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Rankings updated: Louisiana rankings were updated on September 12, 2026 with the addition of grade 3-8 science and High School Civics test scores

Northwestern Middle School

Q: Is Northwestern Middle School a good school?

Northwestern Middle School ranks 86 th of 464 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 7-8

86^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 464 Louisiana Middle Schools

Better than 81% of Louisiana middle schools

Summary

Northwestern Middle School in Zachary, LA, serves 841 students in grades 7 and 8 and is part of the highly-rated Zachary Community School District, which holds a 5-star rating and ranks in the 91st percentile statewide.

This school stands out for its exceptional performance in Social Studies, where 79% of students are proficient—a remarkable 24 percentage points above the state average. This strength is part of a balanced academic profile, with proficiency rates of 83% in English Language Arts and 74% in Math, both well above state averages. Compared to nearby schools, Northwestern outperforms Central Middle School in all core subjects and is on par with Live Oak Junior High in ELA and Social Studies. The school also boasts a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 10.1%, less than half the state average of 22.5% and far lower than Park Forest Middle School (36.6%) or Capitol Middle School (70.5%). This low absenteeism reflects a highly engaged student body and a positive school culture.

Northwestern excels at serving diverse student groups, ranking in the 95th percentile for African American students and the 96th percentile for White students statewide. Its success is supported by a strong feeder school, Copper Mill Elementary/Middle School, which also posts high proficiency rates and low absenteeism. While the school has seen a slight dip in its overall state ranking from 28th to 69th over recent years, it remains a top-tier choice in the region. One area for growth is serving its Hispanic and English Language Learner students, who currently perform at lower levels. Overall, Northwestern provides an excellent, well-rounded education that sets it apart from nearly all nearby schools.

841

Students ?

13.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,750

Per pupil spending ?

60.4%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

5200 East Central Avenue
Zachary, LA 70791

(225) 654-9201

District: Zachary Community School District

Students who attend Northwestern Middle School usually attend:

High:

Zachary High School

Feeder schools for Northwestern Middle School:

Elementary:	Northwestern Elementary School
	Rollins Place Elementary
	Zachary Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

61.1%

White:

30.1%

Hispanic:

3.6%

See top rated Louisiana middle schools

Compare Northwestern Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 92nd percentile in 2016 → 81st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Louisiana average (82% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 19% of Louisiana middle schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2016

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school82%

District avg74%

Louisiana avg62%

86^th of 464

Louisiana public middle schools ?

Top 19%▼ down 10 pts since 2016

From top 8% (2016) to top 19% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Louisiana Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

12^th of 119Zachary Community School District among Louisiana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	79.5	86 of 464	81.5%	★★★★☆
2025	85.2	54 of 447	87.9%	★★★★☆
2024	83.7	58 of 449	87.1%	★★★★☆
2023	87.6	43 of 465	90.8%	★★★★★
2022	88.8	34 of 460	92.6%	★★★★★
2021	88.0	39 of 459	91.5%	★★★★★
2019	89.5	33 of 449	92.7%	★★★★★
2018	85.5	28 of 411	93.2%	★★★★★
2017	89.6	30 of 437	93.1%	★★★★★
2016	86.6	36 of 435	91.7%	★★★★★
2015	87.3	37 of 482	92.3%	★★★★★
2014	87.0	36 of 470	92.3%	★★★★★
2013	87.6	28 of 457	93.9%	★★★★★
2012	89.0	28 of 442	93.7%	★★★★★
2011	87.1	27 of 412	93.4%	★★★★★
2010	86.2	30 of 408	92.6%	★★★★★
2009	85.7	36 of 425	91.5%	★★★★★
2008	85.0	37 of 413	91.0%	★★★★★
2007	84.7	35 of 396	91.2%	★★★★★

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	86.3	33 of 362	90.9%	★★★★★
2025	90.8	18 of 344	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	89.2	23 of 333	93.1%	★★★★★
2023	91.0	22 of 360	93.9%	★★★★★
2022	91.7	27 of 360	92.5%	★★★★★
2021	92.0	20 of 352	94.3%	★★★★★
2019	94.8	14 of 338	95.9%	★★★★★
2018	94.6	14 of 313	95.5%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2018	88.4	5 of 170	97.1%	★★★★★

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	55.4	27 of 76	64.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	81.6	68 of 450	84.9%	★★★★☆
2025	86.0	36 of 415	91.3%	★★★★★
2024	82.1	61 of 415	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	88.5	34 of 444	92.3%	★★★★★
2022	88.1	31 of 441	93.0%	★★★★★
2021	86.8	40 of 441	90.9%	★★★★★
2019	88.5	27 of 418	93.5%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	52.8	78 of 186	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.2	58 of 155	62.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.2	47 of 152	69.1%	★★★★☆
2023	76.1	22 of 163	86.5%	★★★★☆
2018	96.4	4 of 118	96.6%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	74.1	93 of 458	79.7%	★★★★☆
2025	80.6	64 of 437	85.4%	★★★★☆
2024	77.4	76 of 444	82.9%	★★★★☆
2023	83.9	49 of 459	89.3%	★★★★☆
2022	80.8	58 of 458	87.3%	★★★★☆
2021	80.7	65 of 455	85.7%	★★★★☆
2019	88.9	32 of 430	92.6%	★★★★★
2018	91.3	21 of 403	94.8%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	76.4	92 of 446	79.4%	★★★★☆
2025	85.9	42 of 414	89.9%	★★★★★
2024	83.3	56 of 426	86.9%	★★★★☆
2023	84.9	50 of 443	88.7%	★★★★☆
2022	87.3	36 of 442	91.9%	★★★★★
2021	85.8	50 of 442	88.7%	★★★★☆
2019	89.3	29 of 418	93.1%	★★★★★

Multi-racial

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	76.8	13 of 81	84.0%	★★★★☆
2025	95.9	1 of 41	97.6%	★★★★★
2023	66.5	19 of 63	69.8%	★★★★☆
2022	84.1	8 of 58	86.2%	★★★★☆
2021	87.9	5 of 57	91.2%	★★★★★
2019	62.2	17 of 49	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	94.1	1 of 33	97.0%	★★★★★

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	70.7	57 of 256	77.7%	★★★★☆
2025	74.9	29 of 168	82.7%	★★★★☆
2024	76.7	28 of 175	84.0%	★★★★☆
2023	70.7	35 of 206	83.0%	★★★★☆
2022	59.8	56 of 206	72.8%	★★★★☆
2021	76.6	26 of 210	87.6%	★★★★☆
2019	96.0	5 of 202	97.5%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Louisiana percentile	Rating
2026	83.8	29 of 345	91.6%	★★★★★
2025	88.4	14 of 316	95.6%	★★★★★
2023	92.5	13 of 352	96.3%	★★★★★
2022	92.5	14 of 362	96.1%	★★★★★
2021	89.0	21 of 358	94.1%	★★★★★
2019	89.8	18 of 350	94.9%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Disabled (2018)97th percentile+4 vs school

White (2026)92nd percentile+10 vs school

African American (2026)91st percentile+9 vs school

Female (2026)85th percentile+3 vs school

Multi-racial (2026)84th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)80th percentile~ school

Male (2026)79th percentile~ school

Special Education (2026)78th percentile-4 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)64th percentile-17 vs school

Hispanic (2026)58th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs Louisiana (2025-2026) ?

Algebra I100%+35 vs state

English Language Arts83%+13 vs state

Social Studies79%+24 vs state

Mathematics74%+12 vs state

Science72%+13 vs state

★

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Schools Near Northwestern Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				LEAP Mathematics (2026)					LEAP English Language Arts (2026)					LEAP Science (2026)					LEAP Social Studies (2026)					LEAP Algebra I (2026)	LEAP Geometry (2026)	LEAP English II (2026)	LEAP U.S. History (2026)	LEAP English I (2026)	LEAP Biology (2026)	LEAP Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	LEAP Mathematics 5th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 6th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 7th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 8th Grade	LEAP Mathematics All Grades	LEAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts All Grades	LEAP Science 5th Grade	LEAP Science 6th Grade	LEAP Science 7th Grade	LEAP Science 8th Grade	LEAP Science All Grades	LEAP Social Studies 5th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 6th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 7th Grade	LEAP Social Studies 8th Grade	LEAP Social Studies All Grades	LEAP Algebra I End of Course	LEAP Geometry End of Course	LEAP English II End of Course	LEAP U.S. History End of Course	LEAP English I End of Course	LEAP Biology End of Course	LEAP Civics End of Course	Total
Northwestern Middle School	Public	7-8	5200 East Central Avenue	Zachary	70791	East Baton Rouge Parish	Zachary Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 654-9201	841	63	13.4	60.4%	253 (30.1%)	514 (61.1%)	30 (3.6%)	13 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (3.6%)	79.5	86^th of 464 public middle schools	81.5%		85.2	54^th of 447 public middle schools	87.9%	32			79.0	70.0	74.0			82.0	84.0	83.0			72.0	70.0	72.0			80.0	77.0	79.0	100.0	≥ 96%						$14,750
Copper Mill Elementary/Middle School	Public	5-6	1300 Independence Blvd.	Zachary	70791	East Baton Rouge Parish	Zachary Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 658-1288	837	62	13.4	65.7%	254 (30.3%)	498 (59.5%)	46 (5.5%)	7 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	30 (3.6%)								(n/a)	79.0	86.0			83.0	79–84%	86.0			85.0	80.0	64.0			72.0	72.0	64.0			68.0								$13,847
Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	9147 Elm Grove Garden	Baton Rouge	70807	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	No	Yes	No	Yes	(225) 775-0776	216	19	11.2	90.3%	1 (0.5%)	208 (96.3%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	16.3	395^th of 464 public middle schools	14.9%		48.4	236^th of 447 public middle schools	47.2%	159		36.0	44–49%	22.0	34.0		46.0	60.0	53.0	53.0		22.0	35.0	39.0	32.0		19–29%	48.0	46.0	39.0	57.0							$25,028
Central Middle School	Public	6-8	12656 Sullivan Road	Baton Rouge	70818	East Baton Rouge Parish	Central Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 261-2237	1,012	73	13.8	55.9%	668 (66.0%)	200 (19.8%)	91 (9.0%)	13 (1.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (3.8%)	68.9	139^th of 464 public middle schools	70.0%		77.7	102^nd of 447 public middle schools	77.2%	37		78.0	71.0	61.0	72.0		79.0	71.0	78.0	76.0		63.0	67.0	75.0	68.0		61.0	59.0	72.0	65.0	100.0				100.0			$13,105
Park Forest Middle School	Public	6-8	3760 Aletha Drive	Baton Rouge	70814	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 275-6650	445	47	9.4	74.4%	9 (2.0%)	306 (68.8%)	116 (26.1%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	8.5	431^st of 464 public middle schools	7.1%		3.1	436^th of 447 public middle schools	2.5%	5		32.0	31.0	33.0	32.0		35.0	40.0	49.0	41.0		18.0	26.0	39.0	28.0		16.0	32.0	38.0	28.0								$20,679
Community School For Apprenticeship Learning	Public, Charter	6-8	1555 Madison Ave	Baton Rouge	70802	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	Yes	No	No	Yes	(225) 336-1410	290	17	16.6	82.8%	2 (0.7%)	287 (99.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33.2	311^th of 464 public middle schools	33.0%		29.9	325^th of 447 public middle schools	27.3%	14		54.0	47.0	42.0	47.0		69–74%	66.0	72.0	69.0		20.0	55.0	51.0	42.0		31.0	46.0	59.0	46.0								$18,436
Live Oak Junior High	Public	7-8	35086 HWY 16 Spur	Watson	70786	Livingston Parish	Livingston Parish	No	No	No	No	(225) 667-4195	654	40	16.2	68.7%	524 (80.1%)	66 (10.1%)	39 (6.0%)	3 (0.5%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.8%)	84.7	59^th of 464 public middle schools	87.3%		79.9	89^th of 447 public middle schools	80.1%	30			84.0	71.0	79.0			87.0	86.0	87.0			74.0	78.0	76.0			76.0	88.0	81.0	92–97%							$11,422
Port Allen Middle School	Public	6-8	610 Rosedale Street	Port Allen	70767	West Baton Rouge Parish	West Baton Rouge Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 383-5777	204	22	9.4	96.6%	27 (13.2%)	156 (76.5%)	18 (8.8%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	40.9	275^th of 464 public middle schools	40.7%		50.1	230^th of 447 public middle schools	48.5%	45		53.0	70.0	43.0	54.0		68.0	72.0	63.0	68.0		46.0	57.0	51.0	52.0		43.0	49.0	50.0	48.0	100.0				94.0			$21,942
Live Oak Middle School	Public	5-6	8444 Cecil Drive	Watson	70786	Livingston Parish	Livingston Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 664-3211	672	37	17.9	67.7%	548 (81.5%)	60 (8.9%)	38 (5.7%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	17 (2.5%)								(n/a)	67–72%	82.0			77.0	81–86%	89.0			87.0	79.0	68.0			74.0	69.0	61.0			65.0								$10,776
Helix Legal Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	339 Florida Street	Baton Rouge	70801	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	Yes	No	No	(n/a)	(225) 773-4925	127	16	7.7	86.6%	0 (0.0%)	125 (98.4%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	8	436^th of 464 public middle schools	6.0%		2.8	438^th of 447 public middle schools	2.0%	2		35–45%	33–43%	29.0	34.0		39–44%	46.0	53.0	46.0		12.0	13–23%	27.0	20.0		8.0	21–31%	30.0	23.0								$20,755

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwestern Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Northwestern Middle School?

Students at Northwestern Middle School are 61% African American, 30% White, 4% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Northwestern Middle School attend?

Students who attend Northwestern Middle School usually go on to attend Zachary High School

Is Northwestern Middle School a good school?

Northwestern Middle School ranks 86^th of 464 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Northwestern Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 841 students attended Northwestern Middle School.

What district is Northwestern Middle School in?

Zachary Community School District

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Schools in Zachary, LA

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Latest Louisiana data All new data »

2025–26 attendance dataNewOct 13, 2026

2025–26 LEAP test scoresJul 6, 2026

2023–24 dropout ratesFeb 24, 2026

2023–24 school spending dataDec 1, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Louisiana Dept of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.