Is Bluffs Middle School a good school?

Bluffs Middle School ranks 134 th of 200 Nebraska middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Bluffs Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 785 students attended Bluffs Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Bluffs Middle School?

Students at Bluffs Middle School are 50% White, 45% Hispanic, 2% American Indian.

What high school do graduates of Bluffs Middle School attend?

Students who attend Bluffs Middle School usually go on to attend Scottsbluff Senior High School

Bluffs Middle School

Summary:

Bluffs Middle School is a public middle school located in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 785 students. The school is part of the Scottsbluff Public Schools district, which is ranked 156 out of 182 districts in Nebraska and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Bluffs Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Nebraska middle schools, ranging from 134th to 200th out of 200-250 schools in recent years. Its academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on the NSCAS tests, is generally below the state averages in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. The school also has high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 21.1% to 29.0% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Despite the relatively high spending per student at Bluffs Middle School, ranging from $12,370 to $13,991 in recent years, the school's academic performance and overall ranking remain low compared to other Nebraska middle schools.

The closest middle school to Bluffs Middle School is Gering Middle School, which is part of the Gering Public Schools district. Gering Middle School has a similar low ranking and rating as Bluffs Middle School, with both schools performing in the bottom quarter of Nebraska middle schools. Gering Middle School also has high chronic absenteeism and lower academic performance compared to state averages. This suggests that the issues facing Bluffs Middle School may be systemic within the region and not unique to the school itself.

Detail:

Public 6-8

27 East 23rd Street
Scottsbluff, NE 69361-1609

(308) 635-6270

District: Scottsbluff Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
134^th of 200 Nebraska Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,208

Students who attend Bluffs Middle School usually attend:

High:

Scottsbluff Senior High School

Feeder schools for Bluffs Middle School:

Elementary:	Lake Minatare School
	Lincoln Heights Elementary School
	Longfellow Elementary School
	Roosevelt Elementary School
	More...
	Westmoor Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

Number of students: 785

Racial breakdown:

White:

49.6%

Hispanic:

45.5%

American Indian:

2.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 63.1%

See top rated Nebraska middle schools

Compare Bluffs Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bluffs Middle School ranks worse than 67% of middle schools in Nebraska. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.94. (See more...)

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

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bluffs Middle School is $13,208.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bluffs Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Bluffs Middle School 134^th of 200 Nebraska public middle schools. (See Bluffs Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Scottsbluff Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Scottsbluff Public Schools 156^th of 182 Nebraska school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Bluffs Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2006	5.35	225^th	226	0.4%
2007	57.99	109^th	227	52.0%
2008	60.91	101^st	245	58.8%
2009	56.98	116^th	243	52.3%
2010	48.18	160^th	254	37.0%
2011	34.56	186^th	246	24.4%
2012	40.38	174^th	255	31.8%
2013	30.55	201^st	248	19.0%
2014	34.68	195^th	252	22.6%
2015	42.68	165^th	256	35.5%
2016	49.10	140^th	255	45.1%
2017	33.42	178^th	236	24.6%
2018	25.03	193^rd	225	14.2%
2019	25.45	200^th	247	19.0%
2021	28.16	175^th	223	21.5%
2022	37.20	172^nd	249	30.9%
2023	43.20	152^nd	238	36.1%
2024	39.94	134^th	200	33.0%

See the entire list of Nebraska Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2021	45.56	13^th	27	51.9%
2023	64.55	11^th	35	68.6%
2024	83.84	1^st	22	95.5%

See the entire list of Best Nebraska Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	33.27	45^th	70	35.7%

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

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	21.34	105^th	120	12.5%
2019	19.48	105^th	123	14.6%
2021	22.70	93^rd	115	19.1%
2022	38.69	77^th	118	34.7%
2023	50.32	82^nd	144	43.1%
2024	49.65	48^th	92	47.8%

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

Rank History for Female students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	29.18	121^st	147	17.7%
2019	30.42	122^nd	156	21.8%
2021	30.49	106^th	137	22.6%
2022	39.68	101^st	150	32.7%
2023	53.50	76^th	146	47.9%
2024	52.04	52^nd	106	50.9%

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

Rank History for Male students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	19.84	126^th	141	10.6%
2019	18.82	135^th	153	11.8%
2021	22.84	119^th	144	17.4%
2022	33.39	114^th	160	28.8%
2023	35.56	109^th	156	30.1%
2024	39.89	69^th	106	34.9%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	24.72	49^th	56	12.5%
2019	24.26	52^nd	62	16.1%
2021	24.65	48^th	59	18.6%
2022	32.14	42^nd	61	31.1%
2023	51.09	36^th	67	46.3%
2024	54.84	24^th	56	57.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Bluffs Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	NE State Percentile
2018	46.96	108^th	203	46.8%
2019	50.44	102^nd	222	54.1%
2021	45.77	116^th	204	43.1%
2022	61.75	77^th	234	67.1%
2023	60.21	82^nd	217	62.2%
2024	54.49	67^th	141	52.5%

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 Bluffs Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	463	1	5	169	29	n/a	n/a	0	667
1989	472	1	5	156	26	n/a	n/a	0	660
1990	460	5	4	135	27	n/a	n/a	0	631
1991	483	4	4	170	38	n/a	n/a	0	699
1992	485	5	2	186	36	n/a	n/a	0	714
1993	523	2	5	227	46	n/a	n/a	0	803
1994	517	4	1	226	35	n/a	n/a	0	783
1995	485	3	5	208	49	n/a	n/a	0	750
1996	485	3	5	208	49	n/a	n/a	0	750
1997	497	1	5	213	57	n/a	n/a	0	773
1998	528	0	3	217	59	n/a	n/a	0	807
1999	442	4	8	88	48	n/a	n/a	119	709
2000	398	7	9	215	49	n/a	n/a	0	678
2001	381	6	11	208	49	n/a	n/a	0	655
2002	398	6	7	202	56	n/a	n/a	0	669
2003	398	6	7	202	56	n/a	n/a	0	669
2004	367	9	5	204	57	n/a	n/a	0	642
2005	365	8	7	202	52	n/a	n/a	0	634
2006	343	4	7	205	53	n/a	n/a	0	612
2007	340	3	6	182	36	n/a	n/a	0	567
2008	338	7	3	210	36	n/a	n/a	0	594
2009	305	6	3	220	25	n/a	n/a	0	559
2010	311	7	3	217	23	n/a	n/a	0	561
2011	306	5	2	253	18	1	9	0	594
2012	347	6	4	280	20	0	11	0	668
2013	333	5	6	303	20	0	9	0	676
2014	343	7	9	320	18	1	17	0	715
2015	346	9	12	334	18	1	18	0	738
2016	356	10	9	347	21	1	21	0	765
2017	390	6	7	348	18	1	14	0	784
2018	391	3	5	349	26	1	15	0	790
2019	383	5	5	350	21	0	13	0	777
2020	388	5	5	335	26	0	13	0	772
2021	422	1	6	338	22	0	13	0	802
2022	409	1	5	329	19	1	11	0	775
2023	389	5	7	357	18	2	7	0	785

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 Bluffs Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	667	44.9	14.8	24.6
1989	660	45.1	14.6	26.7
1990	631	45.1	13.9	26.9
1991	699	45.6	15.3	29.2
1992	714	47.0	15.1	27.9
1993	803	47.0	17.1	29.1
1994	783	48.2	16.2	34.2
1995	750	47.1	15.9	39.5
1996	750	47.1	15.9	39.5
1997	773	47.5	16.3	34.8
1998	807	48.3	16.7	34.6
1999	709	49.7	14.3	45.6
2000	678	52.3	13.0	43.8
2001	655	51.5	12.7	39.7
2002	669	51.1	13.1	43.9
2003	669	51.1	13.1	43.9
2004	642	48.0	13.4	42.2
2005	634	49.5	12.8	41
2006	612	49.5	12.4	43.6
2007	567	48.6	11.7	43.4
2008	594	45.4	13.1	47.1
2009	559	44.4	12.6	49.2
2010	561	45.6	12.2	48.8
2011	594	42.1	14.1	52.7
2012	668	41.1	16.2	56.9
2013	676	40.7	16.5	56.4
2014	715	41.1	17.3	60.3
2015	738	41.0	18.0	62.3
2016	765	43.0	17.7	62.5
2017	784	45.3	17.2	64.2
2018	790	46.2	17.0	62.4
2019	777	48.2	16.0	60.9
2020	772	47.3	16.2	60.4
2021	802	47.7	16.7	64.1
2022	775	49.7	15.5	55.6
2023	785	50.2	15.6	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 Bluffs Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	667	44.9	14.8	24.6
1989	660	45.1	14.6	26.7
1990	631	45.1	13.9	26.9
1991	699	45.6	15.3	29.2
1992	714	47.0	15.1	27.9
1993	803	47.0	17.1	29.1
1994	783	48.2	16.2	34.2
1995	750	47.1	15.9	39.5
1996	750	47.1	15.9	39.5
1997	773	47.5	16.3	34.8
1998	807	48.3	16.7	34.6
1999	709	49.7	14.3	45.6
2000	678	52.3	13.0	43.8
2001	655	51.5	12.7	39.7
2002	669	51.1	13.1	43.9
2003	669	51.1	13.1	43.9
2004	642	48.0	13.4	42.2
2005	634	49.5	12.8	41
2006	612	49.5	12.4	43.6
2007	567	48.6	11.7	43.4
2008	594	45.4	13.1	47.1
2009	559	44.4	12.6	49.2
2010	561	45.6	12.2	48.8
2011	594	42.1	14.1	52.7
2012	668	41.1	16.2	56.9
2013	676	40.7	16.5	56.4
2014	715	41.1	17.3	60.3
2015	738	41.0	18.0	62.3
2016	765	43.0	17.7	62.5
2017	784	45.3	17.2	64.2
2018	790	46.2	17.0	62.4
2019	777	48.2	16.0	60.9
2020	772	47.3	16.2	60.4
2021	802	47.7	16.7	64.1
2022	775	49.7	15.5	55.6
2023	785	50.2	15.6	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 Bluffs Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$224 (1.9%)	$9,723 (81.0%)	$12,008
2020	$190 (1.5%)	$10,114 (81.8%)	$12,370
2021	$727 (5.4%)	$10,596 (78.8%)	$13,455
2022	$509 (3.6%)	$11,351 (81.1%)	$13,991
2023	$760 (5.8%)	$10,569 (80.0%)	$13,208

Data source: Nebraska Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bluffs 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 200^th of 247 Middle schools	Ranks 152^nd of 238 Middle schools	17.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bluffs Middle School)	45	46	1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	45	46	1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	55	6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Bluffs Middle School)	38	58	20%
6th Grade Mathematics (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	38	58	20%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	55	57	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Bluffs Middle School)	43	54	11%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	43	54	11%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	49	54	5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Bluffs Middle School)	39	78	39%
7th Grade Mathematics (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	39	78	39%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	48	66	18%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Bluffs Middle School)	41	56	15%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	41	56	15%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Nebraska)	50	62	12%
8th Grade Mathematics (Bluffs Middle School)	33	65	32%
8th Grade Mathematics (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	33	65	32%
8th Grade Mathematics (Nebraska)	47	61	14%
8th Grade Science (Bluffs Middle School)	59	64	5%
8th Grade Science (Scottsbluff Public Schools)	59	64	5%
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	777	785	1%
African American	5	5
American Indian	21	18	14.3%
Asian	5	7	40%
Hispanic	350	357	2%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	383	389	1.6%
Two or More Races	13	7	46.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.9%	63.1%	2.2%

Schools Near Bluffs Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				NSCAS English Language Arts (2024)			NSCAS Mathematics (2024)			NSCAS Science (2024)	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 (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	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
Bluffs Middle School	Public	6-8	27 East 23rd Street	Scottsbluff	69361	Scotts Bluff County	Scottsbluff Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(308) 635-6270	785	50	15.6	63.1%	389 (49.6%)	5 (0.6%)	357 (45.5%)	7 (0.9%)	18 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	7 (0.9%)	39.9	134^th of 200 public middle schools	33.0%		43.2	152^nd of 238 public middle schools	36.1%	18	55.6	44.9	57.5	67.3	59.1	62.3	65.9	$13,208	$760	$10,569
Panhandle Beginnings Day Treatment	Public	3-8	116 Terry Blvd	Gering	69341	Scotts Bluff County	Educational Service Unit 13	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(308) 632-3981	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Gering Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Q St	Gering	69341	Scotts Bluff County	Gering Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	No	No	(308) 436-3123	414	24	17.2	53.1%	276 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	119 (28.7%)	4 (1.0%)	8 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	17.4	175^th of 200 public middle schools	12.5%		14.6	211^th of 238 public middle schools	11.3%	36	51.2	39.3	44.7	62.2	36.0	40.2	54.6	$13,594	$509	$11,158
Minatare Junior High School	Public	6-8	1107 7th Street	Minatare	69356	Scotts Bluff County	Minatare Public Schools	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(308) 783-1733	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Bluffs Middle School

Bluffs Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Scottsbluff Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for Bluffs Middle School

Rank History for all students at Bluffs Middle School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Bluffs Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Bluffs Middle School

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

Rank History for Female students at Bluffs Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Bluffs Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Bluffs Middle School

Rank History for White students at Bluffs Middle School

Enrollment information for Bluffs Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bluffs Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Bluffs Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bluffs Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Bluffs Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Bluffs Middle School