Middle School

Middle School in Raymond, NE, is a small, rural school serving 155 students in grades 6 through 8 as part of the Raymond Central Public Schools district, and it stands out for its strong academic performance and efficient use of resources.

This school achieves above-average results in both English Language Arts (65.61% proficient) and Math (63.06% proficient), outperforming the state averages. What makes Middle School unique is its particular strength in English Language Arts, which is higher than its Math scores—a reversal of the trend seen at nearby high-performing schools like Wahoo Middle School and Waverly Middle School. The school also boasts an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of just 8.7%, which is nearly half the state average and dramatically lower than the rates of 21% to 34% seen at schools in the Lincoln Public Schools district. This low absenteeism is a sign of strong student engagement and a supportive school environment.

Middle School delivers these strong results with a per-student spending of $13,543, which is the second-lowest among comparable schools and far less than the roughly $17,000 average spent by Lincoln Public Schools. This efficiency is a key advantage. While Wahoo Middle School achieves even higher rankings, it does so with significantly higher spending ($20,128 per student), suggesting that Middle School’s model is one of leveraging a highly engaged student body and effective teaching. The school has also shown remarkable resilience, recovering from a post-pandemic spike in chronic absenteeism to its current low level, a recovery far more dramatic than what is seen in urban schools. For parents, this school offers a strong, stable, and efficient educational environment with a clear focus on literacy.