The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 46% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Jefferson Middle School
Thomas Jefferson Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade in Dubuque, Iowa, as part of the Dubuque Community School District. It is a regular public school, and its enrollment is sizable for a middle school. The student body is predominantly white, with Black students representing the next largest group, followed by smaller shares of students who are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, two or more races, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on the percentage of students with individualized education programs or English learner status was not available.
On the state’s ISASP assessments, proficiency rates across tested subjects show a mixed picture. In English language arts, just over half of students scored at the proficient level or above. In math, the rate was somewhat lower, and in science, it was lower still. Participation rates on all three tests were high. There is only a single year of data for this assessment, so no trend is available. When compared against other middle-grade campuses within the county’s districts, Thomas Jefferson’s overall proficiency index falls in the bottom quartile. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how the school supports students who are not yet at the proficient level and how it addresses gaps across subjects.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate. Civil rights data, discipline data, and course access information were also not available in the provided material.
Dubuque itself is a mid-sized regional hub at the junction of Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin on the Mississippi River. It functions as the main commercial, industrial, educational, and cultural center for the surrounding tri-state area. The economy has diversified over the past few decades into health care, publishing, financial services, and tourism, while retaining a significant manufacturing base anchored by employers like John Deere. Downtown and the redeveloped Port of Dubuque riverfront, which includes the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, offer cultural and pedestrian-friendly amenities. Residential neighborhoods climb the steep bluffs above the river, and walkability is strongest downtown and along the riverfront. The city has seen sustained revitalization since the 1990s, with projects like the Bee Branch Creek restoration and the Q Casino expansion ongoing. Housing values and rents in the area are broadly aligned with state-level benchmarks.
The district has been implementing a significant shift to Standards-Based Learning since the 2022-2023 school year. This approach moved from elementary to middle schools and reached high schools in 2024-2025. It replaces traditional letter grades with a system that measures student proficiency against specific learning standards, which affects how progress is assessed and reported. Families moving into the district should be prepared for this reporting model. Voters in the district also approved a bond referendum in late 2024 to fund facility improvements across multiple schools, including HVAC upgrades, security enhancements, and classroom additions, with construction planned through 2027. The district also launched a full-time virtual education option, the Dubuque Online School, for students in grades six through twelve, offering a permanent flexible learning alternative within the district.
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