West Fork Middle School

West Fork Middle School is a public middle school in Sheffield, Iowa, serving 175 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the West Fork Community School District, which is ranked 188 out of 313 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Fork Middle School consistently outperforms the state average on ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) test scores across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, their 7th-grade students scored 82.8% proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 74.9%, and 84.5% proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to the state average of 71.9%. This trend of exceeding state averages has been observed over multiple years and subject areas. However, the school has experienced fluctuating chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 13.6% to 24.0% in recent years, which is higher than the ideal but similar to nearby schools like John Adams Middle School and Lincoln Intermediate.

Compared to nearby middle schools, West Fork Middle School stands out as a relatively higher-performing institution, particularly in terms of test scores. For instance, Clear Lake Middle School, located approximately 18 miles away, has lower test scores in several subject areas compared to West Fork Middle School. Additionally, West Fork Middle School has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 30.29% to 35.48% in recent years, compared to the nearby schools like John Adams Middle School and Lincoln Intermediate, which have significantly higher free and reduced lunch rates of around 55.72% and 58.4%, respectively.