Summary:
The city of Payson, Utah is home to two middle schools: Payson Junior High and Mt. Nebo Middle. Both schools serve grades 7-8 and are part of the Nebo District. However, the data indicates that these middle schools are consistently performing below the state and district averages on various academic measures.
Neither Payson Junior High nor Mt. Nebo Middle stand out as high-performing schools. Payson Junior High has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Utah middle schools, ranking 189th out of 210 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Similarly, Mt. Nebo Middle has also ranked in the bottom half of Utah middle schools, ranking 167th out of 210 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and receiving a 1-star rating. Both schools perform significantly below the Nebo District and Utah state averages on standardized tests, such as RISE and Utah Aspire Plus, across various subjects and grade levels.
Additionally, both Payson Junior High and Mt. Nebo Middle have high chronic absenteeism rates, with 23.8% of students being chronically absent in the 2023-2024 school year. The relatively high free and reduced lunch rates at both schools, 29.61% at Payson Junior High and 34.96% at Mt. Nebo Middle, indicate that a significant portion of the student population comes from low-income families, which may contribute to the academic challenges faced by these schools. The data also suggests that the district may need to re-evaluate its resource allocation to ensure that these schools have the necessary funding and support to improve student outcomes.
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