The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Math. The lowest is 63% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on South Hardin Middle School
South Hardin Middle School is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Hubbard, Iowa, a small farming community in Hardin County. It is part of the Hubbard‑Radcliffe Community School District, which was formed by the merger of the Hubbard and Radcliffe districts and operates under a grade‑sharing arrangement with the Eldora‑New Providence district, collectively called South Hardin Schools. The middle school is one of several buildings that make up this cooperative structure: elementary students attend school in Radcliffe, middle school students come to Hubbard, and high school students go to Eldora, the county seat.
The school’s enrollment is modest for a middle school. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a still smaller group of students who identify as two or more races. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced‑price lunch, a marker of the economic context of the community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported.
State testing results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress provide a picture of academic performance. In math, a strong majority of students scored at or above the proficient level. In English language arts, the proficient share was solid but lower than in math. In science, roughly three of every five students reached the proficient bar. The available data covers a single school year, so there is no trend to examine. When compared with other districts in Hardin County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls below the midpoint of the group.
Hubbard itself is a compact town with a traditional grid layout, a small commercial core, and a residential character. Most residents drive alone to work, and the average commute is moderate. The town has a public library, a park with updated play equipment and shelters, and a volunteer fire and ambulance department. Annual community events such as Hubbard Days, Oktoberfest, and holiday gatherings bring residents together. The local economy is built around health care, construction, and manufacturing, though no specific large employers were named in publicly available sources. Population has been stable to slightly declining in recent years, and housing values have seen modest appreciation.
For the middle school itself, several types of information that parents often look for were not available. Discipline data, staffing ratios, course access (such as advanced or elective offerings), and attendance figures are absent from the record. Because this is a middle school, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data were also missing. Anyone considering the school may want to ask the school or district directly about those areas.
Overall, South Hardin Middle School offers a medium‑sized, majority‑white student body in a rural Iowa community, with math proficiency as a relative strength and overall test performance sitting lower than many of its county neighbors. The school’s academic picture is based on a single year of results, and several common benchmarks are simply not in the data. Families interested in the school will want to visit, talk with staff, and fill in the gaps around discipline, programs, and student support.
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