The top reported proficiency rate is 88% in Science. The lowest is 80% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Union Middle School
Union Middle School serves students in grades six through eight in Dysart, a small Tama County town surrounded by farmland and located a short drive south of Waterloo. The school is part of the Union Community School District, which also operates an elementary school in Dysart and a high school in La Porte City, roughly a dozen miles away. For families considering this middle school, that means a commute for older siblings or a future transition to a high school outside town.
Academically, Union Middle School performs at a strong level. On the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, a very high share of students met or exceeded state standards in English language arts and in science, and a substantial majority did so in math. Overall proficiency across all tested subjects placed the school in the top quartile relative to the two districts in Tama County—a comparison set that is small but still indicates that this school’s results stand out locally. Only one year of assessment data was available, so trends cannot be assessed, but the single snapshot shows a school where most students are on grade level or above.
The student body is small, numbering in the low hundreds for the three grades combined. The population is overwhelmingly white, with very small shares of Hispanic, Black, and multiracial students. About a quarter of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is moderate for a rural Iowa school. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported in the available records; a parent with a child who may need these services would want to ask the school directly about support structures.
Dysart itself is a compact, walkable town with a wide Main Street leading to a city park that hosts a weekly farmers market and seasonal events like Spring on Main and Christmas on Main. The public library and city hall are downtown. Home values in the area have risen notably in recent years, outpacing the state average, and the local unemployment rate is low. The town’s population has seen a slight decline since the last census, and no major new housing or commercial developments were identified in publicly available sources. The school occupies a building within the town, so students are part of the civic fabric rather than isolated on a separate campus.
No recent district-level changes—such as budget referendums, curriculum overhauls, or facility projects—were found in web research, so families can expect continuity in programming and operations for now. Union Middle School does not offer high school level courses or career programs because of its grade band, so acceleration options beyond the middle school curriculum are not part of this building’s profile.
For a family looking at this school, the picture is one of solid academic performance in a small, rural setting. The school appears to serve its students well on the core measures of reading, math, and science. The town offers a quiet, community-oriented environment with modest housing growth and a stable local economy. The main logistical consideration is the separation of the high school to a different town, and the lack of published data on some student support categories means that follow-up conversations with the school are advisable for any child who may need specialized help.
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