Rock Springs Junior High

Rock Springs Junior High is a public middle school serving 745 students in grades 7-8 in Rock Springs, Wyoming, which is part of the Sweetwater County School District #1. While the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking and rating over the past few years, dropping from a 4-star rating in 2017-2018 to a 1-star rating in 2024-2025, it continues to face challenges in academic achievement and equitable opportunities for all students.

The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science are consistently below the state and district averages, with the largest gaps in Mathematics. Additionally, Rock Springs Junior High performs particularly poorly for certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students, Special Education students, and Low Socioeconomic Status students, who rank in the bottom 30-40% of Wyoming middle schools. In contrast, the school performs better for Multi-racial students and English Language Learners, ranking in the top half or top 10% of Wyoming middle schools for these groups.

Despite a significant increase in per-student spending, from $14,337 in 2021-2022 to $19,137 in 2023-2024, the school's academic outcomes have not improved. When compared to nearby schools, such as Lincoln Middle School and Eastside Elementary, Rock Springs Junior High appears to be underperforming, with lower proficiency rates and a less favorable student-teacher ratio. These findings suggest the school may need to focus on addressing achievement gaps, providing more targeted support for underperforming student subgroups, and learning from the practices and strategies of its higher-performing counterparts within the same district and region.