Summary:
ZIP code 56150 is served by a single middle school, Jackson County Central Middle, located at 703 Mill Road E in Lakefield and educating 241 students in grades 6–8 as part of the Jackson County Central School District. The school reported a student-teacher ratio of 16 and a free/reduced-lunch rate of 38.17% for 2024–2025.
The most important story here is momentum. Jackson County Central Middle climbed from 206 of 519 middle schools in 2024–2025 (60th percentile, 3 stars) to 131 of 546 in 2025–2026 (76th percentile, 4 stars). That jump tracks closely with math results, where all-grade proficiency rose from 44.59% to 59% — well above the district's 52.2% and the state's 44.9%. Every tested grade beat the state in math: 6th grade at 65.6% versus 39.5%, 7th at 59% versus 40.3%, and 8th at 52.9% versus 42.3%, though performance does taper as students move up.
Reading sits near the middle: 47.4% overall, just under the district (48.7%) and state (48.6%). Sixth graders read at 56.3% versus the state's 53.4%, but 7th grade (41% vs 43.5%) and 8th grade (46.3% vs 50%) fall short. The clearest concern is science, where only 9.1% of students were proficient compared with 18.4% in the district and 25.5% statewide; at 8th grade the school's 9.1% trails the state's 16.7% by 7.6 points. Science did edge up from 7.14% a year earlier. The takeaway for families: this is a math-strong, improving school with a 4-star rating, but science and upper-grade reading are the areas to watch.
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