Waverly Middle School, Waverly NE

Original Research by School Decision on Waverly Middle School

Waverly Middle School serves grades six through eight in the town of Waverly, Nebraska, about a short commute northeast of Lincoln. It is a regular public school within Waverly School District 145. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a smaller white population and very low numbers of students from other racial and ethnic groups. About a fifth of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that is below the national average. The school is mid-sized for a middle school, with enrollment distributed fairly evenly across the three grade levels.

State assessment results from the 2024–25 school year show a mixed picture across subjects and grades. In mathematics, proficiency rates hovered around half of students in sixth and seventh grade and rose somewhat in eighth grade. In English language arts, roughly half of sixth graders and eighth graders met the proficiency bar, while the seventh-grade rate was lower. Eighth-grade science stood out, with about three-quarters of students scoring proficient. These are single-year snapshots; trend data covering multiple years was available only as a single 2024–25 point, so no direction can be determined.

Compared to other districts in Lancaster County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile. That comparison should be read carefully—it reflects the mean of reported rates rather than a single composite score, and the cohort includes a mix of district-level results. No graduation rate is reported because the school does not serve high school grades. Chronic absenteeism data was not available.

Waverly itself is a primarily residential small-town suburb that has grown steadily over recent decades and continues to attract new housing development. A subdivision under construction on the east side is expected to add a substantial number of homes. The town’s schools are integrated into the community rather than isolated on separate campuses; the middle school sits alongside an intermediate, an elementary, and the high school. The local housing market carries home values above the Nebraska median but slightly below the national median, and the area is considered relatively affordable for a growing suburb of a state capital. No recent district-level changes of lasting impact—such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property-tax developments—were publicly reported.

For a family evaluating Waverly Middle School, the academic data points to an area that warrants a closer look. While eighth-grade science performance is strong, math and English language arts results are more uneven and place the school below the midpoint of neighboring districts. The family-oriented, growing community and affordable housing may appeal to those seeking a small-town setting near Lincoln. The school’s demographic composition and income profile are distinctive relative to the state and national averages. Prospective families are best served by visiting the school, speaking with administrators about instructional supports, and reviewing how the school addresses the gaps suggested by the assessment results and countywide comparison.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 75% · ▼ 27 pts below district

▲ 48 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 73% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▲ 48 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 858%

School 58% · District 76% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▲ 58 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 65% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▲ 44 pts above state median · ▼ 3 pts below county median

Grade 742%

School 42% · District 70% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▲ 42 pts above state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 853%

School 53% · District 75% · ▼ 22 pts below district

▲ 53 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Science

Grade 875%

School 75% · District 85% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 75 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

This schoolWAVERLY SCHOOL DISTRICT 145, 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

Mathematics

Grade 7Lower-income64%Higher-income83%19 pp gap