Summary:
ZIP code 89431 in Sparks, Nevada is home to two public middle schools serving grades 6–8 in the Washoe County district: Sparks Middle School and George L. Dilworth S.T.E.M Academy. They are nearly identical in size, with 622 and 613 students respectively, and both report 100% free/reduced-price lunch eligibility, meaning both serve entirely high-poverty student populations.
Academically, George L. Dilworth S.T.E.M Academy has the edge on nearly every measure. In 2025-26 it outperformed Sparks Middle School in all three tested subjects: math (14.4% vs. 14.0%), reading (25.2% vs. 20.4%), and science (20.2% vs. 11.1%) — nearly double in science. Dilworth also ranks higher statewide (122nd of 148 vs. 137th of 148), spends more per student ($13,396 vs. $12,619), and has a lower student-teacher ratio (17.5 vs. 19.4). One striking inversion: Dilworth has the better academics but the higher chronic absenteeism rate (35.2% vs. 31.8%). Both schools exceed district and state absenteeism averages.
Still, both schools rank in the bottom fifth of Nevada middle schools and fall below their district and state benchmarks in every subject and grade level. Math is the shared weak spot, with fewer than 1 in 6 students proficient at any grade level and a gap of roughly 23 points to district performance. Reading is the stronger subject, peaking in 7th grade at both schools. Sparks Middle School is the only one of the two improving in math (+2.7 points) but also posted the steepest decline (science, −5.6 points). Note that the surrounding Washoe County district itself ranks 4th of 12 Nevada districts and performs near the state average.
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