Is Westside Middle School Academy a good school?

Westside Middle School Academy ranks 119 th of 250 Connecticut middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Westside Middle School Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 744 students attended Westside Middle School Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Westside Middle School Academy?

Students at Westside Middle School Academy are 50% Hispanic, 35% White, 6% African American, 6% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

Westside Middle School Academy

Summary:

Westside Middle School Academy is a public middle school in Danbury, Connecticut, serving 744 students in grades 6-8. This school stands out for its diverse student population and strong academic performance, consistently outpacing the Danbury School District and the state of Connecticut in standardized test scores.

Westside Middle School Academy has a higher percentage of Hispanic students (50.4%) compared to nearby schools, and its student population has become increasingly diverse in recent years. Academically, the school excels, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics that are significantly higher than district and state averages. The school's Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) student subgroups, in particular, rank among the top 30 middle schools in Connecticut. However, the performance of White and female students at Westside Middle School Academy is relatively weaker, ranking in the bottom half of Connecticut middle schools, suggesting a need to address potential equity gaps.

While Westside Middle School Academy outperforms other Danbury middle schools, such as Broadview Middle School and Rogers Park Middle School, its performance is not as exceptional when compared to higher-performing districts like Newtown, Ridgefield, and Redding. Nevertheless, Westside Middle School Academy's efficient use of resources and ability to outperform the Danbury School District and the state of Connecticut are noteworthy achievements.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1 School Ridge Road
Danbury, CT 06811

(203) 797-4713

District: Danbury School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
119^th of 250 Connecticut Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $25,032

Student/teacher ratio: 16.1

Number of students: 744

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

50.4%

White:

34.5%

African American:

5.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.9%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Westside Middle School Academy ranks better than 52.4% of middle schools in Connecticut. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the Danbury School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.67. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Westside Middle School Academy has the largest middle school student body size in the Danbury School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Westside Middle School Academy is $25,032, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Danbury School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Westside Middle School Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Westside Middle School Academy 119^th of 250 Connecticut public middle schools. (See Westside Middle School Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Danbury School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Danbury School District 142^nd of 158 Connecticut school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Westside Middle School Academy

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Rank History for all students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2017	56.05	111^th	250	55.6%
2018	49.90	129^th	249	48.2%
2019	52.73	127^th	259	51.0%
2021	52.92	120^th	275	56.4%
2022	45.59	121^st	250	51.6%
2023	53.13	115^th	249	53.8%
2024	49.67	119^th	250	52.4%

See the entire list of Connecticut Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	65.49	7^th	34	79.4%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	65.64	70^th	244	71.3%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2019	64.83	34^th	104	67.3%
2021	67.26	66^th	218	69.7%
2022	45.92	66^th	106	37.7%
2023	62.61	30^th	109	72.5%
2024	57.21	46^th	114	59.6%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	41.16	108^th	160	32.5%
2019	43.85	107^th	169	36.7%
2021	50.26	108^th	235	54.0%
2022	43.47	99^th	166	40.4%
2023	46.38	90^th	160	43.8%
2024	42.52	95^th	161	41.0%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	40.92	102^nd	164	37.8%
2019	44.77	99^th	167	40.7%
2021	46.53	115^th	224	48.7%
2022	36.60	106^th	169	37.3%
2023	42.75	96^th	158	39.2%
2024	38.39	98^th	157	37.6%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	45.25	21^st	27	22.2%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	74.19	12^th	75	84.0%
2019	65.28	21^st	97	78.4%
2021	66.22	42^nd	146	71.2%
2022	58.73	28^th	97	71.1%
2023	66.44	22^nd	99	77.8%
2024	59.48	27^th	104	74.0%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	CT State Percentile
2018	31.95	118^th	168	29.8%
2019	33.11	117^th	166	29.5%
2021	25.85	139^th	175	20.6%
2022	21.66	120^th	151	20.5%
2023	31.97	113^th	158	28.5%
2024	32.69	105^th	154	31.8%

See the entire list of Best Connecticut Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Connecticut 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.

Data source: Connecticut State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

75%

25%

Reviews:

by a student
Thursday, April 25, 2019

this school is horrible
the work is just paper
we have to memorize instead of learning Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, May 7, 2018

My sixth grader was new to the WMSA STEM program for the 2017-2018 school year. What a complete difference from King Street School. This school has a zero tolerance bullying program, which is awesome. Your kids will be really safe there and nothing gets swept under the rug like KSI. The academics are great. All work is submitted online via Google Classroom. The teachers are phenomenal! Since this school is by lottery, there's a diverse bunch of kids with all skill levels. The teachers go out of their way to help the kids extra when needed. The math teacher (6-STEM), Ms. Robbins, assures the kids that they will love math, and they do because of her. The teachers are all very respectful of parents and children and just kind to the kids. The counselor, Ms. Perez knows everything that is going on and if your child needs a little help, she's there. Likewise with the principal. Dr. LaBanca. May 2018 he was one of 50 educators across the US recognized for promoting STEM education. There's nothing negative about this school. They want your child to enjoy learning and succeed. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Westside Middle School Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2015	208	30	47	100	2	0	13	0	400
2016	248	37	47	146	1	0	17	0	496
2017	285	45	49	195	2	1	18	0	595
2018	282	40	45	214	1	0	19	0	601
2019	283	40	53	242	1	0	20	0	639
2020	325	47	57	245	0	0	17	0	691
2021	320	49	53	308	0	0	13	0	743
2022	279	42	45	328	1	0	20	0	715
2023	257	43	42	375	1	0	25	1	744

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 Westside Middle School Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	400	28.0	14.2	34
2016	496	34.0	14.5	27.4
2017	595	37.0	16.0	40.7
2018	601	40.2	14.9	41.3
2019	639	39.6	16.1	50.2
2020	691	41.6	16.6	45.9
2021	743	43.9	16.9	52.2
2022	715	45.1	15.8	47.8
2023	744	46.1	16.1	48.9

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 Westside Middle School Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2015	400	28.0	14.2	34
2016	496	34.0	14.5	27.4
2017	595	37.0	16.0	40.7
2018	601	40.2	14.9	41.3
2019	639	39.6	16.1	50.2
2020	691	41.6	16.6	45.9
2021	743	43.9	16.9	52.2
2022	715	45.1	15.8	47.8
2023	744	46.1	16.1	48.9

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 Westside Middle School Academy

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2018	$13,106
2019	$13,403
2020	$13,115
2021	$12,134
2022	$24,251
2023	$25,032

Data source: Connecticut Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Westside Middle School Academy

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 127^th of 259 Middle schools	Ranks 115^th of 249 Middle schools	2.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Westside Middle School Academy)	60.8	52.5	8.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Danbury School District)	45.3	34.8	10.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	55.3	48	7.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Westside Middle School Academy)	52.9	29.9	23%
6th Grade Mathematics (Danbury School District)	30.8	21.1	9.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	45.4	39.6	5.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Westside Middle School Academy)	58	60.3	2.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Danbury School District)	43.5	30.5	13%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	56.1	48.8	7.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Westside Middle School Academy)	42.5	36.6	5.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Danbury School District)	28.2	18.3	9.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	46.1	39.9	6.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Westside Middle School Academy)	53.1	57.3	4.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Danbury School District)	42.2	32.9	9.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Connecticut)	55.8	48.5	7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Westside Middle School Academy)	31.9	35.4	3.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Danbury School District)	21.6	16.6	5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Connecticut)	43.5	36.2	7.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	639	744	16.4%
African American	40	43	7.5%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	53	42	20.8%
Hispanic	242	375	55%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	283	257	9.2%
Two or More Races	20	25	25%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	50.2%	48.9%	1.3%

Schools Near Westside Middle School Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NGSS Science (2024)		SBAC English Language Arts (2024)				SBAC Mathematics (2024)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NGSS Science 5th Grade	NGSS Science 8th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 5th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 6th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 7th Grade	SBAC English Language Arts 8th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 5th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 6th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 7th Grade	SBAC Mathematics 8th Grade	Total
Westside Middle School Academy	Public	6-8	1 School Ridge Road	Danbury	06811	Fairfield County	Danbury School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 797-4713	744	46	16.1	48.9%	257 (34.5%)	43 (5.8%)	375 (50.4%)	42 (5.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.4%)	49.7	119^th of 250 public middle schools	52.4%		53.1	115^th of 249 public middle schools	53.8%	4		52.6		50.2	51.2	51.4		34.8	32.5	41.8	$25,032
Rogers Park Middle School	Public	6-8	21 Memorial Dr.	Danbury	06810	Fairfield County	Danbury School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 797-4881	950	80	11.9	55.9%	191 (20.1%)	73 (7.7%)	635 (66.8%)	27 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.3%)	11.4	212^th of 250 public middle schools	15.2%		11.1	214^th of 249 public middle schools	14.1%	2		24.5		22.0	28.7	18.9		14.3	14.7	7.1	$16,172
Broadview Middle School	Public	6-8	72 Hospital Ave.	Danbury	06810	Fairfield County	Danbury School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 797-4861	1,026	85	12.0	54.3%	225 (21.9%)	54 (5.3%)	661 (64.4%)	48 (4.7%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (3.4%)	9.4	222^nd of 250 public middle schools	11.2%		13.8	205^th of 249 public middle schools	17.7%	17		16.3		19.8	23.7	20.5		14.9	12.5	9.1	$17,458
Bethel Middle School	Public	6-8	600 Whittlesey Dr.	Bethel	06801	Fairfield County	Bethel School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 794-8670	764	57	13.4	31.0%	445 (58.2%)	29 (3.8%)	194 (25.4%)	48 (6.3%)	12 (1.6%)	3 (0.4%)	33 (4.3%)	68.1	83^rd of 250 public middle schools	66.8%		67.3	81^st of 249 public middle schools	67.5%	2				55.2	51.4	60.3		54.8	53.2	58.5	$17,746
Scotts Ridge Middle School	Public	6-8	750 North Salem Rd.	Ridgefield	06877	Fairfield County	Ridgefield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 894-5725	525	46	11.4	5.3%	421 (80.2%)	4 (0.8%)	44 (8.4%)	40 (7.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.7%)	92.4	10^th of 250 public middle schools	96.0%		91.7	14^th of 249 public middle schools	94.4%	4		78.9		81.1	82.1	78.8		66.7	71.9	79.5	$22,805
New Fairfield Middle School	Public	6-8	56 Gillotti Rd.	New Fairfield	06812	Fairfield County	New Fairfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 312-5885	492	45	10.9	17.1%	344 (69.9%)	18 (3.7%)	101 (20.5%)	7 (1.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.1%)	80.6	42^nd of 250 public middle schools	83.2%		82.2	42^nd of 249 public middle schools	83.1%			61.6		61.9	74.0	68.9		61.3	68.5	55.4	$22,953
Whisconier Middle School	Public	5-8	17 West Whisconier Rd.	Brookfield	06804	Fairfield County	Brookfield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 775-7710	782	69	11.4	21.6%	564 (72.1%)	20 (2.6%)	124 (15.9%)	55 (7.0%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	12 (1.5%)	80.7	41^st of 250 public middle schools	83.6%		75.1	62^nd of 249 public middle schools	75.1%	21		67.8		69.6	64.7	67.8		64.4	57.9	56.7	$19,112
John Read Middle School	Public	5-8	486 Redding Road	Redding	06896	Fairfield County	Redding School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 938-2533	350	38	9.3	8.9%	280 (80.0%)	7 (2.0%)	42 (12.0%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.4%)	91.3	14^th of 250 public middle schools	94.4%		87.6	28^th of 249 public middle schools	88.8%	14	76.5	76.4	75.6	73.9	77.0	71.8	71.8	75.0	80.0		$30,716
East Ridge Middle School	Public	6-8	10 East Ridge Rd.	Ridgefield	06877	Fairfield County	Ridgefield School District	No	No	No	Yes	(203) 894-5500	495	47	10.5	8.1%	372 (75.2%)	2 (0.4%)	56 (11.3%)	35 (7.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.9%)	94.3	6^th of 250 public middle schools	97.6%		91.8	13^th of 249 public middle schools	94.8%	7		77.4		82.8	79.0	80.0		79.5	83.5	76.3	$22,493
Newtown Middle School	Public	7-8	11 Queen St.	Newtown	06470	Fairfield County	Newtown School District	No	No	No	No	(203) 426-7638	607	59	10.3	14.5%	490 (80.7%)	14 (2.3%)	70 (11.5%)	14 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.0%)	79.4	50^th of 250 public middle schools	80.0%		81.7	45^th of 249 public middle schools	81.9%	5					63.2	62.2			66.2	59.3	$20,419

Westside Middle School Academy

Westside Middle School Academy:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Danbury School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for all students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for Special Education students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for Female students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for Male students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for Asian students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for Hispanic students at Westside Middle School Academy

Rank History for White students at Westside Middle School Academy

Review counts

Enrollment information for Westside Middle School Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Westside Middle School Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Westside Middle School Academy

Per Pupil Expenditures for Westside Middle School Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Westside Middle School Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Westside Middle School Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Westside Middle School Academy

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