Middle Schools in South Central Nebraska Unified 5

The South Central Nebraska Unified 5 district is home to two middle schools: Sandy Creek Middle School and Lawrence-Nelson Middle School. While both schools serve students in grades 6-8, the data reveals a significant performance gap, with Sandy Creek Middle School consistently outperforming its counterpart and the district/state averages across multiple academic measures.

Sandy Creek Middle School stands out as the top performer, ranking 47th out of 238 Nebraska middle schools and earning a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school boasts stronger academic performance in subjects like ELA and math, with up to 86% of 7th-grade students scoring proficient or better in math. Additionally, Sandy Creek Middle School has a more diverse student population, smaller class sizes, and higher per-student spending compared to Lawrence-Nelson Middle School.

In contrast, Lawrence-Nelson Middle School ranks 185th in the state and has a 1-star rating, indicating significant room for improvement. The school's academic performance lags behind its counterpart and the district/state averages, highlighting the need for the South Central Nebraska Unified 5 district to address the performance gap and drive continuous improvement across all its schools.