Willard Middle

Summary:

Willard Middle is a high-performing public middle school in Berkeley, California, serving 596 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Berkeley Unified School District. The school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic achievement, with over 70% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Willard Middle excels in supporting the academic success of diverse student groups, including Hispanic, White, and Special Education students. The school maintains relatively low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 2.0% to 12.2% in recent years, which are lower than the district and state averages. Additionally, Willard Middle has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 21.14% to 25.83%, compared to some nearby schools like Martin Luther King Middle and Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle, which are also part of the Berkeley Unified School District.

Willard Middle's consistent high performance, as evidenced by its 5-star rating from SchoolDigger and top rankings among California middle schools, suggests that the school has established effective teaching and learning practices, as well as a supportive school culture that fosters student success. The school's ability to maintain relatively low chronic absenteeism rates, even during challenging times, is a testament to its strong student engagement and support systems.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 2425 Stuart St.
       Berkeley, CA  94705-1209


(510) 644-6330

District: Berkeley Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
149th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,414 Help


Students who attend Willard Middle usually attend:

High:    Berkeley High

Feeder schools for Willard Middle:

Elementary:    Emerson Elementary
    John Muir Elementary
    Malcolm X Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  16.1 Help
Number of students:  578

Racial breakdown:

White:
43.4%
Hispanic:
19.4%
Two or more races:
15.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  24.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Willard Middle ranks better than 94.6% of middle schools in California. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Berkeley Unified School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.08. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Willard Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (43.4%), Hispanic (19.4%), two or more races (15.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 24.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Berkeley Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Willard Middle is 16.1. 1 middle schools in the Berkeley Unified School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Willard Middle employs 35.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Willard Middle is $9,414. 1 middle schools in the Berkeley Unified School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Willard Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Willard Middle 149th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Willard Middle 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:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Berkeley Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Berkeley Unified 190th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Willard Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 40.62 974th 1769 44.9%
2005 38.70 1023rd 1777 42.4%
2006 34.17 1168th 1804 35.3%
2007 48.21 932nd 1999 53.4%
2008 45.44 1026th 2005 48.8%
2009 53.31 900th 2063 56.4%
2010 53.52 939th 2179 56.9%
2011 64.48 701st 2236 68.6%
2012 57.00 892nd 2259 60.5%
2013 63.97 780th 2379 67.2%
2015 76.78 499th 2477 79.9%
2016 73.49 581st 2497 76.7%
2017 84.19 370th 2508 85.2%
2018 90.33 233rd 2480 90.6%
2019 94.27 157th 2715 94.2%
2022 94.94 142nd 2740 94.8%
2023 95.04 149th 2802 94.7%
2024 95.08 149th 2777 94.6%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.78 156th 462 66.2%
2019 73.81 139th 554 74.9%
2022 77.21 130th 665 80.5%
2023 82.37 94th 678 86.1%
2024 84.82 75th 699 89.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 95.79 50th 1538 96.7%
2024 88.83 104th 1550 93.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.91 347th 2230 84.4%
2019 89.90 139th 2369 94.1%
2022 85.73 208th 2458 91.5%
2023 79.12 341st 2549 86.6%
2024 86.91 237th 2575 90.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 85.47 300th 2262 86.7%
2019 91.13 196th 2380 91.8%
2022 93.79 156th 2509 93.8%
2023 94.96 130th 2547 94.9%
2024 93.40 170th 2546 93.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.98 245th 1369 82.1%
2019 82.87 156th 1491 89.5%
2022 83.47 146th 1531 90.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.49 169th 2273 92.6%
2019 95.33 115th 2407 95.2%
2022 94.95 133rd 2527 94.7%
2023 93.35 166th 2558 93.5%
2024 95.37 125th 2547 95.1%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.93 435th 700 37.9%
2019 46.60 452nd 745 39.3%
2022 66.25 278th 733 62.1%
2023 60.38 331st 718 53.9%
2024 50.77 424th 741 42.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.85 254th 600 57.7%
2019 65.66 185th 643 71.2%
2022 75.05 120th 637 81.2%
2023 62.46 181st 614 70.5%
2024 70.23 143rd 626 77.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.95 137th 2072 93.4%
2019 96.20 54th 2213 97.6%
2022 95.98 58th 2359 97.5%
2023 97.50 37th 2391 98.5%
2024 97.26 42nd 2383 98.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Willard Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 94.22 20th 1496 98.7%
2019 95.60 14th 1602 99.1%
2022 95.14 22nd 1555 98.6%
2023 94.22 19th 1552 98.8%
2024 93.32 32nd 1535 97.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, 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.

Willard Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Willard Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 175 276 63 22 5 n/a n/a 0 541
1989 201 286 59 27 2 n/a n/a 0 575
1990 160 267 45 27 1 n/a n/a 0 500
1991 173 278 36 28 1 n/a n/a 0 516
1992 175 289 33 47 0 n/a n/a 0 544
1993 169 274 37 49 0 n/a n/a 0 529
1994 161 347 16 5 1 n/a n/a 0 530
1995 206 262 115 39 1 n/a n/a 0 623
1996 206 262 115 39 1 n/a n/a 0 623
1997 211 296 88 74 2 n/a n/a 0 671
1998 213 277 62 65 3 n/a n/a 0 620
1999 230 302 53 73 3 n/a n/a 58 719
2000 213 292 50 87 5 n/a n/a 63 710
2001 192 300 60 89 5 n/a n/a 63 709
2002 155 291 45 89 3 n/a n/a 75 658
2003 155 291 45 89 3 n/a n/a 75 658
2004 135 250 45 61 3 n/a n/a 84 578
2005 135 263 36 58 1 n/a n/a 70 563
2006 134 228 33 71 2 n/a n/a 61 529
2007 106 190 37 66 0 n/a n/a 72 471
2008 105 172 45 63 n/a n/a n/a 0 385
2009 106 158 52 64 1 2 84 0 467
2010 121 139 53 92 3 4 66 0 478
2011 141 135 61 122 2 3 78 0 542
2012 147 131 55 132 0 3 73 0 541
2013 157 132 61 105 1 0 55 0 511
2014 167 136 54 93 1 0 60 0 511
2015 197 139 60 95 1 3 66 0 561
2016 220 117 58 97 0 1 76 0 569
2017 245 99 58 98 0 3 89 0 592
2018 269 95 42 111 2 3 112 0 634
2019 285 93 45 122 2 1 119 0 667
2020 313 92 44 137 2 2 111 0 701
2021 290 76 56 124 0 2 86 0 634
2022 265 71 51 122 0 2 89 0 600
2023 261 69 66 110 0 1 89 0 596
2024 251 61 64 112 1 0 87 2 578

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 Willard Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 541 30.7 17.6 n/a
1989 575 27.9 20.6 n/a
1990 500 29.1 17.1 n/a
1991 516 27.4 18.8 n/a
1992 544 27.8 19.5 30.1
1993 529 26.7 19.8 31.2
1994 530 27.8 19.1 31.3
1995 623 29.2 21.3 34.2
1996 623 29.2 21.3 34.2
1997 671 32.6 20.6 40.8
1998 620 27.2 22.8 43.1
1999 719 33.0 21.8 41.8
2000 710 42.2 16.8 38.6
2001 709 42.3 16.8 65.3
2002 658 30.0 21.9 52.1
2003 658 30.0 21.9 52.1
2004 578 25.0 23.1 79.4
2005 563 25.0 22.5 51.7
2006 529 26.0 20.3 60.3
2007 471 25.0 18.8 61.9
2008 385 29.4 13.1 68.8
2009 467 24.6 16.3 51.4
2010 478 34.6 13.8 56.1
2011 542 n/a n/a 52.6
2012 541 27.3 19.8 n/a
2013 511 22.8 22.3 54.8
2014 511 22.6 22.6 50.9
2015 561 29.0 19.3 50.8
2016 569 29.0 19.6 45.7
2017 592 27.7 21.3 40.9
2018 634 29.2 21.6 38.3
2019 667 32.2 20.6 35.5
2020 701 n/a n/a 29.4
2021 634 34.5 18.3 22.2
2022 600 32.6 18.3 25.8
2023 596 37.5 15.8 21.1
2024 578 35.8 16.1 24.9

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 Willard Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 541 30.7 17.6 n/a
1989 575 27.9 20.6 n/a
1990 500 29.1 17.1 n/a
1991 516 27.4 18.8 n/a
1992 544 27.8 19.5 30.1
1993 529 26.7 19.8 31.2
1994 530 27.8 19.1 31.3
1995 623 29.2 21.3 34.2
1996 623 29.2 21.3 34.2
1997 671 32.6 20.6 40.8
1998 620 27.2 22.8 43.1
1999 719 33.0 21.8 41.8
2000 710 42.2 16.8 38.6
2001 709 42.3 16.8 65.3
2002 658 30.0 21.9 52.1
2003 658 30.0 21.9 52.1
2004 578 25.0 23.1 79.4
2005 563 25.0 22.5 51.7
2006 529 26.0 20.3 60.3
2007 471 25.0 18.8 61.9
2008 385 29.4 13.1 68.8
2009 467 24.6 16.3 51.4
2010 478 34.6 13.8 56.1
2011 542 n/a n/a 52.6
2012 541 27.3 19.8 n/a
2013 511 22.8 22.3 54.8
2014 511 22.6 22.6 50.9
2015 561 29.0 19.3 50.8
2016 569 29.0 19.6 45.7
2017 592 27.7 21.3 40.9
2018 634 29.2 21.6 38.3
2019 667 32.2 20.6 35.5
2020 701 n/a n/a 29.4
2021 634 34.5 18.3 22.2
2022 600 32.6 18.3 25.8
2023 596 37.5 15.8 21.1
2024 578 35.8 16.1 24.9

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 Willard Middle

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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $9,414

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Willard Middle

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 157th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 149th of 2802 Middle schools
 0.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Willard Middle)79.275.7
 3.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Berkeley Unified)63.667.7
 4.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Willard Middle)67.871.8
 4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Berkeley Unified)58.863.4
 4.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Willard Middle)76.373.2
 3.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Berkeley Unified)68.666.9
 1.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Willard Middle)73.568.8
 4.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Berkeley Unified)65.857.7
 8.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Willard Middle)76.673
 3.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Berkeley Unified)67.469.9
 2.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Willard Middle)68.668
 0.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Berkeley Unified)6360.6
 2.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (Willard Middle)6352.3
 10.7%
   8th Grade Science (Berkeley Unified)5152.1
 1.1%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students667596
 10.6%
African American9369
 25.8%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian4566
 46.7%
Hispanic122110
 9.8%
Pacific Islander11
White285261
 8.4%
Two or More Races11989
 25.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients35.5%21.1%
 14.4%


Schools Near Willard Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Willard Middle

Students who attend Willard Middle usually go on to attend Berkeley High

In the 2023-24 school year, 578 students attended Willard Middle.

Students at Willard Middle are 43% White, 19% Hispanic, 15% Two or more races, 11% Asian, 11% African American.

Yes. Willard Middle ranks in the top 5.4% of California 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 California Department of Education.

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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