Sparta Middle School

Summary:

Sparta Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Sparta, Michigan, with a student population of 473 as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school is part of the Sparta Area Schools district, which is ranked 151 out of 610 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Sparta Middle School's academic performance, as measured by M-Step and PSAT test scores, is generally on par with or slightly above the state averages in most subject areas. However, the school's performance lags behind some of the higher-performing nearby schools, such as North Rockford Middle School and Red Hawk Intermediate. Sparta Middle School also has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 42.58% to 49.05% over the past few years, suggesting a higher proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds compared to some of the nearby schools.

One area of concern for Sparta Middle School is its high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 5.5% in 2020-2021 to 21.0% in 2021-2022. This is an issue that may be impacting the school's overall academic performance. Additionally, the school's performance on academic metrics varies across different student subgroups, with Hispanic and Special Education students tending to perform below the overall school averages. By addressing chronic absenteeism, supporting underperforming student subgroups, and optimizing resource allocation, Sparta Middle School may be able to enhance its academic outcomes and better serve its student population.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 235 E Spartan Dr
       Sparta, MI  49345-1574


(616) 887-8211

District: Sparta Area Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
327th of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,980 Help


Students who attend Sparta Middle School usually attend:

High:    Sparta Senior High School

Feeder schools for Sparta Middle School:

Elementary:    Appleview Elementary School
    Ridgeview Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.3 Help
Number of students:  490

Racial breakdown:

White:
81.4%
Hispanic:
13.5%
Two or more races:
2.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  50.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sparta Middle School ranks better than 63.5% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 55.62. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (81.4%), Hispanic (13.5%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 50.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sparta Middle School is 19.3. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sparta Middle School employs 25.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sparta Middle School is $13,980.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sparta Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Sparta Middle School 327th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Sparta 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:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Sparta Area Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Sparta Area Schools 151st of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sparta Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 62.14 365th 806 54.7%
2007 59.30 433rd 823 47.4%
2008 68.73 282nd 839 66.4%
2009 69.00 298th 847 64.8%
2010 67.01 339th 851 60.2%
2011 67.34 306th 858 64.3%
2012 51.73 446th 900 50.4%
2013 53.29 439th 919 52.2%
2014 52.67 457th 921 50.4%
2015 67.06 258th 919 71.9%
2016 66.33 259th 894 71.0%
2017 62.31 256th 821 68.8%
2018 73.56 202nd 838 75.9%
2019 68.38 206th 792 74.0%
2021 46.79 321st 675 52.4%
2022 50.54 336th 776 56.7%
2023 45.72 444th 883 49.7%
2024 55.62 327th 897 63.5%
See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.96 87th 154 43.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.42 65th 377 82.8%
2019 66.17 21st 76 72.4%
2023 45.34 96th 199 51.8%
2024 52.17 72nd 201 64.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.09 156th 815 80.9%
2019 70.22 129th 672 80.8%
2021 38.92 325th 523 37.9%
2022 55.68 258th 691 62.7%
2023 40.74 480th 825 41.8%
2024 57.81 279th 836 66.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.82 165th 794 79.2%
2019 65.51 192nd 658 70.8%
2021 39.59 300th 521 42.4%
2022 45.27 321st 657 51.1%
2023 41.44 429th 770 44.3%
2024 49.05 336th 771 56.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.72 211th 797 73.5%
2019 62.60 194th 639 69.6%
2021 42.86 276th 540 48.9%
2022 45.89 320th 658 51.4%
2023 41.18 441st 776 43.2%
2024 52.68 320th 786 59.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.49 144th 266 45.9%
2019 49.66 66th 137 51.8%
2021 49.61 37th 69 46.4%
2022 34.72 95th 138 31.2%
2023 48.86 121st 246 50.8%
2024 38.86 154th 257 40.1%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sparta Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.65 203rd 678 70.1%
2019 60.50 210th 624 66.3%
2021 45.91 278th 577 51.8%
2022 43.80 332nd 638 48.0%
2023 32.99 469th 688 31.8%
2024 45.32 347th 701 50.5%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan Department of 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.

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





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sparta Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 826 3 1 123 0 n/a n/a -1 952
1989 873 1 0 75 2 n/a n/a 0 951
1990 895 2 4 134 0 n/a n/a 0 1035
1991 763 0 4 7 0 n/a n/a 0 774
1992 773 1 3 13 1 n/a n/a 0 791
1993 798 1 2 10 0 n/a n/a 0 811
1994 774 2 4 21 0 n/a n/a 0 801
1995 805 6 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 822
1996 805 6 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 822
1997 842 5 4 9 3 n/a n/a 0 863
1998 868 3 4 9 2 n/a n/a 0 886
1999 828 2 1 18 0 n/a n/a 0 849
2000 835 4 1 13 0 n/a n/a 0 853
2001 798 3 4 17 0 n/a n/a 0 822
2002 692 8 5 64 0 n/a n/a 0 769
2003 692 8 5 64 0 n/a n/a 0 769
2004 736 9 6 67 0 n/a n/a 0 818
2005 753 9 9 80 1 n/a n/a 0 852
2006 605 7 5 58 1 n/a n/a 2 678
2007 773 8 7 59 1 n/a n/a 2 850
2008 590 6 3 44 n/a n/a n/a 3 646
2009 546 6 3 53 0 n/a n/a 1 609
2010 531 10 5 57 2 n/a n/a 1 606
2011 513 7 5 46 1 0 15 0 587
2012 520 9 5 62 1 0 13 0 610
2013 517 9 4 55 0 1 12 0 598
2014 490 9 4 79 0 1 7 0 590
2015 462 5 4 75 0 1 8 0 555
2016 466 7 3 69 0 0 9 0 554
2017 464 7 3 67 0 0 9 0 550
2018 446 10 3 76 0 0 10 0 545
2019 481 7 7 83 2 0 8 0 588
2020 480 10 4 77 3 0 9 0 583
2021 492 7 4 82 2 0 12 0 599
2022 418 8 1 74 3 0 8 0 512
2023 390 3 4 63 1 0 12 0 473
2024 399 7 3 66 2 0 13 0 490

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 Sparta Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 952 n/a n/a n/a
1989 951 n/a n/a 20
1990 1035 57.0 18.1 21
1991 774 n/a n/a n/a
1992 791 n/a n/a 26
1993 811 n/a 0.0 26.3
1994 801 47.0 17.0 22.7
1995 822 51.0 16.1 24.2
1996 822 51.0 16.1 24.2
1997 863 54.0 16.0 18.4
1998 886 55.0 16.1 18.6
1999 849 53.0 16.0 21.6
2000 853 56.1 15.2 27.1
2001 822 55.6 14.8 25.7
2002 769 51.1 15.0 31.2
2003 769 51.1 15.0 31.2
2004 818 47.0 17.4 28
2005 852 47.1 18.1 30.2
2006 678 46.1 14.7 38.9
2007 850 45.6 18.6 30.4
2008 646 36.9 17.5 30
2009 609 34.8 17.5 36.7
2010 606 35.1 17.2 42.5
2011 587 35.3 16.6 42.9
2012 610 33.7 18.1 43.9
2013 598 30.5 19.5 44.6
2014 590 27.0 21.8 45.9
2015 555 26.0 21.3 45
2016 554 23.0 24.0 43
2017 550 28.0 19.6 44
2018 545 26.2 20.8 46.8
2019 588 27.6 21.2 48.8
2020 583 28.5 20.4 48.5
2021 599 27.3 21.9 47.2
2022 512 26.0 19.6 42.6
2023 473 26.7 17.6 49
2024 490 25.3 19.3 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 Sparta Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 952 n/a n/a n/a
1989 951 n/a n/a 20
1990 1035 57.0 18.1 21
1991 774 n/a n/a n/a
1992 791 n/a n/a 26
1993 811 n/a 0.0 26.3
1994 801 47.0 17.0 22.7
1995 822 51.0 16.1 24.2
1996 822 51.0 16.1 24.2
1997 863 54.0 16.0 18.4
1998 886 55.0 16.1 18.6
1999 849 53.0 16.0 21.6
2000 853 56.1 15.2 27.1
2001 822 55.6 14.8 25.7
2002 769 51.1 15.0 31.2
2003 769 51.1 15.0 31.2
2004 818 47.0 17.4 28
2005 852 47.1 18.1 30.2
2006 678 46.1 14.7 38.9
2007 850 45.6 18.6 30.4
2008 646 36.9 17.5 30
2009 609 34.8 17.5 36.7
2010 606 35.1 17.2 42.5
2011 587 35.3 16.6 42.9
2012 610 33.7 18.1 43.9
2013 598 30.5 19.5 44.6
2014 590 27.0 21.8 45.9
2015 555 26.0 21.3 45
2016 554 23.0 24.0 43
2017 550 28.0 19.6 44
2018 545 26.2 20.8 46.8
2019 588 27.6 21.2 48.8
2020 583 28.5 20.4 48.5
2021 599 27.3 21.9 47.2
2022 512 26.0 19.6 42.6
2023 473 26.7 17.6 49
2024 490 25.3 19.3 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 Sparta Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $990 (9.6%) $9,302 (90.4%) $10,292
2020 $850 (8.2%) $9,480 (91.8%) $10,330
2021 $1,432 (13.1%) $9,487 (86.9%) $10,919
2022 $1,879 (15.5%) $10,281 (84.5%) $12,160
2023 $1,790 (12.8%) $12,190 (87.2%) $13,980

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sparta 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 206th of 792 Middle schoolsRanks 444th of 883 Middle schools
 24.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sparta Middle School)44.533.1
 11.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Sparta Area Schools)44.533.1
 11.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)41.737.5
 4.2%
6th Grade Math (Sparta Middle School)50.527
 23.5%
   6th Grade Math (Sparta Area Schools)50.527
 23.5%
   6th Grade Math (Michigan)35.129.6
 5.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sparta Middle School)52.527.5
 25%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Sparta Area Schools)52.527.5
 25%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)42.736.9
 5.8%
7th Grade Math (Sparta Middle School)44.426
 18.4%
   7th Grade Math (Sparta Area Schools)44.426
 18.4%
   7th Grade Math (Michigan)35.731
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Sparta Middle School)35.224.8
 10.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Sparta Area Schools)35.224.8
 10.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)2826.7
 1.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sparta Middle School)62.260.8
 1.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Sparta Area Schools)62.260.8
 1.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)61.959.7
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sparta Middle School)46.135.3
 10.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Sparta Area Schools)46.135.3
 10.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)41.436.3
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students588473
 19.6%
African American73
 57.1%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian74
 42.9%
Hispanic8363
 24.1%
Pacific Islander00
White481390
 18.9%
Two or More Races812
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients48.8%49%
 0.2%


Schools Near Sparta Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sparta Middle School

Students at Sparta Middle School are 81% White, 13% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 490 students attended Sparta Middle School.

Sparta Middle School ranks 327th of 897 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Sparta Middle School usually go on to attend Sparta Senior High 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 Michigan 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.





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