Berg Middle School

Summary:

Berg Middle School is a public middle school located in Newton, Iowa, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 841 students. The school is part of the Newton Community School District, which is ranked 240 out of 309 districts in Iowa and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Berg Middle School's academic performance, as measured by the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), is generally below the state average across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 60% (5th grade) to 71.6% (8th grade), compared to the state averages of 69% to 77.5%. Similarly, in Mathematics, the proficiency rates ranged from 54.3% (5th grade) to 67.8% (8th grade), compared to the state averages of 70.7% to 73.2%. The school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 172 out of 342 Iowa middle schools in 2018-2019 to 289 out of 337 in 2023-2024, with a consistent 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Berg Middle School has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 44.5% to 55.17% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the state average. When compared to nearby middle schools, such as East Marshall Middle School, Grinnell Community Middle School, and Lynnville-Sully Middle School, Berg Middle School generally performs worse academically, with these nearby schools having higher proficiency rates, higher statewide rankings, and lower percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

Detail:

Public 5-8

1900 N 5th Ave East
Newton, IA 50208

(641) 792-7741

District: Newton Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
289^th of 337 Iowa Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,159

Students who attend Berg Middle School usually attend:

High:

Newton Senior High School

Feeder schools for Berg Middle School:

Elementary:	Aurora Heights Elementary School
	Emerson Hough Elementary School
	Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
	Woodrow Wilson Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 841

Racial breakdown:

White:

82.4%

Hispanic:

7.4%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Berg Middle School ranks worse than 85.8% of middle schools in Iowa. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.27. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Berg Middle School is $14,159.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Berg Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Berg Middle School 289^th of 337 Iowa public middle schools. (See Berg Middle School in the ranking list.)

Newton Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Newton Community School District 240^th of 309 Iowa school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Berg Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IA State Percentile
2019	52.52	172^nd	342	49.7%
2021	24.63	267^th	324	17.6%
2022	24.56	272^nd	337	19.3%
2023	30.37	263^rd	334	21.3%
2024	22.27	289^th	337	14.2%

See the entire list of Iowa Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Iowa Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Berg Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	780	28	3	29	0	1	45	886
2018	795	35	2	42	0	1	40	915
2019	771	40	3	51	4	1	37	907
2020	758	42	2	62	2	1	30	897
2021	728	33	5	76	1	1	34	878
2022	692	29	5	70	4	1	44	845
2023	693	31	3	62	4	1	47	841

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 Berg Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	886	61.0	14.5	50.2
2018	915	62.5	14.6	56.7
2019	907	60.1	15.0	60.6
2020	897	61.9	14.4	53.7
2021	878	61.1	14.3	46.5
2022	845	62.2	13.5	44.5
2023	841	60.7	13.8	55.2

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 Berg Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	886	61.0	14.5	50.2
2018	915	62.5	14.6	56.7
2019	907	60.1	15.0	60.6
2020	897	61.9	14.4	53.7
2021	878	61.1	14.3	46.5
2022	845	62.2	13.5	44.5
2023	841	60.7	13.8	55.2

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 Berg Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$320 (2.3%)	$13,839 (97.7%)	$14,159

Data source: Iowa Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Berg 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 172^nd of 342 Middle schools	Ranks 263^rd of 334 Middle schools	28.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Berg Middle School)	63.9	55.1	8.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	63.9	55.1	8.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.3	68.3	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Berg Middle School)	73.6	54.5	19.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	73.6	54.5	19.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	71.3	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Berg Middle School)	71.2	62.4	8.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	71.2	62.4	8.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	67.5	72.7	5.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Berg Middle School)	64.2	53.4	10.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	64.2	53.4	10.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	69.4	69.9	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Berg Middle School)	77.5	69.9	7.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	77.5	69.9	7.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.9	74.2	4.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Berg Middle School)	71.4	63.3	8.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	71.4	63.3	8.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	70.1	68.9	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Berg Middle School)	68.4	70.4	2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Newton Community School District)	68.4	70.4	2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Iowa)	69.5	76	6.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Berg Middle School)	72.9	67.8	5.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Newton Community School District)	72.9	67.8	5.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Iowa)	71.8	72	0.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	907	841	7.3%
African American	40	31	22.5%
American Indian	4	4
Asian	3	3
Hispanic	51	62	21.6%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	771	693	10.1%
Two or More Races	37	47	27%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.6%	55.2%	5.5%

Schools Near Berg Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISASP English Language Arts (2024)				ISASP Mathematics (2024)				ISASP Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	ISASP English Language Arts 5th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISASP English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 5th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 6th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 7th Grade	ISASP Mathematics 8th Grade	ISASP Science 5th Grade	ISASP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Berg Middle School	Public	5-8	1900 N 5th Ave East	Newton	50208	Jasper County	Newton Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 792-7741	841	61	13.8	55.2%	693 (82.4%)	31 (3.7%)	62 (7.4%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (5.6%)	22.3	289^th of 337 public middle schools	14.2%		30.4	263^rd of 334 public middle schools	21.3%	26	60.0	62.7	67.0	71.6	54.3	55.1	57.2	67.8	51.3	57.8	$14,159	$320	$13,839
Lynnville-Sully Middle School	Public	6-8	12476 Hwy F62 E	Sully	50251	Jasper County	Lynnville-Sully Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 594-4445	117	8	14.0	21.4%	115 (98.3%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	90	7^th of 337 public middle schools	97.9%		88.8	6^th of 334 public middle schools	98.2%	1		91.5	93.8	95.1		89.4	96.9	95.1		80.5	$10,764	$205	$10,559
PCM Middle School	Public	6-8	407 Plainsmen Rd	Prairie City	50228	Jasper County	PCM Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(515) 994-8222	247	20	12.3	28.7%	225 (91.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (5.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	62.1	139^th of 337 public middle schools	58.8%		56.1	171^st of 334 public middle schools	48.8%	32		91.5	82.7	88.5		74.6	64.0	73.6		71.3	$13,929	$269	$13,660
Grinnell Community Middle School	Public	5-8	132 East Street S.	Grinnell	50112	Poweshiek County	Grinnell-Newburg Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 236-2750	457	34	13.3	32.8%	403 (88.2%)	12 (2.6%)	19 (4.2%)	3 (0.7%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.5%)	64.6	119^th of 337 public middle schools	64.7%		74.3	63^rd of 334 public middle schools	81.1%	56	62.3	83.3	77.7	81.7	64.2	85.4	80.6	82.5	54.7	64.2	$12,622	$314	$12,308
East Marshall Middle School	Public	6-8	225 S Elm	Gilman	50106	Marshall County	East Marshall Community School District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(641) 498-7483	165	11	14.4	36.4%	140 (84.8%)	1 (0.6%)	16 (9.7%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.6%)	52.6	187^th of 337 public middle schools	44.5%		63.1	121^st of 334 public middle schools	63.8%	66		71.4	71.2	96.1		63.3	65.4	88.2		70.6	$11,474	$89	$11,385

Frequently Asked Questions about Berg Middle School

How many students attend Berg Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 841 students attended Berg Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Berg Middle School?

Students at Berg Middle School are 82% White, 7% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American.

Is Berg Middle School a good school?

Berg Middle School ranks in the bottom 14.2% of Iowa middle schools.

What district is Berg Middle School in?

Newton Community School District

What high school do graduates of Berg Middle School attend?

Students who attend Berg Middle School usually go on to attend Newton Senior High School

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