Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 68803

The 68803 zip code area of Grand Island, Nebraska is home to two middle schools - Westridge Middle School and Walnut Middle School, both part of the Grand Island Public Schools district. Based on the available data, Westridge Middle School appears to be the stronger performing of the two, consistently ranking higher in statewide assessments and outperforming Walnut Middle School on key academic metrics.

Westridge Middle School had higher proficiency rates than Walnut Middle School in English Language Arts, Math, and Science for the 2024-2025 school year. Its 8th grade Science proficiency rate of 78.51% was particularly impressive, well above the district and state averages. However, both schools struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates of around 19%, significantly higher than the state average, which may be impacting student achievement.

The data also reveals that the middle schools in this area serve predominantly low-income student populations, with Walnut Middle School having an exceptionally high free/reduced lunch rate of over 81%. While both schools have relatively low student-teacher ratios, indicating smaller class sizes, there is still room for improvement in overall academic performance. Identifying and replicating the successful practices at Westridge Middle School across the district could help raise achievement at all middle schools in the Grand Island Public Schools system.