The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Chase Middle School
Chase Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade students in Topeka, Kansas, as part of the Topeka Public Schools district. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet school. The student body is diverse: a substantial share identifies as Hispanic, with White students, students of two or more races, Black students, and a small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students also represented. A very high proportion of the student population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community with significant economic need.
Academically, the school’s state assessment results are a central factor for families to weigh. On the Kansas Assessment Program, the share of students scoring proficient or above in math was in the teens across all three grade levels, with seventh grade a few points higher than sixth or eighth. In English language arts, proficiency rates were somewhat higher in seventh and eighth grade than in sixth, though still below the midpoint of what one sees across schools. Eighth grade science results followed a similar pattern. These numbers place the school’s overall proficiency index in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Shawnee County. Parents looking into the school will want to discuss with the administration what academic support and intervention programs are in place, as the data suggests that a large majority of students are not yet meeting state proficiency benchmarks. The state made changes to the cut scores used to define proficiency in recent years, which means direct comparisons to earlier years are not straightforward.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Likewise, data on discipline, staffing ratios, chronic absenteeism, and the share of students with disabilities or English learner status was not available in the source materials. Families may wish to ask the school directly about class sizes and the range of student services offered.
The surrounding community is Topeka, the state capital, whose economy is built around government employment, manufacturing, and agriculture. The city has a downtown core centered on the Kansas State Capitol and historic Kansas Avenue, with civic anchors including Gage Park, the Topeka Zoo, the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. Its population has been stable with a slight recent decline. Housing in the zip code area serving the school is priced well below both the state and national medians, and home values have been declining recently. Rents are also relatively modest, so the area is more affordable than many parts of Kansas.
Within Topeka Public Schools, the district offers a range of magnet and signature programs at other campuses, including a dual language magnet, a science and fine arts magnet, and schools themed around performing arts, leadership, STEAM, and fine arts. Chase Middle School itself is not designated as one of these specialized campuses, so it functions as a neighborhood attendance-area school. The district has publicly reported a multi-year increase in its overall graduation rate, a positive trend at the system level that families may find relevant as they look ahead to high school.
For a family considering Chase Middle School, the picture is straightforward. It is a school serving a high-poverty population in an affordable part of the capital city. The state assessment results are low relative to county peers, and that is the most important academic fact to investigate further. The school’s strengths—if they exist in programming, extracurriculars, or student support—are not documented in the data available here. A parent should contact the school directly to learn about the specific academic interventions, enrichment opportunities, and school climate that might make it a good fit for their child despite the test-score profile.
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