George Washington Middle School

George Washington Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Dubuque Community School District, with 607 students located at 51 N Grandview Ave, Dubuque, IA 52001.

Despite being part of the Dubuque district, George Washington Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Iowa middle schools, with a current ranking of 282 out of 344 schools and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school has faced challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 21.6% to 31.9%, and lower test scores in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science compared to the district and state averages. For example, in 2024-2025, the school's 8th-grade proficiency rates were 65.8% in ELA, 70.1% in Math, and 69.6% in Science, compared to the district's 73.2%, 71.1%, and 69.9%, respectively, and the state's 80.2%, 74.4%, and 70.5%.

When comparing George Washington Middle School to other middle schools in the Dubuque area, such as Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School and Drexler Middle School, it stands out as the lowest-performing school, with significantly higher statewide rankings, test scores, and lower chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch rates. The high rates of chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch at George Washington Middle School may be contributing to the lower academic performance, and the district-level challenges suggest that targeted interventions and support are needed to improve student outcomes across the Dubuque Community School District.