Norris Middle School, Firth NE - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Norris Middle School

Norris Middle School serves grades six through eight in the Norris School District, a consolidated rural district that draws families from southern Lancaster County and the small agricultural village of Firth. The school sits on a separate campus north and west of the village center, sharing the grounds with the district’s elementary, intermediate, and high school buildings. Firth itself is a small commuter community whose residents often work in Lincoln, a short drive away. The village has a park, a community center, a couple of churches, and a handful of local businesses; people move here specifically for the school district and the rural setting with easy access to the city.

The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and even smaller shares of other racial and ethnic groups. A small share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a relatively low overall poverty rate at this school. Enrollment is moderate for a middle school serving three grade levels.

State assessment results offer a mixed picture. In English language arts, the school’s proficiency rates across grades six through eight are generally above the halfway mark, with sixth grade showing the strongest performance. In math, proficiency rates are lower, landing below half in all three grades, with seventh grade somewhat higher than sixth and eighth. Science, tested only in eighth grade, shows a stronger result, with a solid majority of students meeting the proficiency standard. When compared against other districts in Lancaster County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quartile, meaning most peer middle schools in the county have higher combined proficiency rates. A parent may want to discuss with the school how math instruction is structured across the grades and what supports are available for students who are not yet proficient.

The Norris district has a history of consolidation, and the consolidated campus model means all grade levels are in separate buildings on one site. The locale brief notes that the old school building in Firth was torn down years ago, and the current campus is the center of school life. Housing values in the area are above typical national levels, reflecting the desirability of the district and proximity to the Lincoln metro area.

This is a school that serves a largely rural, lower-poverty community with a clear commuter tie to a larger city. The academic profile is uneven: reading skills are generally adequate, but math performance is a soft spot relative to county peers. The school does not appear to have a notably high rate of economic disadvantage, and the setting is quiet and small-town. Families who value a consolidated campus in a rural area with access to Lincoln may find this a comfortable fit, particularly if they are attentive to the math support their child receives. The absence of data on special education and English learner populations, as well as on chronic absenteeism or discipline, leaves some questions about school climate and support systems that a prospective parent would want to explore directly.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 637%

School 37% · District 78% · ▼ 40 pts below district

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 66% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▲ 48 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 836%

School 36% · District 85% · ▼ 49 pts below district

▲ 36 pts above state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 665%

School 65% · District 73% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 59 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Grade 758%

School 58% · District 74% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▲ 58 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 863%

School 63% · District 75% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▲ 63 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Science

Grade 872%

School 72% · District 92% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▲ 72 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

This schoolNORRIS SCHOOL DIST 160, 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 6Lower-income50%Higher-income71%21 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income48%Higher-income73%25 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income43%Higher-income75%32 pp gap