Walton-verona Middle School, Walton KY

Original Research by School Decision on Walton-verona Middle School

Walton-Verona Middle School serves students in fifth through eighth grade as a regular public school in the Walton-Verona Independent district. It sits in the city of Walton, in Boone County, and is part of a small district that also includes an elementary school in nearby Verona and a high school within Walton itself.

Academically, the school posts results that place it in the top quartile for overall proficiency relative to districts in Boone County, a comparison set that includes two districts. Reading and math scores are solid across grades, with the strongest showing in eighth-grade English language arts, where a large majority of students meet the state’s proficiency standard. Math results are more varied but still above half proficient in each tested grade. Seventh-grade science, however, is a softer spot, with less than half of students reaching the proficient level, a figure a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand how science instruction is structured and where support is focused. Social studies in eighth grade returns a result close to the school’s overall average.

The student body is predominantly white, with small shares of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a measure of economic need that is moderate for the area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported in the available information, so families with children in those groups may wish to ask the school directly about services and staffing. Discipline rates, chronic absenteeism, and course access details are also absent from the data, which means a full picture of school climate and program offerings is incomplete from this record.

Walton itself is a growing small city with a young population and a high share of households with children. The community is car-dependent, with a traditional Main Street corridor and easy access to the divergence of Interstates 75 and 71, making it a commuter-friendly spot for the greater Cincinnati area. Housing values in the area are above Kentucky’s typical level and sit near the national median, reflecting steady demand from families and new development. The population has been increasing at a modest annual rate since the 2020 census, and the district has not publicly reported any recent major changes or strategic shifts, so the school’s academic path is likely stable for families moving in.

This is a middle school of a size typical for a small district, and its proficiency results are consistently above the county midpoint, especially in reading and math. The one area that lags, seventh-grade science, is not unusual for middle schools statewide, but it is worth noting. A parent considering Walton-Verona Middle School has strong evidence of solid core academics in a growing, family-oriented community. The missing pieces around special education caseload, discipline, and program depth are gaps that a visit or a call to the school would fill.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 659%

School 59% · District 59%

▲ 17 pts above state median

Grade 766%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 23 pts above state median

Grade 861%

School 61% · District 61%

▲ 20 pts above state median

English language arts

Grade 666%

School 66% · District 66%

▲ 12 pts above state median

Grade 764%

School 64% · District 64%

▲ 15 pts above state median

Grade 875%

School 75% · District 75%

▲ 33 pts above state median

Science

Grade 745%

School 45% · District 45%

▲ 15 pts above state median

Social studies

Grade 860%

School 60% · District 60%

▲ 22 pts above state median

This schoolWalton-Verona Independent, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income31%Higher-income53%21 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income55%Higher-income73%18 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income47%Higher-income76%29 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income57%Higher-income89%32 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income28%Higher-income46%18 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income38%Higher-income71%33 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income47%Higher-income78%31 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income39%Higher-income77%38 pp gap