Middle Schools in Lawrence

Four middle schools in Lawrence serve grades 6–8. In 2025–26, their average proficiency was 44% in English language arts (ELA) and 38% in math, both below Kansas averages of 46% and 41%; their 40% science average was above the state’s 38%. Results vary considerably by school, and the clearest overall finding is that Lawrence Southwest Middle School leads all three subjects and exceeds the state in each.

Southwest scored 56% in ELA, 58% in math and 52% in science—10, 19 and 5 percentage points above the next-highest school, Lawrence West Middle School. At the other end, Lawrence Liberty Memorial Central Mid School had the lowest results in every subject: 35% in ELA, 27% in math and 20% in science. Its science result was 21 points below Billy Mills Middle School. SchoolDigger ranks Southwest 45th of 368 statewide, with four stars; West ranks 140th with three stars, while Billy Mills and Liberty Memorial Central rank 244th and 294th, each with one star.

Recent changes show broad improvement in math, but a mixed picture in science. From 2024–25 to 2025–26, the four-school mean rose 3 points in both ELA and math, narrowing the gap with Kansas; in science, the mean fell 3 points but remained above the state. Billy Mills’ science score rose 14 points, while Liberty Memorial Central’s fell 9. Absenteeism also differs: it was 20% at Southwest, close to Kansas’s 18%, compared with 37% at Billy Mills and 41% at Liberty Memorial Central. Billy Mills and Liberty Memorial Central report similar free/reduced-lunch rates—58% and 59%—yet their science results differ by 21 points; these figures describe a contrast, not its cause.