Middle Schools in Morgan Hill Unified

The Morgan Hill Unified School District serves middle school students in grades 6-8 through two schools, Lewis H. Britton Middle and Martin Murphy Middle, both of which have similar student demographics and resource levels.

While the two schools face common challenges, including mathematics scores below state averages and chronic absenteeism rates higher than the Morgan Hill Unified district average, each has distinct strengths. Lewis H. Britton Middle stands out for its strong science program, where student proficiency significantly exceeds both district and state averages. Martin Murphy Middle shows particular strength in 6th grade English Language Arts, indicating effective foundational literacy instruction. Interestingly, both schools have shown steady improvement in their statewide rankings over the past three years.

Key differences emerge in their performance trajectories: Britton students tend to improve in English Language Arts as they advance through middle school, while Murphy students show a different pattern. The significant gap in science performance between the two schools, despite their similar profiles, suggests potential differences in curriculum or teaching methods that parents may wish to explore further. Overall, both schools are on positive trajectories, and the district could benefit from sharing their respective successful practices in science and early literacy.