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Houston Middle School

Summary:

Houston Middle School is a public middle school located in Big Lake, Alaska, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 329 students. The school is part of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District, which is ranked 8th out of 24 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite being part of a relatively high-performing district, Houston Middle School consistently underperforms compared to the district and state averages in standardized test scores. The school has been ranked in the bottom quartile of Alaska middle schools for the past several years, with a ranking of 82 out of 91 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with white, male, and low socioeconomic status students consistently ranking in the bottom quartile of Alaska middle schools. Interestingly, the school's multi-racial and special education students perform relatively well compared to their peers in the state.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($17,303 in 2018-2019) compared to the nearby Wasilla Middle School ($14,949 in 2018-2019), Houston Middle School's academic outcomes remain poor. This suggests that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution to improving student achievement, and a closer examination of the school's instructional practices, curriculum, and support systems is warranted. Additionally, the school's higher racial diversity compared to Mirror Lake Middle School may be a contributing factor to the school's lower academic performance, though further investigation is needed to understand the complex interplay of demographic factors and academic outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 12801 W Hawk Ln
       Big Lake, AK  99694

(907) 892-9500

District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
82nd of 91 Alaska Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,303 Help


Students who attend Houston Middle School usually attend:

High:    Houston High School

Feeder schools for Houston Middle School:

Elementary:    Big Lake Elementary
    Meadow Lakes Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  17.4 Help
Number of students:  329

Racial breakdown:

White:
65.0%
Two or more races:
15.8%
American Indian:
13.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  0.9% Help


 See top rated Alaska middle schools

 Compare Houston Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Houston Middle School ranks worse than 90.1% of middle schools in Alaska. It also ranks last among 3 ranked middle schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.86. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Houston Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. Student population at Houston Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (65%), two or more races (15.8%), American Indian (13.1%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 0.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Houston Middle School is 17.4, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Houston Middle School employs 18.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Houston Middle School is $17,303, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Houston Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Houston Middle School 82nd of 91 Alaska public middle schools. (See Houston Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District 8th of 24 Alaska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Houston Middle School.

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Rank History for Houston Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 53.73 65th 138 52.9%
2006 46.66 70th 132 47.0%
2007 62.31 54th 128 57.8%
2008 65.38 45th 132 65.9%
2009 65.25 43rd 131 67.2%
2010 66.41 48th 136 64.7%
2011 57.60 58th 133 56.4%
2012 66.78 53rd 135 60.7%
2013 59.74 58th 136 57.4%
2014 56.94 56th 138 59.4%
2015 34.31 91st 151 39.7%
2017 12.51 79th 88 10.2%
2018 12.77 88th 96 8.3%
2019 13.49 91st 99 8.1%
2022 7.77 89th 95 6.3%
2023 15.26 81st 92 12.0%
2024 12.86 82nd 91 9.9%
See the entire list of Alaska Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 59.31 11th 34 67.6%
2023 53.34 12th 31 61.3%
2024 29.76 23rd 31 25.8%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 36.89 8th 14 42.9%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 21.79 53rd 64 17.2%
2022 18.93 39th 43 9.3%
2023 21.03 46th 55 16.4%
2024 20.99 43rd 54 20.4%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 41.70 15th 24 37.5%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 9.95 70th 74 5.4%
2022 13.70 59th 66 10.6%
2023 17.78 58th 66 12.1%
2024 14.07 61st 69 11.6%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 13.33 67th 73 8.2%
2022 5.87 65th 68 4.4%
2023 14.38 64th 72 11.1%
2024 10.61 66th 72 8.3%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 29.23 30th 40 25.0%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for White students at Houston Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AK State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 6.19 71st 72 1.4%
2022 3.99 68th 69 1.4%
2023 7.09 75th 75 0.0%
2024 5.90 73rd 74 1.4%
See the entire list of Best Alaska Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Houston Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

by a student
Thursday, August 29, 2019

Open Quote Good school with good teachers. Students need to grow up. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Houston Middle School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 232 2 0 6 44 n/a n/a 0 284
2003 232 2 0 6 44 n/a n/a 0 284
2004 354 7 7 12 61 n/a n/a 0 441
2005 297 4 9 7 61 n/a n/a 0 378
2006 272 2 8 5 55 n/a n/a 0 342
2007 269 6 7 6 66 n/a n/a 0 354
2008 263 7 6 5 68 n/a n/a 7 356
2009 260 5 4 4 58 2 9 0 342
2010 248 5 3 4 54 3 5 0 322
2011 258 3 3 7 62 1 4 0 338
2012 283 5 5 18 82 11 0 0 404
2013 255 4 11 16 77 7 0 0 370
2014 267 3 11 16 83 8 0 0 388
2015 219 5 9 10 72 8 0 0 323
2016 218 3 3 8 61 8 6 0 307
2017 245 5 5 12 60 6 7 0 340
2018 279 4 3 14 64 3 15 0 382
2019 264 5 7 10 68 9 18 0 381
2020 226 5 8 17 41 5 53 0 355
2021 143 3 7 16 24 3 42 0 238
2022 201 4 2 18 37 4 51 0 317
2023 214 2 2 14 43 2 52 0 329

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Houston Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 284 0.0 n/a 25.7
2003 284 0.0 n/a 25.7
2004 441 23.0 19.2 57.1
2005 378 23.0 16.4 33.9
2006 342 23.0 14.9 59.6
2007 354 26.1 13.6 54.5
2008 356 24.0 14.8 48.7
2009 342 22.5 15.2 52
2010 322 23.0 14.0 57.5
2011 338 22.7 14.8 63.6
2012 404 21.4 18.7 55.9
2013 370 13.7 26.9 55.1
2014 388 21.0 18.4 60.3
2015 323 19.0 17.0 64.7
2016 307 20.0 15.3 61.6
2017 340 20.9 16.2 58.8
2018 382 23.5 16.2 77.5
2019 381 23.8 15.9 74.8
2020 355 0.0 7100.0 0.8
2021 238 1.0 238.0 n/a
2022 317 1.0 317.0 n/a
2023 329 18.9 17.4 0.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Houston Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 284 0.0 n/a 25.7
2003 284 0.0 n/a 25.7
2004 441 23.0 19.2 57.1
2005 378 23.0 16.4 33.9
2006 342 23.0 14.9 59.6
2007 354 26.1 13.6 54.5
2008 356 24.0 14.8 48.7
2009 342 22.5 15.2 52
2010 322 23.0 14.0 57.5
2011 338 22.7 14.8 63.6
2012 404 21.4 18.7 55.9
2013 370 13.7 26.9 55.1
2014 388 21.0 18.4 60.3
2015 323 19.0 17.0 64.7
2016 307 20.0 15.3 61.6
2017 340 20.9 16.2 58.8
2018 382 23.5 16.2 77.5
2019 381 23.8 15.9 74.8
2020 355 0.0 7100.0 0.8
2021 238 1.0 238.0 n/a
2022 317 1.0 317.0 n/a
2023 329 18.9 17.4 0.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Houston Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,308 (13.3%) $14,995 (86.7%) $17,303

Data source: Alaska Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Houston Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Ranks 91st of 99 Middle schoolsRanks 81st of 92 Middle schools
 3.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
8th Grade Science (Houston Middle School)31.337.3
 6%
   8th Grade Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)48.641.4
 7.2%
   8th Grade Science (Alaska)43.134.5
 8.6%
All Grades Science (Houston Middle School)31.337.3
 6%
   All Grades Science (Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District)5146.5
 4.5%
   All Grades Science (Alaska)44.736.9
 7.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students381329
 13.6%
African American52
 60%
American Indian6843
 36.8%
Asian72
 71.4%
Hispanic1014
 40%
Pacific Islander92
 77.8%
White264214
 18.9%
Two or More Races1852
 188.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients74.8%0.9%
 73.9%

Schools Near Houston Middle School








Frequently Asked Questions about Houston Middle School

Students at Houston Middle School are 65% White, 16% Two or more races, 13% American Indian, 4% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 329 students attended Houston Middle School.

Students who attend Houston Middle School usually go on to attend Houston High School

Houston Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.9% of Alaska middle schools.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Developmenr.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.




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