Nelson Middle

Summary:

Nelson Middle is a high-performing public middle school located in Frisco, Texas, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,130 students. The school is part of the Frisco Independent School District, which is ranked 30th out of 968 districts in Texas and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Nelson Middle has consistently been ranked among the top middle schools in Texas, ranking 25th out of 2,361 schools for the 2023-2024 school year and receiving a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Nelson Middle consistently outperforms the Frisco Independent School District and the state of Texas in STAAR test scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 93.85% of 7th-grade students at Nelson Middle were proficient or better in STAAR Reading, compared to 82.77% for the Frisco ISD and 52.08% for the state of Texas. The school also has a unique racial makeup, with a significantly higher percentage of Asian students (68.14%) compared to the district and state averages. Additionally, Nelson Middle excels in the performance of various student subgroups, ranking highly in the state for female students, Asian students, and gifted and talented students.

While Nelson Middle outperforms the Frisco ISD and the state of Texas in academic metrics, the nearby schools within the same district, such as Maus Middle, Wester Middle, Lawler Middle, Vandeventer Middle, and Roach Middle, also demonstrate strong academic performance, with most of them ranking in the top 100-300 middle schools in Texas. Additionally, Nelson Middle has a relatively low percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, ranging from 4.16% to 5.31% over the past three school years, which is significantly lower than the nearby schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 10100 Independence Pkwy
       Frisco, TX  75035


(469) 633-4100

District: Frisco Independent School District (Isd)

SchoolDigger Rank:
25th of 2,361 Texas Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,162 Help


Students who attend Nelson Middle usually attend:

High:    Independence High School

Feeder schools for Nelson Middle:

Elementary:    Ashley Elementary
    Liscano Elementary
    Norris Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  17.1 Help
Number of students:  1,130

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
68.1%
White:
18.8%
African American:
4.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  4.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Nelson Middle ranks better than 98.9% of middle schools in Texas. It also ranks 4th among 17 ranked middle schools in the Frisco Independent School District (Isd). (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.8. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Nelson Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Frisco Independent School District (Isd). Racial makeup is: Asian (68.1%), White (18.8%), African American (4.9%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 4.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Nelson Middle is 17.1. 16 middle schools in the Frisco Independent School District (Isd) have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Nelson Middle employs 65.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Nelson Middle is $8,162. 16 middle schools in the Frisco Independent School District (Isd) spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Nelson Middle was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Nelson Middle 25th of 2361 Texas public middle schools. (See Nelson Middle in the ranking list.)

Frisco Independent School District (Isd):

SchoolDigger ranks Frisco Independent School District (Isd) 30th of 968 Texas school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Nelson Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 97.02 38th 2193 98.3%
2021 98.24 21st 2252 99.1%
2022 98.44 17th 2254 99.2%
2023 98.56 17th 2330 99.3%
2024 97.80 25th 2361 98.9%
See the entire list of Texas Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.55 118th 720 83.6%
2019 79.71 102nd 753 86.5%
2021 90.38 33rd 743 95.6%
2022 89.63 40th 813 95.1%
2023 86.91 58th 817 92.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 66.63 276th 1592 82.7%
2022 83.96 119th 1643 92.8%
2023 96.66 30th 1720 98.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.72 18th 1597 98.9%
2019 82.12 109th 1626 93.3%
2021 92.36 35th 1712 98.0%
2022 91.04 56th 1757 96.8%
2023 90.84 62nd 1815 96.6%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.62 366th 2039 82.1%
2019 70.19 379th 2073 81.7%
2021 73.34 322nd 2172 85.2%
2022 82.17 190th 2220 91.4%
2023 88.99 103rd 2251 95.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.37 39th 2008 98.1%
2019 97.13 29th 2047 98.6%
2021 98.09 20th 2151 99.1%
2022 98.50 10th 2221 99.5%
2023 98.39 11th 2241 99.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 81.55 48th 1430 96.6%
2019 81.38 37th 1446 97.4%
2021 85.89 15th 1501 99.0%
2022 82.82 32nd 1488 97.8%
2023 79.16 98th 1481 93.4%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for At Risk students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.60 214th 2008 89.3%
2019 72.99 285th 2058 86.2%
2021 84.11 117th 2118 94.5%
2022 91.34 72nd 2182 96.7%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for At Risk Students!

Rank History for Male students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 97.19 35th 2030 98.3%
2019 96.27 49th 2069 97.6%
2021 98.17 21st 2168 99.0%
2022 97.80 24th 2228 98.9%
2023 98.20 18th 2245 99.2%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.69 53rd 587 91.0%
2019 83.44 45th 594 92.4%
2021 87.50 28th 589 95.2%
2022 85.66 27th 606 95.5%
2023 85.60 25th 616 95.9%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.48 113th 1167 90.3%
2019 77.22 180th 1193 84.9%
2021 85.79 90th 1213 92.6%
2022 83.89 111th 1251 91.1%
2023 89.32 75th 1273 94.1%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 96.34 43rd 1895 97.7%
2019 93.83 63rd 1935 96.7%
2021 89.38 107th 2043 94.8%
2022 95.19 48th 2077 97.7%
2023 97.33 31st 2116 98.5%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Nelson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools TX State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.13 110th 1673 93.4%
2019 86.27 149th 1684 91.2%
2021 85.40 122nd 1700 92.8%
2022 83.01 163rd 1723 90.5%
2023 88.74 83rd 1749 95.3%
See the entire list of Best Texas Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Texas Education Agency, 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.

Nelson Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
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Data source: Texas Education Agency

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Enrollment information for Nelson Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2017 270 61 238 45 4 1 19 0 638
2018 295 82 295 65 5 1 24 0 767
2019 259 68 362 65 7 2 25 0 788
2020 243 80 508 54 12 2 35 0 934
2021 232 82 605 51 11 2 33 0 1016
2022 222 65 742 59 10 0 28 0 1126
2023 212 55 770 52 12 1 28 0 1130

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 Nelson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 638 47.3 13.4 5.6
2018 767 51.7 14.8 6.9
2019 788 52.9 14.8 4.8
2020 934 57.3 16.2 5.5
2021 1016 61.4 16.5 5.3
2022 1126 62.9 17.8 4.8
2023 1130 65.9 17.1 4.2

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 Nelson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2017 638 47.3 13.4 5.6
2018 767 51.7 14.8 6.9
2019 788 52.9 14.8 4.8
2020 934 57.3 16.2 5.5
2021 1016 61.4 16.5 5.3
2022 1126 62.9 17.8 4.8
2023 1130 65.9 17.1 4.2

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 Nelson Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $512 (6.2%) $7,766 (93.8%) $8,279
2020 $459 (5.8%) $7,505 (94.2%) $7,964
2021 $378 (4.6%) $7,784 (95.4%) $8,162

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Nelson 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 38th of 2193 Middle schoolsRanks 17th of 2330 Middle schools
 1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Reading (Nelson Middle)7091
 21%
   6th Grade Reading (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))6380
 17%
   6th Grade Reading (Texas)3550
 15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Nelson Middle)8090
 10%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))7668
 8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4537
 8%
7th Grade Reading (Nelson Middle)8390
 7%
   7th Grade Reading (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))7583
 8%
   7th Grade Reading (Texas)4752
 5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Nelson Middle)8488
 4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))7875
 3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Texas)4135
 6%
8th Grade Reading (Nelson Middle)8494
 10%
   8th Grade Reading (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))8186
 5%
   8th Grade Reading (Texas)5356
 3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Nelson Middle)7481
 7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))7963
 16%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Texas)5544
 11%
8th Grade Science (Nelson Middle)8488
 4%
   8th Grade Science (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))8077
 3%
   8th Grade Science (Texas)4945
 4%
8th Grade Social Studies (Nelson Middle)6783
 16%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))6361
 2%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Texas)3531
 4%
End of Course Algebra I (Nelson Middle)10098
 2%
   End of Course Algebra I (Frisco Independent School District (Isd))8671
 15%
   End of Course Algebra I (Texas)6245
 17%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students7881130
 43.4%
African American6855
 19.1%
American Indian712
 71.4%
Asian362770
 112.7%
Hispanic6552
 20%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White259212
 18.1%
Two or More Races2528
 12%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients4.8%4.2%
 0.7%


Schools Near Nelson Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Nelson Middle

Students who attend Nelson Middle usually go on to attend Independence High School

Students at Nelson Middle are 68% Asian, 19% White, 5% African American, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% American Indian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,130 students attended Nelson Middle.

Yes! Nelson Middle is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 25th of 2361 Texas middle schools.


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

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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