6 3 1 0 n/a n/a 0 549
1995 551 6 5 4 1 n/a n/a 0 567
1996 551 6 5 4 1 n/a n/a 0 567
1997 546 4 3 4 0 n/a n/a 0 557
1998 586 6 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 595
1999 613 6 4 1 0 n/a n/a 0 624
2000 588 5 7 6 2 n/a n/a 0 608
2001 585 4 7 5 1 n/a n/a 0 602
2002 601 7 7 4 0 n/a n/a 0 619
2003 601 7 7 4 0 n/a n/a 0 619
2004 567 5 7 5 0 n/a n/a 0 584
2005 538 4 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 551
2006 535 5 5 4 0 n/a n/a 8 557
2007 487 7 4 6 0 n/a n/a 10 514
2008 472 6 7 8 0 n/a n/a 7 500
2009 451 4 7 8 0 0 10 0 480
2010 473 5 9 6 0 0 9 0 502
2011 471 7 4 11 0 0 15 0 508
2012 408 6 2 9 0 0 16 0 441
2013 416 5 3 10 0 0 16 0 450
2014 375 4 3 11 0 0 12 0 405
2015 410 3 4 16 1 0 11 0 445
2016 374 3 3 15 1 0 13 0 409
2017 361 4 4 11 1 0 15 0 396
2018 355 2 2 7 0 0 15 0 381
2019 344 4 2 11 0 0 13 0 374
2020 347 1 2 14 1 0 12 0 377
2021 321 2 1 15 1 0 18 0 358
2022 292 1 1 11 1 0 16 0 322
2023 303 2 4 16 0 0 20 0 345
2024 322 1 4 18 0 0 12 1 358

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 Nessacus Regional Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 492 n/a n/a n/a
1989 507 n/a n/a n/a
1990 522 n/a n/a n/a
1991 509 n/a n/a n/a
1992 495 n/a n/a n/a
1993 531 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 549 n/a n/a n/a
1995 567 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 567 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 557 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 595 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 624 n/a 0.0 0
2000 608 n/a 0.0 18.1
2001 602 n/a 0.0 17.1
2002 619 n/a n/a 20
2003 619 n/a n/a 20
2004 584 37.7 15.5 22.6
2005 551 38.0 14.5 21.2
2006 557 37.0 15.1 22.6
2007 514 35.0 14.7 26
2008 500 33.4 15.0 22.9
2009 480 34.0 14.1 23.3
2010 502 34.5 14.5 22.5
2011 508 34.7 14.6 32.3
2012 441 34.2 12.8 32.7
2013 450 34.4 13.0 34.4
2014 405 35.2 11.5 32.1
2015 445 37.0 12.0 31.2
2016 409 37.0 11.0 n/a
2017 396 34.1 11.6 n/a
2018 381 30.0 12.7 n/a
2019 374 30.8 12.1 n/a
2020 377 27.7 13.6 n/a
2021 358 24.5 14.6 n/a
2022 322 24.3 13.2 n/a
2023 345 24.2 14.2 n/a
2024 358 25.5 14.0 n/a

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 Nessacus Regional Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 492 n/a n/a n/a
1989 507 n/a n/a n/a
1990 522 n/a n/a n/a
1991 509 n/a n/a n/a
1992 495 n/a n/a n/a
1993 531 n/a 0.0 n/a
1994 549 n/a n/a n/a
1995 567 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 567 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 557 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 595 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 624 n/a 0.0 0
2000 608 n/a 0.0 18.1
2001 602 n/a 0.0 17.1
2002 619 n/a n/a 20
2003 619 n/a n/a 20
2004 584 37.7 15.5 22.6
2005 551 38.0 14.5 21.2
2006 557 37.0 15.1 22.6
2007 514 35.0 14.7 26
2008 500 33.4 15.0 22.9
2009 480 34.0 14.1 23.3
2010 502 34.5 14.5 22.5
2011 508 34.7 14.6 32.3
2012 441 34.2 12.8 32.7
2013 450 34.4 13.0 34.4
2014 405 35.2 11.5 32.1
2015 445 37.0 12.0 31.2
2016 409 37.0 11.0 n/a
2017 396 34.1 11.6 n/a
2018 381 30.0 12.7 n/a
2019 374 30.8 12.1 n/a
2020 377 27.7 13.6 n/a
2021 358 24.5 14.6 n/a
2022 322 24.3 13.2 n/a
2023 345 24.2 14.2 n/a
2024 358 25.5 14.0 n/a

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 Nessacus Regional Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $599 (3.6%) $15,960 (96.4%) $16,559
2020 $1,120 (5.5%) $19,066 (94.4%) $20,187
2021 $1,237 (7.5%) $15,261 (92.5%) $16,499

Data source: Massachusetts Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Nessacus Regional 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 316th of 498 Middle schoolsRanks 238th of 501 Middle schools
 15.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4251.7
 9.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Central Berkshire)4050.4
 10.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5442.3
 11.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4337.6
 5.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Central Berkshire)4436.7
 7.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5141
 10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Nessacus Regional Middle School)3539.4
 4.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Central Berkshire)3540
 5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)4840.5
 7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4139.4
 1.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Central Berkshire)4039.1
 1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4838.1
 9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4330.7
 12.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Central Berkshire)4131.9
 9.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5143.7
 7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Nessacus Regional Middle School)3915.9
 23.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Central Berkshire)3916.1
 22.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4737.7
 9.3%
8th Grade Science (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4341.6
 1.4%
   8th Grade Science (Central Berkshire)4241.5
 0.5%
   8th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4640.9
 5.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4040.8
 0.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Central Berkshire)4343.3
 0.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4230.8
 11.2%
   All Grades Mathematics (Central Berkshire)4336.6
 6.4%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (Nessacus Regional Middle School)4341.6
 1.4%
   All Grades Science (Central Berkshire)4245
 3%
   All Grades Science (Massachusetts)4741.2
 5.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students374345
 7.8%
African American42
 50%
American Indian00
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic1116
 45.5%
Pacific Islander00
White344303
 11.9%
Two or More Races1320
 53.8%


Schools Near Nessacus Regional Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Nessacus Regional Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 358 students attended Nessacus Regional Middle School.

Students at Nessacus Regional Middle School are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Nessacus Regional Middle School ranks 211th of 493 Massachusetts middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Nessacus Regional Middle School usually go on to attend Wahconah Regional High


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





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