The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in English language arts. The lowest is 30% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ottawa Middle School
Ottawa Middle School serves grades six through eight in the Ottawa public school district, a town that functions as a regional trading center in Franklin County. The city hosts a private university, distribution centers for Walmart and American Eagle Outfitters, a BNSF railway line, and AdventHealth Ottawa hospital. The Marais des Cygnes River runs through town, and levees built decades ago manage flood risk. The community's economy blends agriculture, logistics, and healthcare, and its public school system includes this middle school, a high school, and three elementary schools.
The school's student body is predominantly white, with a noticeably smaller Hispanic population and very small shares of students who are Black, Asian, Native American, or multiracial. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure that often indicates a substantial share of households with lower incomes. The enrollment, around the size typical of a mid-sized middle school in a small city, is distributed fairly evenly across grades six, seven, and eight. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about how those populations are served and what supports exist.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Ottawa Middle School's proficiency rates in both math and English language arts were mostly in the range between roughly thirty percent and the low forties, varying by grade. The eighth-grade science proficiency rate was in a similar band, around thirty percent. The state changed its cut scores for these assessments, which makes it difficult to compare directly with prior years. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages results across subjects and grades, placed it in the bottom quartile among the four districts in Franklin County. This is a meaningful signal: proficiency outcomes here are weaker than those at the district's peer schools in the same county.
Without additional context on classroom practices, curriculum, or individual student growth, the test results are the main available measure of academic performance. They show a school where a majority of students are not reaching the state's proficiency bar. A parent may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are below that bar and what interventions or enrichment are in place.
The school's location is on the south side of Ottawa, and the town itself offers a mix of residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown district, and the nearby university campus. Housing values in the area have risen over the past year, and are roughly in line with the statewide benchmark. The unemployment rate nationally has been stable, and mortgage rates have been in a range that affects affordability for many households. For a family moving into the district, the housing market is a practical consideration, though specific rental data for the school's immediate area was not available.
No recent district-level changes or strategic initiatives were found in public sources, so the operational context is one of continuity rather than upheaval. No information was provided about programs such as advanced coursework, electives, or extracurricular offerings at the school, so a parent may want to inquire about what is available for middle schoolers, especially in music, arts, athletics, or career exploration. Discipline and attendance data were also absent from the record.
Ottawa Middle School sits in a small industrial and agricultural city with a university presence, serving a predominantly white student body with a high share of economic disadvantage. Its state test results are weak relative to other Franklin County districts, and there is limited publicly available detail on programming, staff, or student support structures. For a family weighing options, the school's profile is clear on the academic side but thin on the programmatic side, which makes direct conversation with the school a necessary next step.
See more original research from School Decision →