Summary:
Lebanon, Tennessee (zip code 37087) is served by two public middle schools—Walter J. Baird Middle School and Winfree Bryant Middle School—both part of the Lebanon Special School District and both serving grades 6–8.
Walter J. Baird is the stronger academic performer overall. It ranks 183rd out of 594 Tennessee middle schools (69th percentile), compared to Winfree Bryant’s 229th (61st percentile). Baird also leads in math proficiency (40.5% vs. 34.5%), ELA (39.3% vs. 37.5%), science (51.8% vs. 47.8%), and Algebra I (92.0% vs. 87.5%). Baird’s state rank has improved for three straight years, from 221st to 183rd. Winfree Bryant has also improved over three years (from 281st to 229th), though it slipped slightly in the latest year. Bryant does outperform Baird in a few notable areas: its chronic absenteeism rate is lower (16.2% vs. 18.6%), its social studies proficiency is marginally higher (55.3% vs. 55.0%), and it spends more per pupil ($12,230 vs. $10,690).
Both schools share important strengths and challenges. Algebra I proficiency is exceptional at both schools—above the state average—suggesting strong advanced math placement. Grade-level ELA results are also encouraging: both schools beat the state average at every middle-school grade level. However, general math proficiency drops sharply from 6th to 8th grade at both schools, partly because higher-performing 8th graders take Algebra I instead of the standard math test. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide concern: both schools exceed the district’s 13.1% rate, though Bryant’s 16.2% is below the state average of 18.3%. Interestingly, Bryant’s higher per-pupil spending does not translate into higher achievement, which may be worth investigating. Overall, Baird is the stronger choice for academics, while Bryant stands out for attendance and social studies growth.
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