Merrill Middle School

Summary:

Merrill Middle School is a public middle school located in Merrill, Michigan, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 127. The school is part of the Merrill Community Schools district, which is ranked 414 out of 610 districts in Michigan and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Merrill Middle School faces several challenges, including a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.55%) compared to the state average, consistently low academic performance with proficiency rates ranging from 10.5% to 36.4% across different subject areas and grade levels, and a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds (56.69%). The school's performance has been declining over the past few years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 264 out of 894 middle schools in 2015-2016 to 539 out of 897 in 2023-2024. Additionally, Merrill Middle School has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 10.7% in 2018-2019 to 20.6% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average for middle schools.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Ashley Middle School and the top-performing schools in the Midland Public Schools district (including Northeast Middle School and Jefferson Middle School), Merrill Middle School generally underperforms academically. The school's performance also varies significantly by student subgroup, with the school's ranking for female students being 542 out of 771 middle schools, while the ranking for male students was 467 out of 786. Despite an increase in per-student spending, from $10,355 in 2019-2020 to $13,833 in 2022-2023, the school's performance has continued to decline, suggesting the need for a comprehensive review of the school's curriculum, instructional practices, and support systems for students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 755 W Alice St
       Merrill, MI  48637-8728


(989) 643-7231

District: Merrill Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
539th of 897 Michigan Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,833 Help


Students who attend Merrill Middle School usually attend:

High:    Merrill High School

Feeder schools for Merrill Middle School:

Elementary:    Merrill Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  14.2 Help
Number of students:  122

Racial breakdown:

White:
93.4%
Hispanic:
5.7%
Two or more races:
0.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  63.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Merrill Middle School ranks worse than 60.1% of middle schools in Michigan. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.38. (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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (93.4%), Hispanic (5.7%), two or more races (0.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 63.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merrill Middle School is 14.2. (See more...)
Help
Compare Merrill Middle School employs 8.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merrill Middle School is $13,833.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Merrill Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Middle School 539th of 897 Michigan public middle schools. (See Merrill Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Merrill Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrill Community Schools 414th of 610 Michigan school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Merrill Middle School?

Rank History for Merrill Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Merrill Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 60.80 387th 806 52.0%
2007 66.89 306th 823 62.8%
2008 64.60 353rd 839 57.9%
2009 60.51 435th 847 48.6%
2010 62.97 423rd 851 50.3%
2011 53.21 528th 858 38.5%
2012 60.85 331st 900 63.2%
2013 52.61 444th 919 51.7%
2014 65.83 283rd 921 69.3%
2015 50.09 458th 919 50.2%
2016 65.70 264th 894 70.5%
2017 49.40 354th 821 56.9%
2018 48.22 452nd 838 46.1%
2019 38.62 482nd 792 39.1%
2021 12.41 622nd 675 7.9%
2022 21.23 611th 776 21.3%
2023 27.63 630th 883 28.7%
2024 37.38 539th 897 39.9%
See the entire list of Michigan Middle School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.36 461st 815 43.4%
2019 38.98 421st 672 37.4%
2022 39.36 433rd 691 37.3%
2023 29.56 597th 825 27.6%
2024 49.39 374th 836 55.3%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Merrill Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.29 336th 794 57.7%
2019 36.07 422nd 658 35.9%
2021 11.82 498th 521 4.4%
2023 22.46 606th 770 21.3%
2024 30.39 542nd 771 29.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Merrill Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.91 499th 797 37.4%
2019 36.63 403rd 639 36.9%
2023 26.75 570th 776 26.5%
2024 39.15 467th 786 40.6%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Merrill Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.38 450th 678 33.6%
2019 28.48 460th 624 26.3%
2021 7.31 566th 577 1.9%
2022 14.27 579th 638 9.2%
2023 16.48 608th 688 11.6%
2024 25.95 542nd 701 22.7%
See the entire list of Best Michigan Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Michigan 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.

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





Data source: Michigan Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Merrill Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 327 0 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 335
1989 308 0 0 11 0 n/a n/a 0 319
1990 279 1 1 13 1 n/a n/a 0 295
1991 286 14 1 15 0 n/a n/a 0 316
1992 316 0 0 16 0 n/a n/a 0 332
1993 322 3 0 10 1 n/a n/a 0 336
1994 235 0 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 243
1995 332 0 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 340
1996 332 0 0 8 0 n/a n/a 0 340
1997 240 0 0 5 0 n/a n/a 0 245
1998 318 0 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 322
1999 231 0 0 2 1 n/a n/a 0 234
2000 215 2 0 3 3 n/a n/a 0 223
2001 214 2 1 6 2 n/a n/a 0 225
2002 216 1 1 7 3 n/a n/a 0 228
2003 216 1 1 7 3 n/a n/a 0 228
2004 228 0 0 5 4 n/a n/a 0 237
2005 217 1 0 7 1 n/a n/a 0 226
2006 191 1 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 199
2007 179 1 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 187
2008 181 2 n/a 5 1 n/a n/a 0 189
2009 178 2 0 6 1 n/a n/a 0 187
2010 164 5 0 7 1 n/a n/a 0 177
2011 160 0 1 9 1 0 1 0 172
2012 145 0 1 12 0 0 3 0 161
2013 145 0 0 9 1 0 4 0 159
2014 136 1 0 7 2 0 1 0 147
2015 131 0 0 6 3 0 2 0 142
2016 129 0 0 9 3 0 1 0 142
2017 138 0 0 9 2 0 4 0 153
2018 144 0 0 8 1 0 4 0 157
2019 148 0 0 8 1 0 3 0 160
2020 115 0 0 8 0 0 2 0 125
2021 109 0 0 7 0 0 1 0 117
2022 107 0 0 10 0 0 4 0 121
2023 115 1 0 8 0 0 3 0 127
2024 114 0 0 7 0 0 1 0 122

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 Merrill Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 335 n/a n/a n/a
1989 319 n/a n/a 0
1990 295 15.0 19.6 n/a
1991 316 n/a n/a n/a
1992 332 n/a n/a n/a
1993 336 n/a 0.0 0
1994 243 16.8 14.5 0
1995 340 18.3 18.6 0
1996 340 18.3 18.6 0
1997 245 18.0 13.6 0
1998 322 18.0 17.9 0
1999 234 15.0 15.6 0
2000 223 13.8 16.2 0
2001 225 14.5 15.5 0
2002 228 13.0 17.5 n/a
2003 228 13.0 17.5 n/a
2004 237 12.0 19.8 n/a
2005 226 15.0 15.1 n/a
2006 199 13.0 15.3 0
2007 187 10.4 18.0 38
2008 189 10.7 17.7 35.4
2009 187 8.5 22.0 39
2010 177 8.5 20.8 52
2011 172 7.6 22.4 40.7
2012 161 7.8 20.6 47.8
2013 159 9.3 17.0 47.8
2014 147 9.8 14.9 53.7
2015 142 8.0 17.7 48.6
2016 142 11.0 12.9 50
2017 153 9.6 15.8 45.1
2018 157 10.3 15.2 61.1
2019 160 9.3 17.1 61.9
2020 125 5.2 23.8 61.6
2021 117 8.2 14.1 63.2
2022 121 7.4 16.1 65.3
2023 127 7.5 16.7 56.7
2024 122 8.5 14.2 63.1

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 Merrill Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 335 n/a n/a n/a
1989 319 n/a n/a 0
1990 295 15.0 19.6 n/a
1991 316 n/a n/a n/a
1992 332 n/a n/a n/a
1993 336 n/a 0.0 0
1994 243 16.8 14.5 0
1995 340 18.3 18.6 0
1996 340 18.3 18.6 0
1997 245 18.0 13.6 0
1998 322 18.0 17.9 0
1999 234 15.0 15.6 0
2000 223 13.8 16.2 0
2001 225 14.5 15.5 0
2002 228 13.0 17.5 n/a
2003 228 13.0 17.5 n/a
2004 237 12.0 19.8 n/a
2005 226 15.0 15.1 n/a
2006 199 13.0 15.3 0
2007 187 10.4 18.0 38
2008 189 10.7 17.7 35.4
2009 187 8.5 22.0 39
2010 177 8.5 20.8 52
2011 172 7.6 22.4 40.7
2012 161 7.8 20.6 47.8
2013 159 9.3 17.0 47.8
2014 147 9.8 14.9 53.7
2015 142 8.0 17.7 48.6
2016 142 11.0 12.9 50
2017 153 9.6 15.8 45.1
2018 157 10.3 15.2 61.1
2019 160 9.3 17.1 61.9
2020 125 5.2 23.8 61.6
2021 117 8.2 14.1 63.2
2022 121 7.4 16.1 65.3
2023 127 7.5 16.7 56.7
2024 122 8.5 14.2 63.1

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 Merrill Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $610 (7.4%) $7,669 (92.6%) $8,279
2020 $946 (9.1%) $9,410 (90.9%) $10,355
2021 $1,820 (16.3%) $9,314 (83.7%) $11,134
2022 $1,773 (15.0%) $10,031 (85.0%) $11,804
2023 $1,763 (12.7%) $12,070 (87.3%) $13,833

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Merrill 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 482nd of 792 Middle schoolsRanks 630th of 883 Middle schools
 10.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Middle School)32.629.7
 2.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Community Schools)32.629.7
 2.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)41.737.5
 4.2%
6th Grade Math (Merrill Middle School)19.616.2
 3.4%
   6th Grade Math (Merrill Community Schools)19.616.2
 3.4%
   6th Grade Math (Michigan)35.129.6
 5.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Middle School)34.626.7
 7.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Community Schools)34.626.7
 7.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)42.736.9
 5.8%
7th Grade Math (Merrill Middle School)28.820
 8.8%
   7th Grade Math (Merrill Community Schools)28.820
 8.8%
   7th Grade Math (Michigan)35.731
 4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Middle School)26.317.4
 8.9%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Merrill Community Schools)26.317.4
 8.9%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Michigan)2826.7
 1.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Middle School)57.647.7
 9.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Merrill Community Schools)57.647.7
 9.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan)61.959.7
 2.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Middle School)3913.6
 25.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Merrill Community Schools)3913.6
 25.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Michigan)41.436.3
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students160127
 20.6%
African American01
American Indian10
 100%
Asian00
Hispanic88
Pacific Islander00
White148115
 22.3%
Two or More Races33
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61.9%56.7%
 5.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Merrill Middle School

In the 2023-24 school year, 122 students attended Merrill Middle School.

Merrill Middle School ranks 539th of 897 Michigan middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend Merrill Middle School usually go on to attend Merrill High School

Students at Merrill Middle School are 93% White, 6% Hispanic.


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