Is Northwestern Middle School a good school?

Northwestern Middle School ranks 58 th of 449 Louisiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Northwestern Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 912 students attended Northwestern Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Northwestern Middle School?

Students at Northwestern Middle School are 58% African American, 33% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Northwestern Middle School attend?

Students who attend Northwestern Middle School usually go on to attend Zachary High School

Northwestern Middle School

Summary:

Northwestern Middle School is a public middle school located in Zachary, Louisiana, serving grades 7-8 with a total enrollment of 912 students. As part of the highly-ranked Zachary Community School District, Northwestern Middle School consistently performs among the top middle schools in the state, with exceptional academic achievements and a diverse student population.

Northwestern Middle School's academic performance is truly impressive, with 86% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 74% proficient or better in Mathematics, significantly outperforming the state averages. The school's strong performance extends to specific student subgroups, such as African American students (ranked 23rd out of 333 schools) and White students (ranked 13th out of 352 schools). This diversity is a key differentiating factor compared to nearby schools, which tend to have more homogeneous student populations. However, the school also faces the challenge of supporting a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 56.25% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

When compared to nearby schools, Northwestern Middle School stands out as a shining example of educational excellence. While schools in the East Baton Rouge Parish and Livingston Parish districts generally perform below the state averages, Northwestern Middle School's consistent high performance and the overall strength of the Zachary Community School District make it a standout institution in the region.

Detail:

Public 7-8

5200 East Central Avenue
Zachary, LA 70791

(225) 654-9201

District: Zachary Community School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
58^th of 449 Louisiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,594

Students who attend Northwestern Middle School usually attend:

High:

Zachary High School

Feeder schools for Northwestern Middle School:

Elementary:	Northwestern Elementary School
	Rollins Place Elementary
	Zachary Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

Number of students: 912

Racial breakdown:

African American:

58.2%

White:

33.3%

Two or more races:

4.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.3%

See top rated Louisiana middle schools

Compare Northwestern Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Northwestern Middle School ranks better than 87.1% of middle schools in Louisiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 83.66. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (58.2%), White (33.3%), two or more races (4.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northwestern Middle School is 18.8. (See more...)

Compare Northwestern Middle School employs 48.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northwestern Middle School is $12,594.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northwestern Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Northwestern Middle School 58^th of 449 Louisiana public middle schools. (See Northwestern Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

Zachary Community School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Zachary Community School District 10^th of 122 Louisiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Northwestern Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2007	84.70	35^th	396	91.2%
2008	84.97	37^th	413	91.0%
2009	85.70	36^th	425	91.5%
2010	86.21	30^th	408	92.6%
2011	87.11	27^th	412	93.4%
2012	89.01	28^th	442	93.7%
2013	87.59	28^th	457	93.9%
2014	87.03	36^th	470	92.3%
2015	87.31	37^th	482	92.3%
2016	86.63	36^th	435	91.7%
2017	89.55	30^th	437	93.1%
2018	85.52	28^th	411	93.2%
2019	89.52	33^rd	449	92.7%
2021	87.98	39^th	459	91.5%
2022	88.84	34^th	460	92.6%
2023	87.62	43^rd	465	90.8%
2024	83.66	58^th	449	87.1%

See the entire list of Louisiana Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	94.10	1^st	33	97.0%
2019	62.17	17^th	49	65.3%
2021	87.87	5^th	57	91.2%
2022	84.11	8^th	58	86.2%
2023	66.50	19^th	63	69.8%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2019	96.02	5^th	202	97.5%
2021	76.64	26^th	210	87.6%
2022	59.80	56^th	206	72.8%
2023	70.71	35^th	206	83.0%
2024	76.67	28^th	175	84.0%

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

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	91.32	21^st	403	94.8%
2019	88.86	32^nd	430	92.6%
2021	80.71	65^th	455	85.7%
2022	80.80	58^th	458	87.3%
2023	83.85	49^th	459	89.3%
2024	77.37	76^th	444	82.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2019	88.46	27^th	418	93.5%
2021	86.83	40^th	441	90.9%
2022	88.09	31^st	441	93.0%
2023	88.52	34^th	444	92.3%
2024	82.10	61^st	415	85.3%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	88.37	5^th	170	97.1%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2019	89.31	29^th	418	93.1%
2021	85.83	50^th	442	88.7%
2022	87.26	36^th	442	91.9%
2023	84.95	50^th	443	88.7%
2024	83.34	56^th	426	86.9%

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

Rank History for African American students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	94.64	14^th	313	95.5%
2019	94.76	14^th	338	95.9%
2021	91.96	20^th	352	94.3%
2022	91.71	27^th	360	92.5%
2023	90.97	22^nd	360	93.9%
2024	89.20	23^rd	333	93.1%

See the entire list of Best Louisiana Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2018	96.38	4^th	118	96.6%
2023	76.12	22^nd	163	86.5%
2024	63.21	47^th	152	69.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Northwestern Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	LA State Percentile
2019	89.84	18^th	350	94.9%
2021	89.04	21^st	358	94.1%
2022	92.55	14^th	362	96.1%
2023	92.51	13^th	352	96.3%

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

Data source: test scores: Louisiana Dept 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: Louisiana Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Northwestern Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	434	363	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	805
2005	444	331	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	784
2006	492	364	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	862
2007	518	371	6	6	0	n/a	n/a	901
2008	564	439	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	1014
2009	602	462	7	9	0	n/a	n/a	1080
2010	606	495	9	8	1	n/a	n/a	1119
2011	631	505	9	6	1	0	5	1157
2012	632	552	10	7	0	0	7	1208
2013	640	580	9	6	0	0	10	1245
2014	613	585	10	15	0	0	27	1250
2015	389	399	5	13	0	0	20	826
2016	384	406	5	15	0	0	22	832
2017	357	397	8	18	1	0	20	801
2018	337	408	9	19	0	0	25	798
2019	352	427	7	18	0	0	32	836
2020	341	471	10	19	0	0	36	877
2021	311	477	12	12	0	0	32	844
2022	299	519	8	12	1	0	39	878
2023	304	531	8	27	1	0	41	912

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 Northwestern Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	805	46.0	17.5	35.5
2005	784	53.9	14.5	41.2
2006	862	56.7	15.2	41.9
2007	901	59.6	15.1	37.2
2008	1014	68.2	14.9	36.1
2009	1080	73.0	14.8	40.8
2010	1119	77.4	14.4	37.4
2011	1157	76.1	15.1	39.5
2012	1208	75.9	15.9	43.5
2013	1245	77.1	16.1	42
2014	1250	80.4	15.5	46
2015	826	57.0	14.4	46.5
2016	832	56.0	14.8	44.8
2017	801	51.0	15.6	50.7
2018	798	47.0	16.9	49.7
2019	836	47.5	17.6	43.8
2020	877	48.5	18.0	50.4
2021	844	48.7	17.3	100
2022	878	50.7	17.3	32.9
2023	912	48.5	18.8	56.3

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 Northwestern Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	805	46.0	17.5	35.5
2005	784	53.9	14.5	41.2
2006	862	56.7	15.2	41.9
2007	901	59.6	15.1	37.2
2008	1014	68.2	14.9	36.1
2009	1080	73.0	14.8	40.8
2010	1119	77.4	14.4	37.4
2011	1157	76.1	15.1	39.5
2012	1208	75.9	15.9	43.5
2013	1245	77.1	16.1	42
2014	1250	80.4	15.5	46
2015	826	57.0	14.4	46.5
2016	832	56.0	14.8	44.8
2017	801	51.0	15.6	50.7
2018	798	47.0	16.9	49.7
2019	836	47.5	17.6	43.8
2020	877	48.5	18.0	50.4
2021	844	48.7	17.3	100
2022	878	50.7	17.3	32.9
2023	912	48.5	18.8	56.3

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 Northwestern Middle School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2017	$10,587
2018	$10,745
2019	$11,176
2020	$10,834
2021	$12,306
2022	$12,594

Data source: Louisiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwestern 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 33^rd of 449 Middle schools	Ranks 43^rd of 465 Middle schools	1.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Mathematics (Northwestern Middle School)	81	79	2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Zachary Community School District)	81	79	2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)	61	58	3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Northwestern Middle School)	88	82	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Zachary Community School District)	88	82	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Louisiana)	72	67	5%
7th Grade Social Studies (Northwestern Middle School)	82	76	6%
7th Grade Social Studies (Zachary Community School District)	82	76	6%
7th Grade Social Studies (Louisiana)	55	52	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Northwestern Middle School)	84	71	13%
8th Grade Mathematics (Zachary Community School District)	84	71	13%
8th Grade Mathematics (Louisiana)	53	47	6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	836	912	9.1%
African American	427	531	24.4%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	7	8	14.3%
Hispanic	18	27	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	352	304	13.6%
Two or More Races	32	41	28.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	43.8%	56.3%	12.5%

Schools Near Northwestern Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				LEAP Mathematics (2024)					LEAP English Language Arts (2024)					LEAP Algebra I (2024)	LEAP English I (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	LEAP Mathematics 5th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 6th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 7th Grade	LEAP Mathematics 8th Grade	LEAP Mathematics All Grades	LEAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	LEAP English Language Arts All Grades	LEAP Algebra I End of Course	LEAP English I End of Course	Total
Northwestern Middle School	Public	7-8	5200 East Central Avenue	Zachary	70791	East Baton Rouge Parish	Zachary Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 654-9201	912	49	18.8	56.3%	304 (33.3%)	531 (58.2%)	27 (3.0%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (4.5%)	83.7	58^th of 449 public middle schools	87.1%		87.6	43^rd of 465 public middle schools	90.8%	15			74.0	75.0	74.0			83.0	88.0	86.0			$12,594
Copper Mill Elementary/Middle School	Public	5-6	1300 Independence Blvd.	Zachary	70791	East Baton Rouge Parish	Zachary Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 658-1288	889	46	19.4	55.3%	334 (37.6%)	485 (54.6%)	20 (2.2%)	15 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.8%)								(n/a)	76.0	73.0			75.0	79.0	81.0			80.0			$12,517
Baker Middle School	Public	6-8	5905 Groom Rd	Baker	70714	East Baton Rouge Parish	City of Baker School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 775-5924	176	11	15.8	57.4%	2 (1.1%)	156 (88.6%)	17 (9.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)								(n/a)							43.0		29.0	32.0			$19,121
Helix Aviation Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	4400 Airpark Blvd	Baton Rouge	70807	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	Yes	No	No	(n/a)	(225) 773-4925	112	11	10.6	90.2%	4 (3.6%)	108 (96.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48.1	248^th of 449 public middle schools	44.8%					(n/a)		55.0	41.0	45.0	46.0		93.0	65.0		77.0			$17,205
Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	9147 Elm Grove Garden	Baton Rouge	70807	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	No	Yes	No	Yes	(225) 775-0776	189	16	12.0	87.8%	0 (0.0%)	184 (97.4%)	4 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	56	204^th of 449 public middle schools	54.6%		57.2	198^th of 465 public middle schools	57.4%	6		43.0	61.0	55.0	52.0		70.0	84.0			95.0		$20,549
Central Middle School	Public	6-8	12656 Sullivan Road	Baton Rouge	70818	East Baton Rouge Parish	Central Community School District	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 261-2237	1,163	64	18.1	53.1%	768 (66.0%)	254 (21.8%)	90 (7.7%)	12 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (3.3%)	80.1	78^th of 449 public middle schools	82.6%		75.2	101^st of 465 public middle schools	78.3%	23		77.0	81.0	66.0	76.0		87.0	80.0	78.0	82.0		100.0	$11,565
Zion City School A Redesign School	Public, Charter	6-8	5959 Cadillac Street	Baton Rouge	70816	East Baton Rouge Parish	Glen Oaks Middle School (Redesign Schools LA)	Yes	No	No	Yes	(225) 771-8128	86	8	11.1	91.9%	0 (0.0%)	83 (96.5%)	3 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Park Forest Middle School	Public	6-8	3760 Aletha Drive	Baton Rouge	70814	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	No	No	No	Yes	(225) 275-6650	582	36	16.0	77.8%	15 (2.6%)	433 (74.4%)	125 (21.5%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.5%)	4.4	435^th of 449 public middle schools	3.1%		6.4	441^st of 465 public middle schools	5.2%	6							34.0	45.0	36.0	37.0			$17,278
Community School For Apprenticeship Learning	Public, Charter	6-8	1555 Madison Ave	Baton Rouge	70802	East Baton Rouge Parish	East Baton Rouge Parish	Yes	No	No	Yes	(225) 336-1410	314	19	16.2	81.2%	0 (0.0%)	313 (99.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	37.1	291^st of 449 public middle schools	35.2%		53.6	223^rd of 465 public middle schools	52.0%	68		40.0		37.0	41.0		65.0	62.0	72.0	66.0			$10,015
Live Oak Junior High	Public	7-8	35086 HWY 16 Spur	Watson	70786	Livingston Parish	Livingston Parish	No	No	No	No	(225) 667-4195	745	35	21.2	57.3%	601 (80.7%)	75 (10.1%)	51 (6.8%)	4 (0.5%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	9 (1.2%)	77.6	96^th of 449 public middle schools	78.6%		78.8	79^th of 465 public middle schools	83.0%	17			71.0	59.0	66.0			84.0	88.0	86.0	100.0		$9,938

Northwestern Middle School

Northwestern Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Zachary Community School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for all students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Northwestern Middle School

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

Rank History for Female students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for Disabled students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for African American students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northwestern Middle School

Rank History for White students at Northwestern Middle School

Enrollment information for Northwestern Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Northwestern Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Northwestern Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Northwestern Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Northwestern Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Northwestern Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions about Northwestern Middle School

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