Summary:
The 52358 zip code is home to a single middle school, West Branch Middle School, which serves grades 5-8 and is part of the West Branch Community School District. This middle school stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, outpacing state averages on standardized tests across grade levels and subject areas.
West Branch Middle School boasts impressive proficiency rates, with 82.3% of 5th graders scoring proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 69.8%. In math, 85.5% of 5th graders and 79.5% of 6th graders achieved proficiency, surpassing the state averages of 71.5% and 71.8%, respectively. The school's science proficiency rates are also above the state average, with 80.6% of 5th graders and 62.5% of 8th graders scoring proficient or better.
While West Branch Middle School's academic performance is commendable, the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 21.6% in 2023-2024 is somewhat higher than the state would like to see. Additionally, the school's per-student spending of $14,753 in 2018-2019 is relatively high, which may contribute to the school's academic success and the resources available to students. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined in recent years, from 172nd out of 334 Iowa middle schools in 2022-2023 to 235th out of 344 in 2024-2025, which could be an area of concern and worth further investigation.
Thank you for your feedback!