The top reported proficiency rate is 32% in English language arts. The lowest is 25% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Billy Mills Middle School
Billy Mills Middle School serves the sixth through eighth grades in Lawrence, Kansas, and is part of the Lawrence public school system. The school sits on Louisiana Street in a residential section of the city, a setting that blends into the broader fabric of a college town anchored by the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University. With an enrollment that places it among the smaller of the district's middle schools for its grade band, the student body is notably diverse. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the school's economic profile. Racially and ethnically, the student population includes a majority of white students, with significant shares of students who identify as Hispanic, two or more races, Black, and American Indian or Alaska Native, giving the school a genuinely multiethnic peer environment.
On the Kansas Assessment Program, the state's accountability test, proficiency rates across math, English language arts, and science fall in a range that places Billy Mills well below the midpoint when compared with other middle schools in Douglas County. In sixth grade math, roughly a quarter of students scored at the proficient level or above. Seventh grade reading showed a somewhat higher share, approaching two-fifths of students, while eighth grade reading was closer to three-tenths. Science proficiency in eighth grade tracked near the same level as math. The pattern is consistent across subjects and grades: most students are not yet meeting the state's proficiency bar. A parent considering the school will want to look into the specific academic supports available and ask how the school is working to move these numbers.
The school, as a middle school, does not produce a graduation rate, and chronic absenteeism data were not available in the source material, so those indicators do not offer a picture of engagement or persistence at this level. No information on course access, such as advanced math pathways or elective offerings, was present in the data. Similarly, the school's disciplinary environment and staffing ratios were not provided, leaving gaps that a family may want to explore directly with the school.
The community surrounding Billy Mills is Lawrence itself, a city shaped by its twin universities and a downtown corridor on Massachusetts Street that draws residents and visitors alike. The city's housing market reflects its dual character as a college town and a regional employment center. Home values in the school's ZIP code are above the statewide benchmark, and rents have been rising, consistent with the broader trend across the country. Most residents rent rather than own, and the demographic profile skews young, with many students and early-career professionals living in the city. Lawrence has seen steady population growth in recent years, with new housing developments in several neighborhoods, including student-oriented projects near campus and new construction in the western part of town.
The district itself did not yield any recent headline changes that would alter a family's view of the schools in the near term. The absence of major bond initiatives, boundary shifts, or leadership transitions means that the current conditions at Billy Mills are likely stable for the foreseeable future.
For a family or resident trying to understand what this school offers, the picture is mixed. Billy Mills sits in a lively, growing city with a strong sense of place, and its student body reflects the kind of diversity many families seek. But the academic results are soft across the board, and the available data does not show what interventions or programs the school has in place to address them. A parent interested in this school should plan to visit, speak with teachers and the principal about how the school identifies students who are struggling and what it does to accelerate those who are not yet on track. The community context is appealing, but the academic pathway at Billy Mills is one that needs careful investigation.
See more original research from School Decision →