Is Central Middle a good school?

Central Middle ranks 193 rd of 545 Minnesota middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Central Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 209 students attended Central Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Central Middle?

Students at Central Middle are 84% White, 8% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic, 1% African American.

What high school do graduates of Central Middle attend?

Students who attend Central Middle usually go on to attend Central Senior High

Central Middle

Summary:

Central Middle is a public middle school located in Norwood Young America, Minnesota, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 203 students. The school is part of the Central Public School District, which is ranked 137 out of 463 districts in Minnesota and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Central Middle has a higher percentage of white students (84.24%) compared to the state average for middle schools, its academic performance, as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA-III), is generally below the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in math (41.26%), reading (49.76%), and science (26.47%) were all lower than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's performance for low-socioeconomic status students (ranked 242 out of 473 in 2023-2024) is significantly lower than its overall performance, indicating that the school may need to focus on addressing the needs of this student population.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Waconia Middle School, which is located just 6.89 miles away and has significantly higher proficiency rates in math (59.39%), reading (65.12%), and science (31.29%), Central Middle generally underperforms. However, the school's relatively high percentage of white students and lower percentage of minority students may present an opportunity to focus on addressing the needs of its specific student population and potentially learn from the success of nearby schools with more diverse student bodies.

Detail:

Public 6-8

531 Morse St
Norwood Young America, MN 55368-0247

(952) 467-7000

District: Central Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
193^rd of 545 Minnesota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,965

Students who attend Central Middle usually attend:

High:

Central Senior High

Feeder schools for Central Middle:

Elementary:

Central Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 209

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.2%

Two or more races:

8.1%

Hispanic:

6.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 23.4%

See top rated Minnesota middle schools

Compare Central Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Middle ranks better than 64.6% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.25. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (84.2%), two or more races (8.1%), Hispanic (6.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 23.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Middle is 14.6. (See more...)

Compare Central Middle employs 14.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Middle is $9,965.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Central Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Middle 193^rd of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Central Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Central Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Public School District 137^th of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Middle

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Rank History for all students at Central Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2004	68.48	144^th	387	62.8%
2005	50.98	247^th	396	37.6%
2006	54.33	223^rd	406	45.1%
2007	59.59	170^th	403	57.8%
2008	65.49	144^th	409	64.8%
2009	63.69	84^th	230	63.5%
2010	66.43	151^st	454	66.7%
2011	54.52	235^th	478	50.8%
2012	59.77	209^th	469	55.4%
2013	64.46	160^th	488	67.2%
2014	58.39	208^th	490	57.6%
2015	68.68	143^rd	516	72.3%
2016	70.36	134^th	508	73.6%
2017	64.94	178^th	523	66.0%
2018	65.22	170^th	518	67.2%
2019	68.89	149^th	533	72.0%
2021	55.03	223^rd	521	57.2%
2022	62.78	173^rd	520	66.7%
2023	63.49	172^nd	529	67.5%
2024	60.25	193^rd	545	64.6%

See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2019	80.03	32^nd	282	88.7%
2023	55.85	111^th	298	62.8%
2024	20.66	269^th	307	12.4%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	63.75	124^th	401	69.1%
2019	56.94	165^th	415	60.2%
2021	65.64	86^th	399	78.4%
2023	72.98	78^th	459	83.0%
2024	46.54	242^nd	473	48.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Central Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	70.10	116^th	436	73.4%
2019	66.98	131^st	439	70.2%
2021	51.54	204^th	443	54.0%
2022	57.39	183^rd	467	60.8%
2023	59.87	167^th	455	63.3%
2024	55.35	200^th	474	57.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Central Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	54.26	212^th	438	51.6%
2019	64.60	152^nd	454	66.5%
2021	51.47	210^th	437	51.9%
2022	61.39	170^th	476	64.3%
2023	60.21	166^th	464	64.2%
2024	58.35	180^th	479	62.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Central Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	MN State Percentile
2018	55.91	185^th	428	56.8%
2019	58.50	171^st	428	60.0%
2021	44.33	235^th	422	44.3%
2022	48.41	215^th	438	50.9%
2023	47.64	227^th	436	47.9%
2024	44.41	244^th	440	44.5%

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

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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: Minnesota Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Central Middle

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	255	1	2	5	1	n/a	n/a	264
1996	255	1	2	5	1	n/a	n/a	264
1997	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	0
1998	245	0	3	1	2	n/a	n/a	251
1999	252	0	5	8	1	n/a	n/a	266
2000	245	0	5	5	2	n/a	n/a	257
2001	242	0	6	3	3	n/a	n/a	254
2002	215	3	4	4	3	n/a	n/a	229
2003	215	3	4	4	3	n/a	n/a	229
2004	209	4	1	10	2	n/a	n/a	226
2005	215	5	2	8	2	n/a	n/a	232
2006	215	4	5	7	0	n/a	n/a	231
2007	213	5	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	234
2008	211	3	12	9	0	n/a	n/a	235
2009	201	2	7	10	0	n/a	n/a	220
2010	202	7	5	14	0	n/a	n/a	228
2011	184	5	5	12	0	0	2	208
2012	201	2	6	12	0	0	3	224
2013	183	0	5	10	3	0	5	206
2014	195	2	4	10	1	0	4	216
2015	192	1	4	8	1	0	6	212
2016	195	3	4	6	1	0	6	215
2017	198	2	5	8	0	1	6	220
2018	202	2	2	11	0	1	6	224
2019	202	2	1	18	0	1	5	229
2020	184	4	2	15	1	1	14	221
2021	179	4	2	18	1	0	10	214
2022	166	5	1	14	1	0	16	203
2023	171	0	0	13	0	0	19	203
2024	176	3	0	13	0	0	17	209

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 Central Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	264	11.6	22.8	10.6
1996	264	11.6	22.8	10.6
1997	0	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	251	n/a	0.0	10.8
1999	266	16.7	15.9	5.6
2000	257	16.8	15.3	19.1
2001	254	16.8	15.1	16.9
2002	229	17.2	13.3	14
2003	229	17.2	13.3	14
2004	226	14.9	15.2	18.1
2005	232	14.8	15.7	18.1
2006	231	15.2	15.2	16.5
2007	234	15.3	15.3	20.9
2008	235	14.6	16.1	19.6
2009	220	15.7	14.0	16.4
2010	228	15.3	14.8	23.2
2011	208	14.9	13.9	28.8
2012	224	14.9	14.9	25.4
2013	206	15.9	12.8	24.3
2014	216	16.7	12.8	20.8
2015	212	15.0	14.1	18.4
2016	215	15.0	14.3	20.9
2017	220	14.7	14.8	19.5
2018	224	14.1	15.7	21.9
2019	229	14.6	15.6	22.7
2020	221	14.7	14.9	19.9
2021	214	13.7	15.5	15
2022	203	13.4	15.1	14.3
2023	203	12.3	16.3	27.1
2024	209	14.2	14.6	23.4

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 Central Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	264	11.6	22.8	10.6
1996	264	11.6	22.8	10.6
1997	0	n/a	0.0	n/a
1998	251	n/a	0.0	10.8
1999	266	16.7	15.9	5.6
2000	257	16.8	15.3	19.1
2001	254	16.8	15.1	16.9
2002	229	17.2	13.3	14
2003	229	17.2	13.3	14
2004	226	14.9	15.2	18.1
2005	232	14.8	15.7	18.1
2006	231	15.2	15.2	16.5
2007	234	15.3	15.3	20.9
2008	235	14.6	16.1	19.6
2009	220	15.7	14.0	16.4
2010	228	15.3	14.8	23.2
2011	208	14.9	13.9	28.8
2012	224	14.9	14.9	25.4
2013	206	15.9	12.8	24.3
2014	216	16.7	12.8	20.8
2015	212	15.0	14.1	18.4
2016	215	15.0	14.3	20.9
2017	220	14.7	14.8	19.5
2018	224	14.1	15.7	21.9
2019	229	14.6	15.6	22.7
2020	221	14.7	14.9	19.9
2021	214	13.7	15.5	15
2022	203	13.4	15.1	14.3
2023	203	12.3	16.3	27.1
2024	209	14.2	14.6	23.4

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 Central Middle

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$9,965

Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Middle

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 149^th of 533 Middle schools	Ranks 172^nd of 529 Middle schools	4.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Central Middle)	51.8	40.9	11%
6th Grade Math (Central Public School District)	51.8	40.9	11%
6th Grade Math (Minnesota)	50.5	39.7	10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Central Middle)	75.9	66.2	9.7%
6th Grade Reading (Central Public School District)	75.9	66.2	9.7%
6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	62.8	53.4	9.4%
7th Grade Math (Central Middle)	64.2	35	29.2%
7th Grade Math (Central Public School District)	64.2	35	29.2%
7th Grade Math (Minnesota)	52.1	39.7	12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Central Middle)	57.4	45	12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Central Public School District)	57.4	45	12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	57.5	45.2	12.3%
8th Grade Math (Central Middle)	55.4	31.1	24.3%
8th Grade Math (Central Public School District)	55.4	31.1	24.3%
8th Grade Math (Minnesota)	55.2	40.3	14.9%
8th Grade Reading (Central Middle)	62.7	50	12.7%
8th Grade Reading (Central Public School District)	62.7	50	12.7%
8th Grade Reading (Minnesota)	57.7	44.8	12.9%
8th Grade Science (Central Middle)	38.7	28.4	10.3%
8th Grade Science (Central Public School District)	38.7	28.4	10.3%
8th Grade Science (Minnesota)	43	27.6	15.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	229	203	11.4%
African American	2	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	18	13	27.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	202	171	15.3%
Two or More Races	5	19	280%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	22.7%	27.1%	4.4%

Schools Near Central Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				MCA-III Math (2024)					MCA-III Reading (2024)					MCA-III 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	MCA-III Math 5th Grade	MCA-III Math 6th Grade	MCA-III Math 7th Grade	MCA-III Math 8th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 5th Grade	MCA-III Reading 6th Grade	MCA-III Reading 7th Grade	MCA-III Reading 8th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	MCA-III Science 5th Grade	MCA-III Science 8th Grade	MCA-III Science All Grades	Total
Central Middle	Public	6-8	531 Morse St	Norwood Young America	55368	Carver County	Central Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 467-7000	209	14	14.6	23.4%	176 (84.2%)	3 (1.4%)	13 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (8.1%)	60.3	193^rd of 545 public middle schools	64.6%		63.5	172^nd of 529 public middle schools	67.5%	21		37.7	55.1	30.9	41.3		59.4	61.4	27.9	49.8		26.5	26.5	$9,965
Waconia Middle School	Public	6-8	1400 Community Dr	Waconia	55387	Carver County	Waconia Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 442-0650	953	55	17.2	13.2%	841 (88.2%)	12 (1.3%)	40 (4.2%)	14 (1.5%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (4.6%)	86.4	44^th of 545 public middle schools	91.9%		86.5	42^nd of 529 public middle schools	92.1%	2		59.2	57.1	61.9	59.4		71.4	62.2	61.8	65.1		31.3	31.3	$11,159
GSL Junior High School	Public	7-8	1621 16th St E	Glencoe	55336	McLeod County	Glencoe-Silver Lake School District	No	No	No	Yes	(320) 864-2456	224	13	17.3	37.9%	163 (72.8%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (23.2%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.6%)	43.3	318^th of 545 public middle schools	41.7%		28	396^th of 529 public middle schools	25.1%	78			30.5	35.9	33.2			45.3	34.0	39.6		15.2	15.2	$8,253
SWWC Alternative Learning Center Midlevel - Glencoe	Public	7-8	2391 Hennepin Ave N	Glencoe	55336	McLeod County	Region 6 and 8-SW/Wc Service Coop	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(507) 360-1876	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Belle Plaine Junior High	Public	7-8	220 S Market St	Belle Plaine	56011	Scott County	Belle Plaine Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 873-2403	249	11	23.5	23.7%	205 (82.3%)	7 (2.8%)	19 (7.6%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.0%)	69.3	144^th of 545 public middle schools	73.6%		41.4	317^th of 529 public middle schools	40.1%	173			47.9	43.5	45.7			44.1	49.6	46.8		33.9	33.9	$7,440
Sibley East Middle School	Public	6-8	202 3rd Avenue NW	Arlington	55307	Sibley County	Sibley East School District	No	No	No	No	(507) 964-2292	234	12	19.7	47.0%	157 (67.1%)	1 (0.4%)	63 (26.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.7%)	56.7	224^th of 545 public middle schools	58.9%		49	265^th of 529 public middle schools	49.9%	41		28.6	35.6	28.6	31.3		54.3	51.2	55.7	53.5		23.9	23.9	$10,673
Watertown-Mayer Middle	Public	5-8	1001 Highway 25 NW	Watertown	55388	Carver County	Watertown-Mayer Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 955-0400	425	27	15.7	26.1%	392 (92.2%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (3.8%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.1%)	83	61^st of 545 public middle schools	88.8%		68.6	141^st of 529 public middle schools	73.3%	80	74.3	56.9	53.8	51.7	59.3	66.7	67.7	57.0	63.6	64.1	57.7	33.0	44.8	$8,458
Jordan Middle	Public	5-8	500 Sunset Dr	Jordan	55352	Scott County	Jordan Public School District	No	No	No	No	(952) 492-2332	532	36	14.8	30.5%	405 (76.1%)	22 (4.1%)	53 (10.0%)	6 (1.1%)	6 (1.1%)	2 (0.4%)	38 (7.1%)	81.7	68^th of 545 public middle schools	87.5%		78.5	81^st of 529 public middle schools	84.7%	13	67.4	57.8	48.8	52.6	56.7	63.9	69.6	54.1	51.8	59.9	71.5	38.4	54.5	$9,546
Chaska Middle School West	Public	6-8	140 Engler Blvd.	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Eastern Carver County Public School	No	No	No	No	(952) 556-7400	582	44	13.2	17.4%	439 (75.4%)	19 (3.3%)	73 (12.5%)	27 (4.6%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.6%)	88.3	36^th of 545 public middle schools	93.4%		89.8	31^st of 529 public middle schools	94.1%	5		53.4	62.9	64.9	60.3		65.4	65.5	61.7	64.2		40.2	40.2	$14,775
Chaska Middle School East	Public	6-8	1600 Park Ridge Drive	Chaska	55318	Carver County	Eastern Carver County Public School	No	No	No	No	(952) 556-7600	589	36	16.3	12.1%	491 (83.4%)	12 (2.0%)	26 (4.4%)	19 (3.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.8%)	85.1	50^th of 545 public middle schools	90.8%		88.2	34^th of 529 public middle schools	93.6%	16		58.0	54.2	67.8	60.1		66.5	52.7	57.9	59.3		38.0	38.0	$12,522

Central Middle

Central Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Central Public School District:

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Rank History for Central Middle

Rank History for all students at Central Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Central Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Central Middle

Rank History for Female students at Central Middle

Rank History for Male students at Central Middle

Rank History for White students at Central Middle

Enrollment information for Central Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Central Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Central Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Central Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Central Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Central Middle

Central Middle

Waconia Middle School

GSL Junior High School

SWWC Alternative Learning Center Midlevel - Glencoe

Belle Plaine Junior High

Sibley East Middle School

Watertown-Mayer Middle

Jordan Middle

Chaska Middle School West

Chaska Middle School East

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