Is J Watson Bailey Middle School a good school?

J Watson Bailey Middle School ranks 1123 rd of 1504 New York middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend J Watson Bailey Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 943 students attended J Watson Bailey Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of J Watson Bailey Middle School?

Students at J Watson Bailey Middle School are 57% White, 26% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 7% African American, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of J Watson Bailey Middle School attend?

Students who attend J Watson Bailey Middle School usually go on to attend Kingston High School

J Watson Bailey Middle School

Summary:

J Watson Bailey Middle School is a public middle school located in Kingston, New York, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 968 students. The school is part of the Kingston City School District, which is ranked 721 out of 865 school districts in New York and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, J Watson Bailey Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom half of New York middle schools, with performance on state assessments generally below the state and district averages. The school's proficiency rates in ELA and math range from 31.28% to 46.07% and 13.28% to 49.37%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 43.64% to 51.88% and 40.72% to 57.08%. However, the school performs better on Regents exams, with 100% proficiency in Earth Science and Algebra I, and 96.3% in Living Environment, outperforming the district and state averages. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with the lowest-performing being its Hispanic and low-socioeconomic status (SES) students.

Compared to nearby schools, J Watson Bailey Middle School's performance is generally lower than that of Haviland Middle School in the Hyde Park Central School District and Bulkeley Middle School in the Rhinebeck Central School District, both of which outperform J Watson Bailey Middle School on state assessments. However, the school has seen a steady increase in per-student spending and a decrease in student-teacher ratio, which could potentially lead to improved academic outcomes if the resources are effectively utilized.

Detail:

Public 5-8

118 Merilina Ave Ext
Kingston, NY 12401-4225

(845) 943-3940

District: Kingston City School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
1123^rd of 1,504 New York Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $21,859

Students who attend J Watson Bailey Middle School usually attend:

High:

Kingston High School

Feeder schools for J Watson Bailey Middle School:

Elementary:	Ernest C Myer School
	George Washington School
	Harry L Edson School
	Robert R Graves School

Student/teacher ratio: 9.1

Number of students: 943

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.6%

Hispanic:

25.9%

Two or more races:

8.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.4%

See top rated New York middle schools

Compare J Watson Bailey Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details J Watson Bailey Middle School ranks worse than 74.7% of middle schools in New York. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.03. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.6%), Hispanic (25.9%), two or more races (8.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 48.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at J Watson Bailey Middle School is 9.1. (See more...)

Compare J Watson Bailey Middle School employs 102.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at J Watson Bailey Middle School is $21,859.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

J Watson Bailey Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks J Watson Bailey Middle School 1123^rd of 1504 New York public middle schools. (See J Watson Bailey Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

Asian students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Kingston City School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Kingston City School District 721^st of 865 New York school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for J Watson Bailey Middle School

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Rank History for all students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2006	44.91	706^th	1095	35.5%
2007	49.02	684^th	1123	39.1%
2008	49.58	744^th	1185	37.2%
2009	59.16	669^th	1224	45.3%
2010	49.04	745^th	1243	40.1%
2011	43.98	810^th	1295	37.5%
2012	44.21	825^th	1337	38.3%
2013	37.45	860^th	1373	37.4%
2014	42.63	797^th	1401	43.1%
2015	36.57	900^th	1407	36.0%
2016	33.91	963^rd	1429	32.6%
2017	33.81	970^th	1455	33.3%
2018	33.51	979^th	1438	31.9%
2019	32.60	968^th	1439	32.7%
2021	31.58	882^nd	1242	29.0%
2022	33.82	1000^th	1479	32.4%
2023	30.39	1087^th	1500	27.5%
2024	29.03	1123^rd	1504	25.3%

See the entire list of New York Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	32.97	74^th	107	30.8%
2019	26.98	88^th	126	30.2%
2021	32.03	62^nd	95	34.7%
2024	23.82	170^th	220	22.7%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	25.29	498^th	503	1.0%
2019	26.97	430^th	473	9.1%
2022	23.93	548^th	581	5.7%
2023	35.11	392^nd	591	33.7%
2024	27.03	540^th	615	12.2%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	46.52	507^th	1170	56.7%
2019	29.84	883^rd	1139	22.5%
2021	24.25	433^rd	522	17.0%
2022	36.20	811^th	1283	36.8%
2023	37.34	801^st	1307	38.7%
2024	30.49	955^th	1303	26.7%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	17.66	1154^th	1245	7.3%
2019	18.59	1128^th	1241	9.1%
2021	24.14	794^th	935	15.1%
2022	19.13	1173^rd	1306	10.2%
2023	17.87	1178^th	1288	8.5%
2024	16.38	1184^th	1296	8.6%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2022	24.11	423^rd	487	13.1%
2023	13.26	525^th	543	3.3%
2024	22.46	514^th	594	13.5%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	35.49	922^nd	1353	31.9%
2019	29.79	1001^st	1370	26.9%
2021	28.75	823^rd	1066	22.8%
2022	34.67	968^th	1454	33.4%
2023	31.11	1070^th	1463	26.9%
2024	36.13	976^th	1465	33.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	34.21	907^th	1352	32.9%
2019	35.95	849^th	1366	37.8%
2021	31.77	765^th	1071	28.6%
2022	32.85	1004^th	1455	31.0%
2023	30.35	1068^th	1464	27.0%
2024	24.05	1206^th	1464	17.6%

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

Rank History for Asian students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	50.63	217^th	374	42.0%
2019	39.31	267^th	369	27.6%
2024	41.17	276^th	396	30.3%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	16.27	627^th	663	5.4%
2019	22.43	555^th	653	15.0%
2022	29.35	518^th	706	26.6%
2023	21.88	595^th	696	14.5%
2024	35.75	467^th	705	33.8%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	19.18	731^st	810	9.8%
2019	14.61	774^th	826	6.3%
2021	18.32	409^th	449	8.9%
2022	22.84	776^th	914	15.1%
2023	17.75	856^th	943	9.2%
2024	18.71	860^th	953	9.8%

See the entire list of Best New York Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at J Watson Bailey Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NY State Percentile
2018	32.29	554^th	763	27.4%
2019	33.02	502^nd	716	29.9%
2021	38.17	405^th	614	34.0%
2022	31.57	533^rd	748	28.7%
2023	33.68	537^th	772	30.4%
2024	27.97	614^th	778	21.1%

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

Data source: test scores: NY State Education Department, 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: NY State Education Department

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Saturday, July 18, 2020

Seriously don't even consider sending your child here. No one keeps their child in this district unless they can't afford to leave or they're incredibly delusional. Academics are nonexistent, no graduate is prepared for college, the violence is incredibly disturbing and out of control, teachers have a completely passive role in the education process and many are ill-equiped, not qualified, snarky, and generally awful, and extra curriculars are just another of the elaborate facades put up by the district to lure in new students instead of actually using funding to give students a good education. Do yourself and your family a favor and just stay away. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, September 14, 2017

Horrible principal. Do not send your children here. Close Quote

Enrollment information for J Watson Bailey Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1989	659	65	14	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	752
1990	646	74	14	21	3	n/a	n/a	0	758
1991	694	79	19	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	805
1992	672	84	15	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	788
1993	782	94	25	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	913
1994	822	108	21	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	977
1995	854	112	36	31	2	n/a	n/a	0	1035
1996	854	112	36	31	2	n/a	n/a	0	1035
1997	812	116	30	34	0	n/a	n/a	0	992
1998	780	139	33	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	983
1999	753	131	24	39	0	n/a	n/a	0	947
2000	772	160	26	57	0	n/a	n/a	0	1015
2001	819	182	30	58	0	n/a	n/a	0	1089
2002	797	162	19	61	5	n/a	n/a	0	1044
2003	797	162	19	61	5	n/a	n/a	0	1044
2004	765	161	15	78	7	n/a	n/a	0	1026
2005	727	182	19	88	7	n/a	n/a	0	1023
2006	693	182	27	95	0	n/a	n/a	0	997
2007	688	184	16	99	0	n/a	n/a	0	987
2008	674	175	14	94	1	n/a	n/a	0	958
2009	599	184	14	82	3	n/a	n/a	2	884
2010	569	175	24	74	0	n/a	n/a	7	849
2011	488	174	23	77	4	0	14	0	780
2012	479	165	23	91	3	0	13	0	774
2013	458	162	19	116	4	0	25	0	784
2014	641	198	27	177	2	0	47	0	1092
2015	622	160	26	188	5	0	51	0	1052
2016	615	142	29	199	5	0	59	0	1049
2017	610	117	32	222	3	2	63	0	1049
2018	590	119	32	234	2	0	72	0	1049
2019	589	108	25	262	1	0	79	0	1064
2020	608	103	22	277	1	0	90	0	1101
2021	562	109	21	276	0	0	93	0	1061
2022	555	89	19	258	1	0	89	0	1011
2023	550	76	14	240	0	0	88	0	968
2024	534	65	20	244	0	0	80	0	943

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 J Watson Bailey Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	752	59.9	12.5	n/a
1990	758	59.9	12.6	n/a
1991	805	56.9	14.1	n/a
1992	788	60.9	12.9	n/a
1993	913	60.7	15.0	n/a
1994	977	63.0	15.5	13.4
1995	1035	66.0	15.7	26.4
1996	1035	66.0	15.7	26.4
1997	992	66.0	15.0	29.5
1998	983	62.9	15.6	31.8
1999	947	61.0	15.5	28.4
2000	1015	67.2	15.1	32.9
2001	1089	70.2	15.5	33.9
2002	1044	75.3	13.9	32.7
2003	1044	75.3	13.9	32.7
2004	1026	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	1023	73.0	14.0	39
2006	997	75.0	13.3	36.4
2007	987	76.5	12.9	39.7
2008	958	79.0	12.1	36.6
2009	884	73.0	12.1	36.1
2010	849	66.0	12.8	39
2011	780	65.2	11.9	41.8
2012	774	67.0	11.5	45.6
2013	784	61.5	12.7	49.2
2014	1092	80.0	13.6	n/a
2015	1052	77.0	13.6	53
2016	1049	82.0	12.7	53.8
2017	1049	82.9	12.6	56.6
2018	1049	87.0	12.0	57.2
2019	1064	87.0	12.2	58.9
2020	1101	101.0	10.9	50.4
2021	1061	97.3	10.8	50
2022	1011	103.2	9.7	50.5
2023	968	101.1	9.5	52.9
2024	943	102.8	9.1	48.4

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 J Watson Bailey Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1989	752	59.9	12.5	n/a
1990	758	59.9	12.6	n/a
1991	805	56.9	14.1	n/a
1992	788	60.9	12.9	n/a
1993	913	60.7	15.0	n/a
1994	977	63.0	15.5	13.4
1995	1035	66.0	15.7	26.4
1996	1035	66.0	15.7	26.4
1997	992	66.0	15.0	29.5
1998	983	62.9	15.6	31.8
1999	947	61.0	15.5	28.4
2000	1015	67.2	15.1	32.9
2001	1089	70.2	15.5	33.9
2002	1044	75.3	13.9	32.7
2003	1044	75.3	13.9	32.7
2004	1026	n/a	n/a	n/a
2005	1023	73.0	14.0	39
2006	997	75.0	13.3	36.4
2007	987	76.5	12.9	39.7
2008	958	79.0	12.1	36.6
2009	884	73.0	12.1	36.1
2010	849	66.0	12.8	39
2011	780	65.2	11.9	41.8
2012	774	67.0	11.5	45.6
2013	784	61.5	12.7	49.2
2014	1092	80.0	13.6	n/a
2015	1052	77.0	13.6	53
2016	1049	82.0	12.7	53.8
2017	1049	82.9	12.6	56.6
2018	1049	87.0	12.0	57.2
2019	1064	87.0	12.2	58.9
2020	1101	101.0	10.9	50.4
2021	1061	97.3	10.8	50
2022	1011	103.2	9.7	50.5
2023	968	101.1	9.5	52.9
2024	943	102.8	9.1	48.4

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.

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