Summary:
There is one middle school, West Rusk Middle, serving grades 6 through 8 in the West Rusk County Consolidated Independent School District, a rural area where 76% of students are economically disadvantaged.
West Rusk Middle has 242 students and a 15:1 student-teacher ratio. The school’s standout strength is its advanced Algebra I program: 100% of students taking the exam in 2025-2026 were proficient, far exceeding the state average of 54%. However, general math performance is a challenge, with only 28% of 6th graders proficient in math, well below the state average of 39%. Reading results are mixed: 7th and 8th graders outperform the state, but 6th graders lag behind. The school has a 0% dropout rate and spends $10,349 per student, below the national average.
Despite high poverty and limited spending, West Rusk Middle achieves near-state-average results in several subjects and has maintained a consistent 3-star rating (55th percentile) for three years. The biggest takeaway is the stark contrast between its elite Algebra I program and struggling 6th-grade math, suggesting a "two-tier" math environment. The school also shows a notable improvement from 6th to 7th grade, indicating that students may need a year to adjust to middle school. Overall, it is a stable, average-performing school that excels with advanced students but faces clear challenges in foundational math and science.
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