West Middle School

Summary:

West Middle School is a public middle school located in Traverse City, Michigan, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,081 students. The school is part of the Traverse City Area Public Schools district, which is ranked 168 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Middle School consistently performs above the state average in M-Step and PSAT assessments across various subjects and grade levels. In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (51.6% for 6th grade, 51.3% for 7th grade) and Math (42.4% for 6th grade, 42.1% for 7th grade) are significantly higher than the state averages (37.5% and 31% respectively). The school's PSAT proficiency rates in English Language Arts (76.5%) and Math (45.5%) for 8th grade are also notably higher than the state averages (64.5% and 32.6%). Additionally, West Middle School has a relatively diverse student population, with 88.25% White, 4.72% Hispanic, 1.57% Asian, and 3.05% two or more races, which is higher compared to the nearby East Middle School, which has a student population that is 87.66% White.

West Middle School has seen a significant decrease in chronic absenteeism rates, from 17.7% in 2017-2018 to 7.4% in 2022-2023, which is notably better than the nearby Forest Area Middle School, which had a chronic absenteeism rate of 38.1% in 2022-2023. The school has also seen a steady increase in spending per student, from $10,019 in 2019-2020 to $14,303 in 2022-2023, which is higher than the $12,814 per student spent at Forest Area Middle School in 2022-2023.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 3950 Silver Lake Rd
       Traverse City, MI  49684-8946


(231) 933-8200

District: Traverse City Area Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
124th of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,303 Help


Students who attend West Middle School usually attend:

High:    Traverse City High School
    West Senior High

Feeder schools for West Middle School:

Elementary:    Long Lake Elementary School
    Silver Lake Elementary School
    Westwoods Elementary School
    Willow Hill Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  21.9 Help
Number of students:  1,108

Racial breakdown:

White:
88.9%
Hispanic:
4.2%
Two or more races:
3.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  37.2% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West Middle School ranks better than 86.2% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.42. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (88.9%), Hispanic (4.2%), two or more races (3.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 37.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Middle School is 21.9. (See more...)
Help
Compare West Middle School employs 50.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Middle School is $14,303.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks West Middle School 124th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See West Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Traverse City Area Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Traverse City Area Public Schools 168th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for West Middle School

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Rank History for all students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 82.54 89th 806 89.0%
2007 81.90 93rd 823 88.7%
2008 78.37 141st 839 83.2%
2009 77.65 147th 847 82.6%
2010 77.79 150th 851 82.4%
2011 73.27 211th 858 75.4%
2012 60.27 342nd 900 62.0%
2013 56.58 383rd 919 58.3%
2014 58.69 379th 921 58.8%
2015 66.13 280th 919 69.5%
2016 67.72 247th 894 72.4%
2017 62.54 255th 821 68.9%
2018 78.40 159th 838 81.0%
2019 72.74 174th 792 78.0%
2021 69.08 158th 675 76.6%
2022 79.76 116th 776 85.1%
2023 79.26 138th 883 84.4%
2024 80.42 124th 897 86.2%
See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.56 91st 156 41.7%
2023 56.24 62nd 163 62.0%
2024 62.83 58th 176 67.0%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.78 110th 377 70.8%
2019 24.00 62nd 76 18.4%
2022 16.10 66th 70 5.7%
2023 27.14 151st 199 24.1%
2024 20.42 176th 201 12.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.09 155th 815 81.0%
2019 68.40 144th 672 78.6%
2021 60.81 153rd 523 70.7%
2022 63.53 177th 691 74.4%
2023 63.97 211th 825 74.4%
2024 68.88 179th 836 78.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 68.51 6th 19 68.4%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.22 152nd 794 80.9%
2019 65.11 194th 658 70.5%
2021 62.52 141st 521 72.9%
2022 78.86 89th 657 86.5%
2023 77.73 115th 770 85.1%
2024 77.23 113th 771 85.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.05 161st 797 79.8%
2019 72.51 133rd 639 79.2%
2021 65.22 140th 540 74.1%
2022 74.22 122nd 658 81.5%
2023 73.72 145th 776 81.3%
2024 77.18 132nd 786 83.2%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.00 135th 266 49.2%
2023 56.30 101st 246 58.9%
2024 76.87 44th 257 82.9%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at West Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.52 162nd 678 76.1%
2019 66.84 175th 624 72.0%
2021 65.54 153rd 577 73.5%
2022 75.21 124th 638 80.6%
2023 73.82 140th 688 79.7%
2024 73.06 149th 701 78.7%
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.

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





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Open Quote best Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Open Quote This school is VERY good. I tranfered my kid from east and she loves it even more. East is an okay school but didnt stop kids from bullying my daughter. I highly recomend west middle school, its the one for your child! Close Quote



Enrollment information for West Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 2058 5 7 12 23 n/a n/a 0 2105
1989 2008 5 13 17 36 n/a n/a 0 2079
1990 2103 10 16 17 29 n/a n/a 0 2175
1991 2136 9 16 20 39 n/a n/a 0 2220
1992 2299 12 9 16 35 n/a n/a 0 2371
1993 1284 3 2 6 20 n/a n/a 0 1315
1994 1318 3 5 9 23 n/a n/a 0 1358
1995 1383 5 12 13 29 n/a n/a 0 1442
1996 1383 5 12 13 29 n/a n/a 0 1442
1997 1403 4 9 15 22 n/a n/a 0 1453
1998 1450 2 12 16 25 n/a n/a 0 1505
1999 1369 0 18 14 30 n/a n/a 0 1431
2000 1378 1 17 21 33 n/a n/a 0 1450
2001 1391 1 11 24 23 n/a n/a 0 1450
2002 1423 5 14 32 30 n/a n/a 0 1504
2003 1423 5 14 32 30 n/a n/a 0 1504
2004 1430 5 18 29 26 n/a n/a 0 1508
2005 1410 10 19 40 22 n/a n/a 0 1501
2006 1313 6 15 31 26 n/a n/a 0 1391
2007 1345 5 11 39 24 n/a n/a 0 1424
2008 1305 5 9 22 16 n/a n/a 0 1357
2009 1148 12 22 16 16 n/a n/a 0 1214
2010 1128 14 20 27 22 n/a n/a 0 1211
2011 1082 10 16 32 23 0 17 0 1180
2012 1082 15 11 27 29 0 22 0 1186
2013 1068 14 17 31 18 0 21 0 1169
2014 1055 12 19 38 21 0 18 0 1163
2015 1114 11 18 34 15 1 19 0 1212
2016 1132 7 12 47 16 0 24 0 1238
2017 1051 8 17 44 20 1 33 0 1174
2018 1095 10 18 42 22 1 35 0 1223
2019 1065 13 21 37 20 0 37 0 1193
2020 1097 15 16 41 16 1 38 0 1224
2021 961 12 9 47 16 1 34 0 1080
2022 970 9 12 45 17 3 29 0 1085
2023 954 9 17 51 16 1 33 0 1081
2024 985 8 14 46 13 2 40 0 1108

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 Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2105 n/a n/a n/a
1989 2079 n/a n/a 11.7
1990 2175 129.0 16.8 11.7
1991 2220 n/a n/a n/a
1992 2371 n/a n/a 17.4
1993 1315 n/a 0.0 19.2
1994 1358 67.8 20.0 15.3
1995 1442 77.9 18.5 15.1
1996 1442 77.9 18.5 15.1
1997 1453 78.0 18.6 12.9
1998 1505 78.0 19.3 13.4
1999 1431 75.0 19.1 11.2
2000 1450 75.0 19.3 20.8
2001 1450 77.0 18.8 22.3
2002 1504 84.7 17.8 24.6
2003 1504 84.7 17.8 24.6
2004 1508 84.3 17.9 25.9
2005 1501 81.8 18.3 27.6
2006 1391 77.0 18.1 27.8
2007 1424 74.4 19.1 30.1
2008 1357 69.7 19.5 28.2
2009 1214 68.7 17.7 35.7
2010 1211 67.1 18.0 35.5
2011 1180 62.6 18.8 36
2012 1186 58.6 20.2 39.8
2013 1169 58.1 20.1 40.1
2014 1163 58.9 19.7 45
2015 1212 61.0 19.8 35.2
2016 1238 59.0 20.9 33.7
2017 1174 59.8 19.6 38.9
2018 1223 55.7 21.9 38.8
2019 1193 58.4 20.4 37.2
2020 1224 59.0 20.7 37.3
2021 1080 52.5 20.5 34.7
2022 1085 53.1 20.4 34.4
2023 1081 53.6 20.1 38.3
2024 1108 50.4 21.9 37.2

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 Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 2105 n/a n/a n/a
1989 2079 n/a n/a 11.7
1990 2175 129.0 16.8 11.7
1991 2220 n/a n/a n/a
1992 2371 n/a n/a 17.4
1993 1315 n/a 0.0 19.2
1994 1358 67.8 20.0 15.3
1995 1442 77.9 18.5 15.1
1996 1442 77.9 18.5 15.1
1997 1453 78.0 18.6 12.9
1998 1505 78.0 19.3 13.4
1999 1431 75.0 19.1 11.2
2000 1450 75.0 19.3 20.8
2001 1450 77.0 18.8 22.3
2002 1504 84.7 17.8 24.6
2003 1504 84.7 17.8 24.6
2004 1508 84.3 17.9 25.9
2005 1501 81.8 18.3 27.6
2006 1391 77.0 18.1 27.8
2007 1424 74.4 19.1 30.1
2008 1357 69.7 19.5 28.2
2009 1214 68.7 17.7 35.7
2010 1211 67.1 18.0 35.5
2011 1180 62.6 18.8 36
2012 1186 58.6 20.2 39.8
2013 1169 58.1 20.1 40.1
2014 1163 58.9 19.7 45
2015 1212 61.0 19.8 35.2
2016 1238 59.0 20.9 33.7
2017 1174 59.8 19.6 38.9
2018 1223 55.7 21.9 38.8
2019 1193 58.4 20.4 37.2
2020 1224 59.0 20.7 37.3
2021 1080 52.5 20.5 34.7
2022 1085 53.1 20.4 34.4
2023 1081 53.6 20.1 38.3
2024 1108 50.4 21.9 37.2

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 Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $356 (3.5%) $9,781 (96.5%) $10,137
2020 $539 (5.4%) $9,480 (94.6%) $10,019
2021 $839 (7.3%) $10,645 (92.7%) $11,484
2022 $916 (7.6%) $11,168 (92.4%) $12,084
2023 $604 (4.2%) $13,699 (95.8%) $14,303

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

Impact of COVID-19 on West 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 174th of 792 Middle schoolsRanks 138th of 883 Middle schools
 6.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Middle School)56.544.1
 12.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Traverse City Area Public Schools)57.750.2
 7.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)41.737.5
 4.2%
6th Grade Math (West Middle School)36.735.5
 1.2%
   6th Grade Math (Traverse City Area Public Schools)41.438.3
 3.1%
   6th Grade Math (Michigan)35.129.6
 5.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (West Middle School)63.844.8
 19%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Traverse City Area Public Schools)60.347.7
 12.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)42.736.9
 5.8%
7th Grade Math (West Middle School)43.147.3
 4.2%
   7th Grade Math (Traverse City Area Public Schools)4347.7
 4.7%
   7th Grade Math (Michigan)35.731
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (West Middle School)35.840.2
 4.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Traverse City Area Public Schools)37.335.6
 1.7%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)2826.7
 1.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (West Middle School)70.576.5
 6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Traverse City Area Public Schools)72.171.5
 0.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)61.959.7
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Middle School)47.558
 10.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Traverse City Area Public Schools)51.852.6
 0.8%
   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 Students11931081
 9.4%
African American139
 30.8%
American Indian2016
 20%
Asian2117
 19%
Hispanic3751
 37.8%
Pacific Islander01
White1065954
 10.4%
Two or More Races3733
 10.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients37.2%38.3%
 1.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about West Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,108 students attended West Middle School.

West Middle School ranks 124th of 897 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students who attend West Middle School usually go on to attend Traverse City High School

Students at West Middle School are 89% White, 4% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian, 1% American Indian.


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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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