Motley-Staples Middle School

Q: Is Motley-Staples Middle School a good school?

Motley-Staples Middle School ranks 291 st of 545 Minnesota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Motley-Staples Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 5-8 in Staples, Minnesota, with a student population of 295. The school is part of the Staples-Motley School District, which is ranked 230 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Motley-Staples Middle School has consistently underperformed compared to the state average on MCA-III assessments in Math, Reading, and Science. In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates were 34.62% in Math, 38.11% in Reading, and 30.08% in Science, all below the state averages. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with male students and students with low socioeconomic status performing relatively well, but female students and White students performing significantly worse. Additionally, the school has seen a significant increase in the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, from 36.17% in 2021-2022 to 50.85% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Compared to nearby schools, Motley-Staples Middle School's academic performance is generally lower. For example, in 2023-2024, Wadena-Deer Creek 5th and 6th Grade had higher proficiency rates in Math (41.36% vs. 34.62%), Reading (50.62% vs. 38.11%), and Science (66.2% vs. 30.08%). Motley-Staples Middle School's statewide ranking has also declined over the past several years, from 253 out of 518 Minnesota middle schools in 2017-2018 to 291 out of 545 in 2023-2024, suggesting the school is not keeping pace with improvements in other middle schools across the state.

Detail:

Public 5-8

401 Centennial Dr
Staples, MN 56479-8888

(218) 894-5400

District: Staples-Motley School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
291^st of 545 Minnesota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,957

Students who attend Motley-Staples Middle School usually attend:

High:

Staples-Motley Senior High

Feeder schools for Motley-Staples Middle School:

Elementary:

Staples-Motley Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.9

Number of students: 291

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.3%

Two or more races:

5.5%

Hispanic:

3.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Motley-Staples Middle School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2019 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.41. (See more...)

Compare Details Motley-Staples Middle School ranks worse than 53.4% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.93. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87.3%), two or more races (5.5%), Hispanic (3.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Motley-Staples Middle School is 14.9. (See more...)

Compare Motley-Staples Middle School employs 19.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Motley-Staples Middle School is $11,957.

Schooldigger 2019 Rankings:

Motley-Staples Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Motley-Staples Middle School 291^st of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Motley-Staples 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:

Staples-Motley School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Staples-Motley School District 230^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Motley-Staples Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	MN State Percentile
2017	44.42	560^th	853	34.3%
2018	40.25	591^st	847	30.2%
2019	25.41	691^st	870	20.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Motley-Staples Middle School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2004	38.25	292^nd	387	24.5%
2005	52.61	237^th	396	40.2%
2006	46.99	261^st	406	35.7%
2007	40.95	285^th	403	29.3%
2008	45.45	268^th	409	34.5%
2010	40.72	318^th	454	30.0%
2011	47.12	295^th	478	38.3%
2012	58.18	221^st	469	52.9%
2013	41.46	324^th	488	33.6%
2014	43.46	304^th	490	38.0%
2015	48.61	270^th	516	47.7%
2016	39.93	333^rd	508	34.4%
2017	47.27	303^rd	523	42.1%
2018	55.41	253^rd	518	51.2%
2019	48.81	292^nd	533	45.2%
2021	43.94	291^st	521	44.1%
2022	50.94	252^nd	520	51.5%
2023	55.96	216^th	529	59.2%
2024	46.93	291^st	545	46.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	40.65	147^th	253	41.9%
2019	23.01	235^th	282	16.7%
2021	43.89	144^th	260	44.6%
2022	50.92	129^th	288	55.2%
2023	44.22	161^st	298	46.0%
2024	39.58	187^th	307	39.1%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	71.90	86^th	401	78.6%
2019	47.45	222^nd	415	46.5%
2021	58.61	130^th	399	67.4%
2022	53.79	166^th	404	58.9%
2023	67.46	108^th	459	76.5%
2024	58.61	157^th	473	66.8%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	62.10	172^nd	436	60.6%
2019	35.07	324^th	439	26.2%
2021	31.56	324^th	443	26.9%
2022	44.25	272^nd	467	41.8%
2023	48.98	235^th	455	48.4%
2024	40.39	300^th	474	36.7%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	46.06	264^th	438	39.7%
2019	57.85	188^th	454	58.6%
2021	50.74	216^th	437	50.6%
2022	51.62	220^th	476	53.8%
2023	57.16	179^th	464	61.4%
2024	48.32	245^th	479	48.9%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	33.56	322^nd	428	24.8%
2019	28.32	350^th	428	18.2%
2021	25.08	342^nd	422	19.0%
2022	34.59	293^rd	438	33.1%
2023	40.08	270^th	436	38.1%
2024	29.55	339^th	440	23.0%

See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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.

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Motley-Staples Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	457	1	2	2	5	n/a	n/a	467
1996	457	1	2	2	5	n/a	n/a	467
1997	427	0	2	6	4	n/a	n/a	439
1998	422	1	1	7	5	n/a	n/a	436
1999	409	2	1	4	4	n/a	n/a	420
2000	386	3	0	4	7	n/a	n/a	400
2001	368	1	0	0	6	n/a	n/a	375
2002	320	7	3	9	5	n/a	n/a	344
2003	320	7	3	9	5	n/a	n/a	344
2004	333	6	2	7	5	n/a	n/a	353
2005	343	4	1	6	4	n/a	n/a	358
2006	343	2	2	8	5	n/a	n/a	360
2007	302	1	2	12	4	n/a	n/a	321
2008	304	2	2	12	5	n/a	n/a	325
2009	258	2	2	14	3	n/a	n/a	279
2010	257	3	3	11	3	n/a	n/a	277
2011	252	4	5	9	2	0	1	273
2012	270	4	4	3	1	0	1	283
2013	237	2	3	5	1	0	3	251
2014	234	2	1	7	1	0	7	252
2015	231	3	3	10	2	0	11	260
2016	235	3	2	12	6	0	11	269
2017	327	2	3	12	3	0	10	357
2018	308	3	3	14	3	0	15	346
2019	285	0	2	13	6	0	15	321
2020	271	0	0	12	10	0	11	304
2021	257	0	6	8	12	0	18	301
2022	242	0	3	10	9	0	18	282
2023	255	3	3	10	8	1	15	295
2024	254	2	3	10	5	1	16	291

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 Motley-Staples Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	467	22.6	20.7	37.3
1996	467	22.6	20.7	37.3
1997	439	28.5	15.4	37.4
1998	436	n/a	0.0	39.7
1999	420	31.2	13.5	39
2000	400	27.2	14.7	51.5
2001	375	26.4	14.2	48.5
2002	344	23.3	14.8	52
2003	344	23.3	14.8	52
2004	353	22.9	15.4	53.3
2005	358	24.1	14.9	53.9
2006	360	24.0	15.0	61.4
2007	321	20.6	15.6	60.4
2008	325	18.6	17.5	60.3
2009	279	17.2	16.2	55.6
2010	277	17.2	16.0	56.7
2011	273	16.6	16.3	57.1
2012	283	16.7	16.8	59.4
2013	251	17.0	14.6	59.4
2014	252	16.5	15.2	65.1
2015	260	18.0	14.4	57.7
2016	269	16.0	16.8	57.2
2017	357	25.0	14.2	52.4
2018	346	23.7	14.5	52.6
2019	321	22.9	13.9	53.9
2020	304	21.5	14.1	43.4
2021	301	17.4	17.2	40.2
2022	282	16.9	16.6	36.2
2023	295	17.7	16.6	50.8
2024	291	19.4	14.9	52.6

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 Motley-Staples Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	467	22.6	20.7	37.3
1996	467	22.6	20.7	37.3
1997	439	28.5	15.4	37.4
1998	436	n/a	0.0	39.7
1999	420	31.2	13.5	39
2000	400	27.2	14.7	51.5
2001	375	26.4	14.2	48.5
2002	344	23.3	14.8	52
2003	344	23.3	14.8	52
2004	353	22.9	15.4	53.3
2005	358	24.1	14.9	53.9
2006	360	24.0	15.0	61.4
2007	321	20.6	15.6	60.4
2008	325	18.6	17.5	60.3
2009	279	17.2	16.2	55.6
2010	277	17.2	16.0	56.7
2011	273	16.6	16.3	57.1
2012	283	16.7	16.8	59.4
2013	251	17.0	14.6	59.4
2014	252	16.5	15.2	65.1
2015	260	18.0	14.4	57.7
2016	269	16.0	16.8	57.2
2017	357	25.0	14.2	52.4
2018	346	23.7	14.5	52.6
2019	321	22.9	13.9	53.9
2020	304	21.5	14.1	43.4
2021	301	17.4	17.2	40.2
2022	282	16.9	16.6	36.2
2023	295	17.7	16.6	50.8
2024	291	19.4	14.9	52.6

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 Motley-Staples Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$11,957

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Motley-Staples 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 292^nd of 533 Middle schools	Ranks 216^th of 529 Middle schools	14%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Math (Motley-Staples Middle School)	24.7	29.8	5.1%
5th Grade Math (Staples-Motley School District)	24.7	29.8	5.1%
5th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52	44.4	7.6%
5th Grade Reading (Motley-Staples Middle School)	50	50
5th Grade Reading (Staples-Motley School District)	50	50
5th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	65.8	58.7	7%
5th Grade Science (Motley-Staples Middle School)	42.9	45.2	2.4%
5th Grade Science (Staples-Motley School District)	42.9	45.2	2.4%
5th Grade Science (Minnesota)	54.9	48.4	6.5%
6th Grade Math (Motley-Staples Middle School)	38.2	33.3	4.9%
6th Grade Math (Staples-Motley School District)	38.2	33.3	4.9%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Motley-Staples Middle School)	51.7	43.6	8.1%
6th Grade Reading (Staples-Motley School District)	51.7	43.6	8.1%
6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	62.8	53.4	9.4%
7th Grade Math (Motley-Staples Middle School)	55.4	50	5.4%
7th Grade Math (Staples-Motley School District)	55.4	50	5.4%
7th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52.1	39.7	12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Motley-Staples Middle School)	56	48.5	7.4%
7th Grade Reading (Staples-Motley School District)	56	48.5	7.4%
7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	57.5	45.2	12.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	321	295	8.1%
African American	0	3
American Indian	6	8	33.3%
Asian	2	3	50%
Hispanic	13	10	23.1%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	285	255	10.5%
Two or More Races	15	15
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.9%	50.8%	3%

Schools Near Motley-Staples Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)					MCA-III Reading (2024)					MCA-III 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	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Motley-Staples Middle School	Public	5-8	401 Centennial Dr	Staples	56479	Wadena County	Staples-Motley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 894-5400	291	19	14.9	52.6%	254 (87.3%)	2 (0.7%)	10 (3.4%)	3 (1.0%)	5 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (5.5%)	46.9	291^st of 545 public middle schools	46.6%		56	216^th of 529 public middle schools	59.2%	75	23.0	24.4	40.9	50.0	34.6	36.1	37.8	33.8	44.4	38.1	39.3	22.2	30.1	$11,957
Pillager Middle School	Public	5-8	323 E 2nd St S	Pillager	56473	Cass County	Pillager Public School District	No	No	No	No	(218) 746-3772	405	25	16.3	43.7%	370 (91.4%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.9%)	55.2	236^th of 545 public middle schools	56.7%		49.8	264^th of 529 public middle schools	50.1%	28	49.5	26.1	37.0	41.2	37.9	65.0	54.1	41.0	45.4	51.5	54.6	31.4	43.7	$8,860
Wadena-Deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade	Public	5-6	600 Colfax Ave SW	Wadena	56482	Wadena County	Wadena-Deer Creek School District	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 632-2400	168	6	26.0	50.0%	145 (86.3%)	3 (1.8%)	8 (4.8%)	1 (0.6%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.4%)								(n/a)	59.2	27.5			41.4	59.2	44.0			50.6	66.2		66.2	$6,925

Motley-Staples Middle School

Motley-Staples Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Staples-Motley School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for all middle school students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for middle school Female students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for middle school Male students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Rank History for middle school White students at Motley-Staples Middle School

Enrollment information for Motley-Staples Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Motley-Staples Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Motley-Staples Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Motley-Staples Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Motley-Staples Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Motley-Staples Middle School

Motley-Staples Middle School

Pillager Middle School

Wadena-Deer Creek 5th And 6th Grade

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