Is Colby Middle a good school?

Colby Middle ranks in the bottom 17.5% of Wisconsin middle schools.

How many students attend Colby Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 217 students attended Colby Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Colby Middle?

Students at Colby Middle are 51% White, 45% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Colby Middle attend?

Students who attend Colby Middle usually go on to attend Colby High

Colby Middle

Summary:

Colby Middle is a public middle school located in Colby, Wisconsin, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 217 students. The school is part of the Colby School District, which is ranked 411 out of 428 districts in Wisconsin and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Colby Middle has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Wisconsin middle schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade.

Colby Middle's academic performance, as measured by the Forward Exam, is significantly below the state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 27.78% (6th grade) to 47.76% (7th grade), compared to the state averages of 54.1% (6th grade) and 51.77% (7th grade). The school's performance in Mathematics is also well below the state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 25% (6th grade) to 45.45% (7th grade), compared to the state averages of 53.55% (6th grade) and 53.53% (7th grade). Colby Middle's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as White students and Low Socio-Economic Status students, whose rankings are in the bottom quarter of Wisconsin middle schools.

Colby Middle's struggles are further highlighted when compared to nearby schools. For instance, Marshfield Middle, located 19.55 miles away, consistently outperforms Colby Middle on the Forward Exam, with proficiency rates that are 20-30 percentage points higher in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. While Colby Middle has maintained a 0.0% dropout rate, the school's high chronic absenteeism rates, rising from 6.4% in 2018-2019 to 15.0% in 2022-2023, are likely contributing to its academic challenges. Despite the school's higher spending per student compared to nearby schools, these additional resources do not appear to be translating into improved outcomes for the students of Colby Middle.

Detail:

Public 6-8

703 N 2nd St
Colby, WI 54421

(715) 223-8869

District: Colby School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
529^th of 641 Wisconsin Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,870

Students who attend Colby Middle usually attend:

High:

Colby High

Feeder schools for Colby Middle:

Elementary:

Colby Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 12.8

Number of students: 217

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.7%

Hispanic:

45.2%

Two or more races:

2.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.7%

See top rated Wisconsin middle schools

Compare Colby Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Colby Middle ranks worse than 82.5% of middle schools in Wisconsin. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.92. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (50.7%), Hispanic (45.2%), two or more races (2.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Colby Middle is 12.8. (See more...)

Compare Colby Middle employs 16.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Colby Middle is $16,870.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Colby Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Colby Middle 529^th of 641 Wisconsin public middle schools. (See Colby Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

English Language Learner students:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Colby School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Colby School District 411^th of 428 Wisconsin school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Colby Middle?

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Rank History for Colby Middle

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Rank History for all students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2004	56.85	195^th	324	39.8%
2005	36.08	266^th	332	19.9%
2006	42.57	292^nd	382	23.6%
2008	56.64	287^th	519	44.7%
2009	49.13	351^st	521	32.6%
2010	71.69	114^th	539	78.8%
2011	61.86	235^th	549	57.2%
2012	55.96	322^nd	559	42.4%
2013	44.55	379^th	569	33.4%
2014	51.38	333^rd	585	43.1%
2015	36.71	454^th	612	25.8%
2016	26.39	490^th	609	19.5%
2017	21.97	508^th	612	17.0%
2018	29.53	456^th	579	21.2%
2019	37.85	415^th	594	30.1%
2021	24.36	500^th	613	18.4%
2022	29.21	472^nd	617	23.5%
2023	20.99	526^th	640	17.8%
2024	23.92	529^th	641	17.5%

See the entire list of Wisconsin Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	37.22	86^th	140	38.6%
2019	54.45	47^th	153	69.3%
2021	34.74	104^th	138	24.6%
2022	36.73	102^nd	158	35.4%
2023	36.96	112^th	170	34.1%
2024	44.20	84^th	173	51.4%

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

Rank History for Special Education students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	40.34	244^th	417	41.5%
2019	70.45	62^nd	414	85.0%
2021	25.56	352^nd	437	19.5%
2022	42.94	225^th	421	46.6%
2023	45.37	217^th	439	50.6%
2024	39.41	251^st	425	40.9%

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

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	32.29	378^th	489	22.7%
2019	38.22	330^th	487	32.2%
2021	24.84	422^nd	499	15.4%
2022	31.53	387^th	522	25.9%
2023	24.19	430^th	525	18.1%
2024	17.82	463^rd	520	11.0%

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

Rank History for Female students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	33.24	416^th	551	24.5%
2019	42.28	372^nd	557	33.2%
2021	42.53	364^th	574	36.6%
2022	34.20	410^th	576	28.8%
2023	26.31	455^th	579	21.4%
2024	25.30	471^st	580	18.8%

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

Rank History for Male students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	30.27	433^rd	551	21.4%
2019	36.33	398^th	557	28.5%
2021	11.68	515^th	572	10.0%
2022	26.29	456^th	577	21.0%
2023	19.12	501^st	591	15.2%
2024	24.61	469^th	585	19.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Colby Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	WI State Percentile
2018	24.07	312^th	375	16.8%
2019	29.04	300^th	382	21.5%
2021	15.40	365^th	393	7.1%
2022	31.44	296^th	397	25.4%
2023	26.82	323^rd	412	21.6%
2024	20.22	346^th	407	15.0%

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

Data source: test scores: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 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: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Colby Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1998	239	3	4	0	3	n/a	n/a	249
1999	254	3	2	2	7	n/a	n/a	268
2000	237	0	2	2	7	n/a	n/a	248
2001	246	1	0	2	6	n/a	n/a	255
2002	230	1	1	9	3	n/a	n/a	244
2003	230	1	1	9	3	n/a	n/a	244
2004	216	2	1	10	0	n/a	n/a	229
2005	204	2	0	11	1	n/a	n/a	218
2006	190	2	1	10	1	n/a	n/a	204
2007	244	1	0	17	1	n/a	n/a	263
2008	234	1	0	23	1	n/a	n/a	259
2009	226	0	0	28	2	n/a	n/a	256
2010	231	2	0	28	2	n/a	n/a	263
2011	217	1	1	31	2	0	0	252
2012	204	1	0	36	3	0	0	244
2013	208	3	1	40	2	0	0	254
2014	185	1	0	48	4	0	1	239
2015	194	1	1	48	5	0	0	249
2016	208	0	0	57	3	0	2	270
2017	149	1	1	49	1	0	1	202
2018	152	1	3	51	0	0	1	208
2019	145	1	2	47	0	0	3	198
2020	137	2	2	54	1	0	3	199
2021	128	3	1	61	0	0	2	195
2022	114	2	1	81	0	0	4	202
2023	110	2	2	98	0	0	5	217

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 Colby Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	249	14.9	16.7	14.5
1999	268	15.6	17.2	23.1
2000	248	16.5	15.0	23
2001	255	17.6	14.5	23.5
2002	244	15.6	15.6	31.6
2003	244	15.6	15.6	31.6
2004	229	14.8	15.5	38.9
2005	218	15.7	13.9	n/a
2006	204	16.0	12.8	n/a
2007	263	20.2	13.0	41.8
2008	259	20.6	12.6	36.7
2009	256	20.5	12.5	41
2010	263	20.8	12.6	40.3
2011	252	21.1	11.8	41.7
2012	244	20.3	12.0	47.5
2013	254	19.5	13.0	43.3
2014	239	19.5	12.2	51.5
2015	249	n/a	n/a	56.2
2016	270	20.0	13.5	57
2017	202	18.5	10.8	52
2018	208	16.4	12.6	53.8
2019	198	17.0	11.5	51
2020	199	17.0	11.6	57.8
2021	195	16.6	11.7	61
2022	202	16.1	12.5	56.4
2023	217	16.9	12.8	62.7

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 Colby Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	249	14.9	16.7	14.5
1999	268	15.6	17.2	23.1
2000	248	16.5	15.0	23
2001	255	17.6	14.5	23.5
2002	244	15.6	15.6	31.6
2003	244	15.6	15.6	31.6
2004	229	14.8	15.5	38.9
2005	218	15.7	13.9	n/a
2006	204	16.0	12.8	n/a
2007	263	20.2	13.0	41.8
2008	259	20.6	12.6	36.7
2009	256	20.5	12.5	41
2010	263	20.8	12.6	40.3
2011	252	21.1	11.8	41.7
2012	244	20.3	12.0	47.5
2013	254	19.5	13.0	43.3
2014	239	19.5	12.2	51.5
2015	249	n/a	n/a	56.2
2016	270	20.0	13.5	57
2017	202	18.5	10.8	52
2018	208	16.4	12.6	53.8
2019	198	17.0	11.5	51
2020	199	17.0	11.6	57.8
2021	195	16.6	11.7	61
2022	202	16.1	12.5	56.4
2023	217	16.9	12.8	62.7

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 Colby Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,018 (6.5%)	$14,560 (93.5%)	$15,577
2020	$382 (3.3%)	$11,047 (96.7%)	$11,429
2021	$352 (2.1%)	$16,518 (97.9%)	$16,870

Data source: Wisconsin Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Colby 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 415^th of 594 Middle schools	Ranks 526^th of 640 Middle schools	12.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Colby Middle)	26.2	26.2
6th Grade English Language Arts (Colby School District)	25.8	26.2	0.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	41.7	40.6	1.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Colby Middle)	27.7	29.2	1.5%
6th Grade Mathematics (Colby School District)	27.3	29.2	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	43.5	42.6	0.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Colby Middle)	42.9	21.7	21.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Colby School District)	42.2	21.7	20.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	45.5	41.1	4.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Colby Middle)	34.9	21.7	13.2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Colby School District)	34.4	21.7	12.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	39.7	35.7	4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Colby Middle)	25.8	14.7	11.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Colby School District)	25.8	15.9	9.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Wisconsin)	37.3	37.8	0.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Colby Middle)	24.2	5.9	18.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Colby School District)	24.2	7.3	16.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Wisconsin)	36.5	31.8	4.7%
8th Grade Social Studies (Colby Middle)	51.6	41.2	10.4%
8th Grade Social Studies (Colby School District)	51.6	42	9.6%
8th Grade Social Studies (Wisconsin)	52.1	59.2	7.1%
8th Grade Science (Colby Middle)	59.7	32.4	27.3%
8th Grade Science (Colby School District)	59.7	33.3	26.4%
8th Grade Science (Wisconsin)	54.6	49.4	5.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	198	217	9.6%
African American	1	2	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	2
Hispanic	47	98	108.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	145	110	24.1%
Two or More Races	3	5	66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51%	62.7%	11.7%

Schools Near Colby Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Forward Exam English Language Arts (2024)				Forward Exam Mathematics (2024)				Forward Exam Social Studies (2024)	Forward Exam Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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	Forward Exam English Language Arts 5th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 6th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 7th Grade	Forward Exam English Language Arts 8th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 5th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 6th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 7th Grade	Forward Exam Mathematics 8th Grade	Forward Exam Social Studies 8th Grade	Forward Exam Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Colby Middle	Public	6-8	703 N 2nd St	Colby	54421	Clark County	Colby School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 223-8869	217	17	12.8	62.7%	110 (50.7%)	2 (0.9%)	98 (45.2%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.3%)	23.9	529^th of 641 public middle schools	17.5%		21	526^th of 640 public middle schools	17.8%	3		27.8	47.8	37.5		25.0	45.5	33.3	38.9	30.6	$16,870	$352	$16,518
Owen-Withee Junior High	Public	6-8	832 W 3rd St	Owen	54460	Clark County	Owen-Withee School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 229-2151	106	10	11.1	49.1%	92 (86.8%)	1 (0.9%)	9 (8.5%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	1 (0.9%)	31.5	483^rd of 641 public middle schools	24.6%		18.7	543^rd of 640 public middle schools	15.2%	60		40.0	39.5	20.0		60.0	55.3	23.3	53.3	16.7	$10,953	$935	$10,018
Athens Middle	Public	6-8	601 W Village Limits Rd	Athens	54411	Marathon County	Athens School District	No	No	No	(n/a)	(715) 257-7511	66	5	12.9	24.2%	62 (93.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46	396^th of 641 public middle schools	38.2%		56.9	258^th of 640 public middle schools	59.7%	138		63.6	67.9	50.0		54.6	39.3	33.3	44.4	27.8	$14,716	$1,403	$13,314
Stratford Middle	Public	6-8	213311 Legion St	Stratford	54484	Marathon County	Stratford School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 687-4311	191	12	15.8	27.7%	171 (89.5%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	81.6	76^th of 641 public middle schools	88.1%		70	157^th of 640 public middle schools	75.5%	81		62.2	59.7	64.6		80.0	71.9	78.5	78.5	76.9	$12,294	$300	$11,993
Medford Middle	Public	5-8	509 E Clark St	Medford	54451	Taylor County	Medford Area Public School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 748-2516	628	50	12.4	41.1%	573 (91.2%)	2 (0.3%)	38 (6.1%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.1%)	41	421^st of 641 public middle schools	34.3%		43.9	381^st of 640 public middle schools	40.5%	40	53.7	57.0	30.8	42.6	60.3	62.5	40.4	52.8	49.7	41.6	$12,934	$412	$12,522
Loyal Middle School	Public	6-8	514 W Central	Loyal	54446	Clark County	Loyal School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 255-8511	111	8	14.4	46.8%	98 (88.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.8%)	55.1	305^th of 641 public middle schools	52.4%		46.2	359^th of 640 public middle schools	43.9%	54		36.7	57.1	43.6		66.7	71.4	48.7	64.1	51.3
Edgar Middle	Public	6-8	203 E Birch St	Edgar	54426	Marathon County	Edgar School District	No	No	No	Yes	(715) 352-2352	135	10	13.9	30.4%	128 (94.8%)	1 (0.7%)	4 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	64.4	225^th of 641 public middle schools	64.9%		77.6	102^nd of 640 public middle schools	84.1%	123		77.1	54.8	52.2		77.1	78.6	52.2	60.9	45.7	$12,842	$701	$12,141
Marshfield Middle	Public	7-8	900 E 4th St	Marshfield	54449	Wood County	Marshfield Unified School District	No	No	No	No	(715) 387-1249	563	41	13.7	38.0%	480 (85.3%)	6 (1.1%)	41 (7.3%)	16 (2.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.4%)	68.7	189^th of 641 public middle schools	70.5%		63.7	203^rd of 640 public middle schools	68.3%	14			68.1	56.9			64.2	62.0	62.8	58.4	$12,005	$320	$11,685

Colby Middle

Colby Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Colby School District:

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Rank History for Colby Middle

Rank History for all students at Colby Middle

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Colby Middle

Rank History for Special Education students at Colby Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Colby Middle

Rank History for Female students at Colby Middle

Rank History for Male students at Colby Middle

Rank History for White students at Colby Middle

Enrollment information for Colby Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Colby Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Colby Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Colby Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Colby Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Colby Middle

Colby Middle

Owen-Withee Junior High

Athens Middle

Stratford Middle

Medford Middle

Loyal Middle School

Edgar Middle

Marshfield Middle

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