Vernal Middle

Vernal Middle is a public school in Vernal, Utah, serving 842 students in grades 6–8 as part of Uintah District. Its larger enrollment gives it a substantial presence in the local area, and its latest statewide ranking places it 80th out of 217 Utah middle schools, in the 63rd percentile, with a three-star rating. The school’s ranking has improved considerably over time, rising from the 34th percentile in 2018–2019 to the 63rd percentile in 2025–2026.

Mathematics is Vernal Middle’s clearest strength. In 2025–2026, math proficiency was 47.6% in sixth grade, 50.4% in seventh grade, and 58.8% in eighth grade—above Utah’s rate in all three grades and well ahead of nearby Uintah Middle School. Science results were also generally strong, especially in eighth grade, while English Language Arts performance was more uneven: eighth grade exceeded the state rate, but sixth and seventh grade were below it. Compared with Uintah Middle School, Vernal Middle had stronger recent statewide standing and better results in most tested grades and subjects.

The largest concern is chronic absenteeism. In 2024–2025, 44.4% of students were chronically absent, compared with 23.8% statewide and 37.3% at Uintah Middle School. Attendance has varied substantially from year to year, so improving it may be important for sustaining academic gains. The school also has a higher student-teacher ratio than its nearby comparison school, at 22.3 students per teacher versus 20.5. One notable strength is effectiveness for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds: this subgroup ranked in the 71st percentile statewide, higher than the school’s overall ranking. Families may want to focus especially on attendance, seventh-grade literacy and science, and sixth-grade literacy while recognizing the school’s strong math trajectory and eighth-grade performance.