West Middle

Summary:

West Middle is a public middle school located in Hazelwood, Missouri, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 730 students. The school is part of the Hazelwood School District, which is ranked 343 out of 386 districts in Missouri and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. West Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Missouri middle schools over the past several years, with a current ranking of 366 out of 451 schools and a 1-star rating.

West Middle's student performance on standardized tests is significantly below the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 18.5% of 6th-grade students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 12.8% in the Hazelwood district and 44.4% statewide. The school also has a very high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 36.3% to 42.3% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. While West Middle performs relatively well for African American and Hispanic students, it struggles with other subgroups, such as White students, English Language Learners, Special Education students, and Gifted and Talented students.

When compared to nearby schools, West Middle generally underperforms. For example, Northwest Middle, another Hazelwood district school, has slightly better test scores and a lower chronic absenteeism rate. However, the nearby schools in the Ferguson-Florissant and Pattonville districts also struggle with low performance, suggesting broader systemic challenges in the region. Despite these challenges, the data suggests that there may be opportunities for improvement at West Middle, as the school's performance for certain subgroups and the availability of resources (funding and staffing) indicate that targeted interventions and strategies could potentially lead to better outcomes for the students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 12834 Missouri Bottom Rd
       Hazelwood, MO  63042-4404


(314) 953-7800

District: Hazelwood

SchoolDigger Rank:
366th of 451 Missouri Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,269 Help


Students who attend West Middle usually attend:

High:    Hazelwood West High

Feeder schools for West Middle:

Elementary:    Armstrong Elementary
    Garrett Elementary
    Lawson Elementary
    Russell Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  17.7 Help
Number of students:  756

Racial breakdown:

African American:
65.7%
White:
18.1%
Two or more races:
7.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  59% Help


 See top rated Missouri middle schools

 Compare West Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West Middle ranks worse than 81.2% of middle schools in Missouri. It also ranks first among 6 ranked middle schools in the Hazelwood School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.26. (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 West Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Hazelwood School District. Racial makeup is: African American (65.7%), White (18.1%), two or more races (7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 59% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Middle is 17.7, which is the highest among 6 middle schools in the Hazelwood School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare West Middle employs 42.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Middle is $12,269, which is the 2nd highest among 6 middle schools in the Hazelwood School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks West Middle 366th of 451 Missouri public middle schools. (See West Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Gifted and Talented students:
African American students:
White students:


Hazelwood:

SchoolDigger ranks Hazelwood 343rd of 386 Missouri school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for West Middle.

What do you think?

Your rating for West Middle?

Rank History for West Middle

Help
Compare

Rank History for all students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 42.97 398th 619 35.7%
2007 43.24 411th 624 34.1%
2008 47.97 368th 624 41.0%
2009 39.81 432nd 601 28.1%
2010 35.60 480th 614 21.8%
2011 25.76 544th 625 13.0%
2012 29.51 523rd 623 16.1%
2013 42.89 434th 649 33.1%
2014 36.95 464th 633 26.7%
2015 39.45 393rd 585 32.8%
2016 34.10 324th 435 25.5%
2017 23.31 479th 568 15.7%
2018 25.36 452nd 552 18.1%
2019 21.27 494th 587 15.8%
2021 29.22 331st 454 27.1%
2022 33.49 320th 459 30.3%
2023 32.59 318th 459 30.7%
2024 21.26 366th 451 18.8%
See the entire list of Missouri Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 39.03 28th 51 45.1%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 49.82 33rd 68 51.5%
2023 47.15 31st 68 54.4%
2024 38.99 49th 72 31.9%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.96 135th 192 29.7%
2024 21.24 176th 194 9.3%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.62 384th 422 9.0%
2019 17.26 442nd 482 8.3%
2021 35.69 264th 371 28.8%
2022 39.36 228th 365 37.5%
2023 36.81 260th 382 31.9%
2024 20.42 334th 378 11.6%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.50 96th 162 40.7%
2021 33.57 139th 195 28.7%
2022 35.63 122nd 187 34.8%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.62 100th 104 3.8%
2019 14.77 117th 121 3.3%
2021 8.54 43rd 44 2.3%
2022 35.88 35th 44 20.5%
2023 25.58 43rd 48 10.4%
2024 19.91 43rd 45 4.4%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for African American students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.82 78th 129 39.5%
2019 33.36 103rd 149 30.9%
2021 63.01 35th 135 74.1%
2022 75.64 23rd 148 84.5%
2023 65.91 40th 153 73.9%
2024 49.10 64th 144 55.6%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 67.36 14th 74 81.1%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at West Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.38 169th 479 64.7%
2019 55.99 189th 527 64.1%
2021 44.91 201st 376 46.5%
2022 46.95 184th 381 51.7%
2023 48.57 188th 385 51.2%
2024 35.77 241st 379 36.4%
See the entire list of Best Missouri Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Missouri 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.

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






Data source: Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, November 3, 2023

Open Quote The staff lies just as bad as the children, and we are supposed to be teaching our children not to lie. The staff is not aware of policies and procedures and provide the incorrect information to parents. There is no control over the school there are fights every other week. Close Quote


by a student
Thursday, November 2, 2017

Open Quote West Middle has an friendly environment and I think it is enjoyable. 👍 Close Quote



Enrollment information for West Middle

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2005 743 298 15 26 0 n/a n/a 0 1082
2006 642 306 17 26 0 n/a n/a 0 991
2007 591 312 19 23 0 n/a n/a 0 945
2008 496 344 16 34 2 n/a n/a 0 892
2009 443 356 12 36 1 n/a n/a 0 848
2010 428 354 18 30 1 n/a n/a 0 831
2011 383 386 18 37 0 1 1 0 826
2012 372 425 12 32 0 1 0 0 842
2013 365 426 11 26 0 0 3 0 831
2014 342 410 14 27 0 1 5 0 799
2015 320 428 17 33 2 2 14 0 816
2016 313 445 12 27 0 2 17 0 816
2017 284 473 13 27 1 1 18 0 817
2018 305 521 17 34 2 2 25 0 906
2019 242 514 15 39 2 0 27 0 839
2020 216 527 16 39 2 1 26 0 827
2021 205 498 12 42 1 0 32 0 790
2022 201 476 8 51 2 2 39 0 779
2023 157 456 9 53 3 0 52 0 730
2024 137 497 7 52 7 3 53 0 756

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 West Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 1082 50.0 21.6 27.7
2006 991 46.8 21.2 31.5
2007 945 45.8 20.6 34.9
2008 892 51.0 17.5 39.8
2009 848 50.0 17.0 48.7
2010 831 50.0 16.6 48.7
2011 826 60.1 13.7 55
2012 842 50.4 16.6 n/a
2013 831 48.5 17.1 50.4
2014 799 51.0 15.6 59.4
2015 816 51.0 16.0 49.3
2016 816 52.0 15.6 56.9
2017 817 51.0 16.0 47.7
2018 906 52.0 17.4 60.7
2019 839 52.3 16.0 43.1
2020 827 53.8 15.3 64.4
2021 790 54.7 14.4 64.9
2022 779 55.4 14.0 52.4
2023 730 46.3 15.7 56.3
2024 756 42.5 17.7 59

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 West Middle

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2005 1082 50.0 21.6 27.7
2006 991 46.8 21.2 31.5
2007 945 45.8 20.6 34.9
2008 892 51.0 17.5 39.8
2009 848 50.0 17.0 48.7
2010 831 50.0 16.6 48.7
2011 826 60.1 13.7 55
2012 842 50.4 16.6 n/a
2013 831 48.5 17.1 50.4
2014 799 51.0 15.6 59.4
2015 816 51.0 16.0 49.3
2016 816 52.0 15.6 56.9
2017 817 51.0 16.0 47.7
2018 906 52.0 17.4 60.7
2019 839 52.3 16.0 43.1
2020 827 53.8 15.3 64.4
2021 790 54.7 14.4 64.9
2022 779 55.4 14.0 52.4
2023 730 46.3 15.7 56.3
2024 756 42.5 17.7 59

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 West Middle

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $26 (0.3%) $10,107 (99.7%) $10,133
2020 $36 (0.3%) $10,794 (99.7%) $10,830
2021 $3,494 (29.7%) $8,260 (70.3%) $11,755
2022 $4,175 (34.0%) $8,094 (66.0%) $12,268

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

Impact of COVID-19 on West 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 494th of 587 Middle schoolsRanks 318th of 459 Middle schools
 14.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (West Middle)28.622.4
 6.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Hazelwood)19.214.6
 4.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)42.543.7
 1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Middle)30.222.9
 7.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Hazelwood)24.915.6
 9.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)45.937.5
 8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Middle)21.332.6
 11.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Hazelwood)20.718.8
 1.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)3839.5
 1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (West Middle)25.132.7
 7.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Hazelwood)2423.5
 0.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)43.637.3
 6.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Middle)28.714.2
 14.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Hazelwood)21.99.2
 12.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Missouri)2930
 1%
8th Grade Science (West Middle)25.628.9
 3.3%
   8th Grade Science (Hazelwood)21.318.6
 2.7%
   8th Grade Science (Missouri)43.737.8
 5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (West Middle)35.230.2
 5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Hazelwood)28.324.9
 3.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Missouri)47.342.7
 4.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students839730
 13%
African American514456
 11.3%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian159
 40%
Hispanic3953
 35.9%
Pacific Islander00
White242157
 35.1%
Two or More Races2752
 92.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43.1%56.3%
 13.2%


Schools Near West Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about West Middle

West Middle ranks in the bottom 18.8% of Missouri middle schools.

Students who attend West Middle usually go on to attend Hazelwood West High

Students at West Middle are 66% African American, 18% White, 7% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

In the 2023-24 school year, 756 students attended West Middle.


Rate West Middle!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for West Middle!




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





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 69 milliseconds.