The top reported proficiency rate is 35% in English language arts. The lowest is 22% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hoisington Middle
Hoisington Middle serves grades six through eight in the small central Kansas city of Hoisington. With just over a hundred and fifty students enrolled across three grades, it is a modestly sized school where each grade has enough students to form a few sections of core classes, but the scale is small enough that most students and staff likely know one another by sight. The student body is predominantly white, with small numbers of Hispanic and multiracial students and a single-digit count of Black students. Roughly half the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that places the school solidly within the typical range for a rural Kansas district and reflects the broader economic character of the community.
Academic performance on state assessments paints a mixed picture. On the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) tests from the 2024-25 school year, the proportion of students scoring proficient or above varied noticeably by grade and subject. In seventh-grade English language arts, about half of students met the bar, a result that puts that class in a stronger position relative to state expectations. In sixth and eighth grade ELA, and across all three grades in math, proficiency rates were lower, landing in the mid-twenties to high thirties. Eighth-grade science results were similarly modest. It is worth noting that Kansas changed the cut scores for these assessments between the prior year and this testing cycle, which means the results are not directly comparable to older data and that a parent may want to ask the school how recent scores compare to previous years under the same scoring. When positioned against the other districts in Barton County, Hoisington Middle’s overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grade levels fell in the bottom quarter among the four districts that had data for this metric. That is a soft spot, and a parent considering this school would be wise to discuss with the principal how the school supports students who are behind grade-level expectations and whether there are targeted interventions for math and reading.
The school belongs to Hoisington USD 431, a district that operates four buildings within the city limits: a high school, this middle school, and two elementary schools. The district did not have any recent major changes, facility overhauls, or leadership shifts publicly reported at the time of research, and there is no information available about course offerings, elective pathways, or after-school programs at the middle school level. Families will need to contact the school directly to learn about any available band, foreign language, or exploratory classes that often matter at this age.
The town of Hoisington itself shapes the school experience. The city has been in a long-term population decline from a mid-twentieth-century peak, and its economy rests on a combination of agriculture and light manufacturing, with a hospital and the railroad as historical anchors. A devastating tornado in the early 2000s destroyed a large number of homes and businesses, and recovery brought newer housing along the tornado’s path, but the overall population trend has not reversed. Housing costs are very low relative to both Kansas and national benchmarks, and the estimated monthly mortgage on a median-priced home is well below the national figure, making the area an affordable option for families who can find work locally or commute to nearby towns. The surrounding landscape is dominated by farmland and the nearby Cheyenne Bottoms wetland, a significant natural resource.
For a family weighing this school, the main draw is a small, grounded middle school in an affordable, quiet rural community. The academic results, however, are not strong compared to other Barton County districts, and the lack of public program details means a parent should verify what enrichment and remediation opportunities exist. The school’s size and setting can work well for students who benefit from a close-knit environment where teachers may have more time for individual attention, but the proficiency data suggests that many students are entering high school below grade-level benchmarks, so active engagement from home and from the school’s academic support systems will matter.
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