Knox Trail Middle School

Summary:

Knox Trail Middle School is a public middle school located in Spencer, Massachusetts, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 363 students. The school is part of the Spencer-East Brookfield school district, which is ranked 285 out of 351 districts in Massachusetts and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite having a relatively high per-student spending of $15,556 in the 2020-2021 school year, Knox Trail Middle School consistently performs below the state average in MCAS Next Generation assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 21.93% of Knox Trail students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 39.17%. The school's performance on MCAS assessments has been declining over the years, with the school's statewide ranking dropping from 289 out of 487 middle schools in 2016-2017 to 366 out of 493 in 2023-2024. When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Mountview Middle and Tantasqua Regional Junior High, Knox Trail Middle School generally underperforms across multiple academic metrics and has a lower statewide ranking.

The significant performance gaps between Knox Trail's student subgroups, such as White, Hispanic, and Special Education students, suggest that the school may need to focus on addressing equity and providing targeted support for its most vulnerable populations. Despite the relatively high per-student spending, Knox Trail Middle School has a higher student-teacher ratio (12.5 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average, which may be impacting the school's ability to provide personalized attention and support to its students. Overall, Knox Trail Middle School faces several challenges, including declining academic performance, achievement gaps among student subgroups, and underperformance compared to nearby schools, which may require the Spencer-East Brookfield school district to re-evaluate its resource allocation and instructional strategies.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 73 Ash Street
       Spencer, MA  01562-2349


(508) 885-8550

District: Spencer-E Brookfield

SchoolDigger Rank:
366th of 493 Massachusetts Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,556 Help


Students who attend Knox Trail Middle School usually attend:

High:    David Prouty High

Feeder schools for Knox Trail Middle School:

Elementary:    Wire Village School

Student/teacher ratio:  11.8 Help
Number of students:  389

Racial breakdown:

White:
68.6%
Hispanic:
24.7%
Two or more races:
3.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  43.8% Help


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 Compare Knox Trail Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Knox Trail Middle School ranks worse than 74.2% of middle schools in Massachusetts. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.59. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (68.6%), Hispanic (24.7%), two or more races (3.1%). (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Knox Trail Middle School is 11.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Knox Trail Middle School employs 32.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Knox Trail Middle School is $15,556.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Knox Trail Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Knox Trail Middle School 366th of 493 Massachusetts public middle schools. (See Knox Trail 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:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Spencer-E Brookfield:

SchoolDigger ranks Spencer-E Brookfield 285th of 351 Massachusetts school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Knox Trail Middle School?

Rank History for Knox Trail Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 35.56 236th 339 30.4%
2004 41.82 213th 344 38.1%
2005 38.57 234th 356 34.3%
2006 44.49 246th 399 38.3%
2007 34.20 284th 399 28.8%
2008 42.58 255th 407 37.3%
2009 41.21 270th 409 34.0%
2010 27.63 337th 434 22.4%
2011 24.27 357th 449 20.5%
2012 30.39 331st 455 27.3%
2013 31.15 333rd 455 26.8%
2014 37.86 302nd 455 33.6%
2015 33.99 312th 441 29.3%
2016 22.21 393rd 482 18.5%
2017 42.33 289th 487 40.7%
2018 35.78 315th 484 34.9%
2019 31.40 346th 498 30.5%
2021 29.43 342nd 501 31.7%
2022 36.37 305th 497 38.6%
2023 24.12 376th 501 25.0%
2024 23.59 366th 493 25.8%
See the entire list of Massachusetts Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.55 266th 467 43.0%
2019 42.30 279th 484 42.4%
2021 34.24 326th 489 33.3%
2022 41.55 283rd 503 43.7%
2023 30.04 296th 444 33.3%
2024 18.09 422nd 441 4.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.58 227th 438 48.2%
2019 47.42 237th 452 47.6%
2021 36.78 297th 462 35.7%
2022 44.05 259th 489 47.0%
2023 30.66 357th 481 25.8%
2024 25.54 362nd 469 22.8%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.24 338th 463 27.0%
2019 23.43 380th 478 20.5%
2021 34.87 310th 483 35.8%
2022 41.06 278th 494 43.7%
2023 24.22 369th 489 24.5%
2024 20.94 379th 481 21.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.44 306th 417 26.6%
2019 27.48 309th 424 27.1%
2021 29.16 306th 431 29.0%
2022 30.13 298th 445 33.0%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.14 284th 466 39.1%
2019 39.19 298th 478 37.7%
2021 25.01 358th 485 26.2%
2022 32.32 327th 497 34.2%
2023 24.60 363rd 489 25.8%
2024 27.09 342nd 483 29.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Tested In Person students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 29.09 344th 491 29.9%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested In Person Students!

Rank History for Tested Remotely students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 47.79 153rd 339 54.9%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Tested Remotely Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.76 178th 309 42.4%
2019 26.93 252nd 322 21.7%
2021 44.19 160th 335 52.2%
2022 41.96 197th 368 46.5%
2023 35.67 218th 364 40.1%
2024 31.49 252nd 378 33.3%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Knox Trail Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.00 331st 395 16.2%
2019 19.73 333rd 396 15.9%
2021 16.99 348th 401 13.2%
2022 24.75 314th 404 22.3%
2023 11.88 370th 403 8.2%
2024 12.86 360th 392 8.2%
See the entire list of Best Massachusetts Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary 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.

Knox Trail Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Open Quote This is the worse school system I have ever dealt with. If your child has any kind of special need or is on an IEP plan don't expect much. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Knox Trail Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 357 4 0 7 2 n/a n/a 0 370
1996 357 4 0 7 2 n/a n/a 0 370
1997 343 3 0 5 1 n/a n/a 0 352
1998 365 2 0 3 1 n/a n/a 0 371
1999 371 2 0 10 1 n/a n/a 0 384
2000 340 2 0 9 0 n/a n/a 0 351
2001 316 4 6 3 0 n/a n/a 0 329
2002 373 2 1 8 1 n/a n/a 0 385
2003 373 2 1 8 1 n/a n/a 0 385
2004 384 5 1 9 2 n/a n/a 0 401
2005 387 5 0 13 3 n/a n/a 0 408
2006 332 1 0 15 4 n/a n/a 3 355
2007 304 0 1 11 1 n/a n/a 9 326
2008 284 2 2 14 2 n/a n/a 5 309
2009 284 4 3 20 1 0 5 0 317
2010 284 6 2 18 0 0 6 0 316
2011 288 0 3 17 0 0 8 0 316
2012 306 1 2 14 0 0 9 0 332
2013 288 3 2 14 1 0 7 0 315
2014 341 4 3 26 1 0 12 0 387
2015 301 4 2 28 1 0 9 0 345
2016 353 4 3 37 1 0 7 0 405
2017 353 4 2 40 1 0 14 0 414
2018 345 5 6 44 0 0 17 0 417
2019 347 8 8 60 1 0 14 0 438
2020 347 12 7 55 1 0 16 0 438
2021 315 9 8 55 1 0 17 0 405
2022 306 8 5 71 0 0 17 1 408
2023 257 9 4 77 0 0 15 1 363
2024 267 11 2 96 0 0 12 1 389

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 Knox Trail Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 370 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 370 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 352 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 371 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 384 n/a 0.0 0
2000 351 n/a 0.0 16
2001 329 n/a 0.0 17.6
2002 385 n/a n/a 19
2003 385 n/a n/a 19
2004 401 27.4 14.6 22.2
2005 408 26.9 15.2 20.1
2006 355 25.4 14.0 22.4
2007 326 28.0 11.6 23.3
2008 309 26.0 11.9 25.3
2009 317 24.0 13.2 26.5
2010 316 24.2 13.0 32.3
2011 316 26.2 12.0 34.8
2012 332 24.9 13.3 31.9
2013 315 25.9 12.1 37.8
2014 387 25.0 15.4 40.1
2015 345 26.0 13.2 43.8
2016 405 31.0 13.0 n/a
2017 414 31.3 13.1 n/a
2018 417 30.0 13.8 n/a
2019 438 31.3 13.9 n/a
2020 438 31.5 13.8 n/a
2021 405 29.1 13.9 n/a
2022 408 30.0 13.5 n/a
2023 363 29.0 12.5 n/a
2024 389 32.9 11.8 n/a

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 Knox Trail Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 370 n/a 0.0 n/a
1996 370 n/a 0.0 n/a
1997 352 n/a 0.0 n/a
1998 371 n/a 0.0 n/a
1999 384 n/a 0.0 0
2000 351 n/a 0.0 16
2001 329 n/a 0.0 17.6
2002 385 n/a n/a 19
2003 385 n/a n/a 19
2004 401 27.4 14.6 22.2
2005 408 26.9 15.2 20.1
2006 355 25.4 14.0 22.4
2007 326 28.0 11.6 23.3
2008 309 26.0 11.9 25.3
2009 317 24.0 13.2 26.5
2010 316 24.2 13.0 32.3
2011 316 26.2 12.0 34.8
2012 332 24.9 13.3 31.9
2013 315 25.9 12.1 37.8
2014 387 25.0 15.4 40.1
2015 345 26.0 13.2 43.8
2016 405 31.0 13.0 n/a
2017 414 31.3 13.1 n/a
2018 417 30.0 13.8 n/a
2019 438 31.3 13.9 n/a
2020 438 31.5 13.8 n/a
2021 405 29.1 13.9 n/a
2022 408 30.0 13.5 n/a
2023 363 29.0 12.5 n/a
2024 389 32.9 11.8 n/a

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 Knox Trail Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $535 (3.7%) $14,071 (96.3%) $14,606
2020 $329 (1.9%) $17,054 (98.1%) $17,384
2021 $577 (3.7%) $14,979 (96.3%) $15,556

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Knox Trail 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 346th of 498 Middle schoolsRanks 376th of 501 Middle schools
 5.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Knox Trail Middle School)3314.1
 18.9%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer-E Brookfield)3921.6
 17.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5243.8
 8.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Knox Trail Middle School)379.4
 27.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Spencer-E Brookfield)4016.2
 23.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.9
 8.2%
5th Grade Science (Knox Trail Middle School)4017.7
 22.4%
   5th Grade Science (Spencer-E Brookfield)4021.6
 18.4%
   5th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4841.6
 6.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Knox Trail Middle School)4518.4
 26.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer-E Brookfield)5126.2
 24.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5442.3
 11.7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Knox Trail Middle School)3622.5
 13.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Spencer-E Brookfield)4127.6
 13.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)5141
 10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Knox Trail Middle School)3930.4
 8.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer-E Brookfield)3827.8
 10.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)4840.5
 7.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Knox Trail Middle School)3220.3
 11.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Spencer-E Brookfield)3121.1
 9.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4838.1
 9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Knox Trail Middle School)3820.7
 17.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Spencer-E Brookfield)3820.6
 17.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5143.7
 7.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Knox Trail Middle School)2924.1
 4.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Spencer-E Brookfield)2822.7
 5.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Massachusetts)4737.7
 9.3%
8th Grade Science (Knox Trail Middle School)3826.4
 11.6%
   8th Grade Science (Spencer-E Brookfield)3825.8
 12.2%
   8th Grade Science (Massachusetts)4640.9
 5.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Knox Trail Middle School)3920.6
 18.4%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Spencer-E Brookfield)4025.5
 14.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Massachusetts)5242.3
 9.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Knox Trail Middle School)3319.2
 13.8%
   All Grades Mathematics (Spencer-E Brookfield)3523.2
 11.8%
   All Grades Mathematics (Massachusetts)4940.6
 8.4%
All Grades Science (Knox Trail Middle School)3922.1
 16.9%
   All Grades Science (Spencer-E Brookfield)3923.6
 15.4%
   All Grades Science (Massachusetts)4741.2
 5.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students438363
 17.1%
African American89
 12.5%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian84
 50%
Hispanic6077
 28.3%
Pacific Islander00
White347257
 25.9%
Two or More Races1415
 7.1%


Schools Near Knox Trail Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Knox Trail Middle School

Knox Trail Middle School ranks 366th of 493 Massachusetts middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students who attend Knox Trail Middle School usually go on to attend David Prouty High

In the 2023-24 school year, 389 students attended Knox Trail Middle School.

Students at Knox Trail Middle School are 69% White, 25% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 3% African American.


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