First Branch Middle School

Q: Is First Branch Middle School a good school?

First Branch Middle School ranks 13 th of 50 Vermont middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

First Branch Middle School is a public middle school located in Chelsea, Vermont, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 94 students. The school is part of the First Branch Unified School District #82, which is ranked 31 out of 51 districts in Vermont and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

First Branch Middle School stands out in several ways. It has a significantly higher percentage of white students (97.87%) compared to the nearby White River Valley Middle School (91.04%). Academically, the school has outperformed the state average in 6th-grade English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments. Additionally, First Branch Middle School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 9.4 students per teacher, lower than the 7.3 students per teacher at White River Valley Middle School. However, the school's percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (37.23%) is lower than the nearby Orange Center School (57.46%), indicating a higher socioeconomic status of the student population.

While First Branch Middle School has shown strengths in certain areas, there are some interesting findings and potential concerns. The school's racial diversity has been declining, with the percentage of white students increasing from 99.17% in 2021-2022 to 97.87% in 2022-2023. Additionally, the school's overall statewide ranking has fluctuated, suggesting that its academic performance may not be consistently high across all grades and subjects. These factors may raise questions about equity and access to educational opportunities for underrepresented or economically disadvantaged students, and the school's leadership may want to examine these issues and consider strategies to promote greater diversity and support for all students.

Detail:

Public 5-8

6 School Street
Chelsea, VT 05038-9746

(802) 685-4551

District: First Branch Unified School District #82

SchoolDigger Rank:
13^th of 50 Vermont Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $17,260

Student/teacher ratio: 9.4

Number of students: 94

Racial breakdown:

White:

97.9%

Hispanic:

1.1%

Pacific Islander:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.2%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details First Branch Middle School is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2021 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.63. (See more...)

Compare Details First Branch Middle School ranks better than 74% of middle schools in Vermont. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.4. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (97.9%), Hispanic (1.1%), Pacific Islander (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at First Branch Middle School is 9.4. (See more...)

Compare First Branch Middle School employs 10 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at First Branch Middle School is $17,260.

Schooldigger Rankings:

First Branch Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks First Branch Middle School 13^th of 50 Vermont public middle schools. (See First Branch Middle School in the ranking list.)

First Branch Unified School District #82:

SchoolDigger ranks First Branch Unified School District #82 31^st of 51 Vermont school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for First Branch Middle School

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Rank History for all elementary school students at First Branch Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	54.23	62^nd	138	55.1%
2021	46.63	83^rd	148	43.9%

See the entire list of Vermont Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school White students at First Branch Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	VT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	48.68	79^th	146	45.9%
2021	43.96	86^th	147	41.5%

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

Data source: test scores: Vermont Agency of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for First Branch Middle School

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Rank History for all middle school students at First Branch Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VT State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	47.40	33^rd	68	51.5%
2023	63.40	13^th	50	74.0%

See the entire list of Vermont Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school White students at First Branch Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VT State Percentile
2019	47.11	47^th	87	46.0%
2022	44.00	49^th	91	46.2%
2023	72.22	23^rd	88	73.9%

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

Data source: test scores: Vermont Agency 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: Vermont Agency of Education

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Enrollment information for First Branch Middle School

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Year	White	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Total
2019	131	0	0	131
2020	129	0	0	129
2021	100	0	0	100
2022	119	1	0	120
2023	92	1	1	94

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 First Branch Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	131	15.0	8.7	39.7
2020	129	13.0	9.9	33.3
2021	100	9.0	11.1	42
2022	120	10.5	11.3	38.3
2023	94	10.0	9.4	37.2

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 First Branch Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	131	15.0	8.7	39.7
2020	129	13.0	9.9	33.3
2021	100	9.0	11.1	42
2022	120	10.5	11.3	38.3
2023	94	10.0	9.4	37.2

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 First Branch Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$17,260 (100.0%)	$17,260

Data source: Vermont Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on First Branch 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.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (First Branch Middle School)	29.4	21.1	8.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Vermont)	55.5	46.4	9.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (First Branch Middle School)	47	31.6	15.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Vermont)	41.7	32.8	8.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	131	94	28.2%
African American	0	0
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	1
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	131	92	29.8%
Two or More Races	0	0
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.7%	37.2%	2.5%

Schools Near First Branch Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				VTCAP English Language Arts (2023)				VTCAP Mathematics (2023)				VTCAP Science (2023)		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 (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	VTCAP English Language Arts 5th Grade	VTCAP English Language Arts 6th Grade	VTCAP English Language Arts 7th Grade	VTCAP English Language Arts 8th Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 5th Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 6th Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 7th Grade	VTCAP Mathematics 8th Grade	VTCAP Science 5th Grade	VTCAP Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
First Branch Middle School	Public	5-8	6 School Street	Chelsea	05038	Orange County	First Branch Unified School District #82	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 685-4551	94	10	9.4	37.2%	92 (97.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	63.4	13^th of 50 public middle schools	74.0%		47.4	33^rd of 68 public middle schools	51.5%	20	40.0	73.9	43.5	57.9	48.0	95.7	34.8	52.6			$17,260	$00	$17,260
Orange Center School	Public	5-8	357 U.S. Route 302	East Barre	05649	Washington County	Echo Valley Community Union School District #67	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 476-3278	77	6	14.0	35.1%	77 (100.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19.3	42^nd of 50 public middle schools	16.0%		22.7	57^th of 68 public middle schools	16.2%	15	20.0	20.8	29.4	29.4	15.0	37.5	52.9	11.8	36.8	29.4	$11,874	$00	$11,874
White River Valley Middle School	Public	6-8	273 Pleasant Street	Bethel	05032	Windsor County	White River Unified School District #79	(n/a)	No	No	Yes	(802) 234-9966	134	18	7.3	57.5%	122 (91.0%)	5 (3.7%)	3 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	2 (1.5%)	46.9	23^rd of 50 public middle schools	54.0%		35.1	44^th of 68 public middle schools	35.3%	21		57.9	57.1	40.0		55.3	44.9	20.6		45.7	$16,317	$00	$16,317

Frequently Asked Questions about First Branch Middle School

Is First Branch Middle School a good school?

First Branch Middle School ranks 13^th of 50 Vermont middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend First Branch Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 94 students attended First Branch Middle School.

What district is First Branch Middle School in?

First Branch Unified School District #82

What is the racial makeup of First Branch Middle School?

Students at First Branch Middle School are 98% White, 1% Hispanic, 1% Pacific Islander.

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