Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

Summary:

Lawrence - Nelson Middle School is a small public middle school in Nelson, Nebraska, serving grades 6-8 with just 53 students as of the 2022-2023 school year. The school is part of the South Central Nebraska Unified 5 District, which is ranked 156 out of 212 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Lawrence - Nelson Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (94.34%) compared to surrounding schools, its academic performance is generally lower than district and state averages. For example, in 2022-2023, the school's 7th-grade ELA proficiency rate was 32%, compared to the district's 51% and the state's 54%. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 47.17% to 52.17% over the past three years, higher than nearby schools like Sandy Creek Middle School (50%) and Bruning-Davenport Middle School (36.73%). Additionally, Lawrence - Nelson Middle School's per-student spending is higher than the state average, likely due to its small size.

The school's statewide ranking has declined over the past few years, from 98 out of 223 Nebraska middle schools in 2020-2021 to 185 out of 238 in 2022-2023, suggesting its academic performance may be declining relative to other middle schools. The school's performance for white students and low-socioeconomic status students has also declined, with the white student subgroup ranking 202 out of 217 Nebraska middle schools in 2022-2023. Compared to nearby schools like Sandy Creek Middle School, which consistently outperforms Lawrence - Nelson Middle School, the small size, high percentage of low-income students, and declining academic performance may present challenges in providing a well-rounded education for all students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

850 S Nevada
Nelson, NE 68961-0368

(402) 225-3371

District: South Central Nebraska Unified 5

SchoolDigger Rank:
182^nd of 234 Nebraska Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,608

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 53

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.3%

Hispanic:

5.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Lawrence - Nelson Middle School ranks worse than 77.8% of middle schools in Nebraska. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.93. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (94.3%), Hispanic (5.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lawrence - Nelson Middle School is 15.3. (See more...)

Compare Lawrence - Nelson Middle School employs 3.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lawrence - Nelson Middle School is $16,608.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Lawrence - Nelson Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Lawrence - Nelson Middle School 182^nd of 234 Nebraska public middle schools. (See Lawrence - Nelson Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

South Central Nebraska Unified 5:

SchoolDigger ranks South Central Nebraska Unified 5 156^th of 212 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2017	27.55	193^rd	236	18.2%
2018	37.46	150^th	225	33.3%
2019	30.37	185^th	247	25.1%
2021	55.24	98^th	223	56.1%
2022	40.39	159^th	249	36.1%
2023	29.93	185^th	238	22.3%

See the entire list of Nebraska Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	53.93	59^th	123	52.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	31.30	156^th	203	23.2%
2019	21.14	192^nd	222	13.5%
2021	44.03	119^th	204	41.7%
2022	33.67	168^th	234	28.2%
2023	12.45	202^nd	217	6.9%

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

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

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Enrollment information for Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

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Year	White	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2016	46	1	0	0	47
2017	46	1	1	0	48
2018	40	3	1	0	44
2019	43	2	1	1	47
2020	41	4	0	0	45
2021	39	2	0	1	42
2022	43	2	0	1	46
2023	50	3	0	0	53

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 Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	47	4.0	11.7	55.3
2017	48	3.6	13.2	58.3
2018	44	3.6	12.1	54.5
2019	47	3.6	12.7	61.7
2020	45	3.7	12.0	53.3
2021	42	3.2	13.0	47.6
2022	46	4.4	10.2	52.2
2023	53	3.4	15.3	47.2

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 Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	47	4.0	11.7	55.3
2017	48	3.6	13.2	58.3
2018	44	3.6	12.1	54.5
2019	47	3.6	12.7	61.7
2020	45	3.7	12.0	53.3
2021	42	3.2	13.0	47.6
2022	46	4.4	10.2	52.2
2023	53	3.4	15.3	47.2

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 Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$02 (0.0%)	$10,087 (81.2%)	$12,425
2020	$18 (0.1%)	$12,255 (83.4%)	$14,695
2021	$1,146 (5.8%)	$16,020 (80.9%)	$19,806
2022	$472 (2.6%)	$14,782 (82.6%)	$17,905
2023	$134 (0.8%)	$12,492 (75.2%)	$16,608

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lawrence - Nelson 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 185^th of 247 Middle schools	Ranks 185^th of 238 Middle schools	2.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Lawrence - Nelson Middle School)	50	53	3%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Central Nebraska Unified 5)	70	49	21%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	55	45	10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lawrence - Nelson Middle School)	43	32	11%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Central Nebraska Unified 5)	54	51	3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	54	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lawrence - Nelson Middle School)	50	74	24%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Central Nebraska Unified 5)	67	81	14%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	48	66	18%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lawrence - Nelson Middle School)	33	50	17%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Central Nebraska Unified 5)	47	60	13%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	50	62	12%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lawrence - Nelson Middle School)	44	50	6%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Central Nebraska Unified 5)	64	70	6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	47	61	14%
8th Grade Science (Lawrence - Nelson Middle School)	50	67	17%
8th Grade Science (South Central Nebraska Unified 5)	49	70	21%
8th Grade Science (Nebraska)	62	64	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	47	53	12.8%
African American	0	0
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	2	3	50%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	43	50	16.3%
Two or More Races	1	0	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.7%	47.2%	14.5%

Schools Near Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				NSCAS English Language Arts (2023)				NSCAS Mathematics (2023)			NSCAS Science (2023)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	NSCAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	NSCAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 6th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 7th Grade	NSCAS Mathematics 8th Grade	NSCAS Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lawrence - Nelson Middle School	Public	6-8	850 S Nevada	Nelson	68961	Nuckolls County	South Central Nebraska Unified 5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 225-3371	53	3	15.3	47.2%	50 (94.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29.9	182^nd of 234 public middle schools	22.2%		40.4	159^th of 249 public middle schools	36.1%	23			32.0	50.0		74.0	50.0	67.0	$16,608	$134	$12,492
Superior Middle School	Public	6-8	601 West 8th St	Superior	68978	Nuckolls County	Superior Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 879-3257	84	8	10.8	52.4%	78 (92.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10.7	216^th of 234 public middle schools	7.7%		15.7	228^th of 249 public middle schools	8.4%	12		20.0	37.0	36.0	50.0	41.0	40.0	56.0	$19,492	$312	$15,309
Bruning-Davenport Middle School	Public	5-8	106 N Juniper Ave	Davenport	68335	Thayer County	Bruning-Davenport Unified Sys	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 364-2225	49	6	7.6	36.7%	46 (93.9%)	2 (4.1%)	1 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	56.0		47.0						$28,736	$460	$23,139
Sandy Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	30671 Highway 14	Fairfield	68938	Clay County	South Central Nebraska Unified 5	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(402) 762-3561	96	8	12.2	50.0%	82 (85.4%)	1 (1.0%)	9 (9.4%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.1%)	73.8	46^th of 234 public middle schools	80.3%		56.5	108^th of 249 public middle schools	56.6%	62		71.0	62.0	66.0	81.0	86.0	82.0	72.0	$18,949	$134	$15,687

Frequently Asked Questions about Lawrence - Nelson Middle School

What district is Lawrence - Nelson Middle School in?

South Central Nebraska Unified 5

What is the racial makeup of Lawrence - Nelson Middle School?

Students at Lawrence - Nelson Middle School are 94% White, 6% Hispanic.

How many students attend Lawrence - Nelson Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 53 students attended Lawrence - Nelson Middle School.

Is Lawrence - Nelson Middle School a good school?

Lawrence - Nelson Middle School ranks in the bottom 22.2% of Nebraska middle schools.

Rate Lawrence - Nelson Middle School!

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