Summary:
Midland Public Schools operates two middle schools—Jefferson Middle School and Northeast Middle School—serving grades 6-8 in Midland, Michigan, a district ranked in the 86th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating.
Jefferson Middle School is the clear academic leader in the district, ranking in the 93rd percentile statewide (62nd of 896 schools) with a 5-star rating. It outperforms Northeast in nearly every subject, with the largest gaps appearing in math: Jefferson posts a 62.3% proficiency rate in 7th grade math versus Northeast’s 44.4%, and a 50.9% rate in 6th grade math versus 40.6%. Jefferson also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (14.2% vs. 22.7%) and serves a smaller share of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch (27.75% vs. 50.7%). Northeast Middle School, while ranked a solid 89th percentile (103rd of 896) with a 4-star rating, has been improving steadily—jumping from 134th to 103rd in one year. Notably, Northeast actually surpasses Jefferson in 8th grade social studies (69.0% vs. 66.2%) and showed a remarkable 20.5-point jump in PSAT math proficiency (from 37.8% to 58.3%).
Both schools dramatically outperform state averages—Jefferson exceeds the state by 29 percentage points in 7th grade math, and even Northeast beats the state by 20+ points in most ELA and math categories. However, an internal achievement gap persists, particularly in math, which tracks closely with the socioeconomic divide between the two schools. Interestingly, Northeast spends more per student ($14,438 vs. $13,598) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (16.1:1 vs. 17.8:1), yet Jefferson achieves better outcomes—suggesting that extra resources at Northeast are being used to address greater student needs like higher poverty and absenteeism. For parents, Jefferson offers elite, stable performance, while Northeast provides a solid, improving option with particular strengths in social studies and notable recent gains in math.
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