The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Science. The lowest is 36% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Auburn Middle School
Auburn Middle School serves sixth through eighth graders in the Auburn Public Schools district, a regular public school in the county-seat city of Auburn, Nebraska. The school is located on Central Avenue in a community that functions as the hub for Nemaha County, with a compact downtown built around a courthouse square and a historic business district connected by brick-paved Courthouse Avenue. The area’s largest employer is the Cooper Nuclear Station, a Nebraska Public Power District facility roughly a dozen miles east, and the city has seen essentially flat population growth in recent years.
The student body at Auburn Middle School is small for a three-grade middle school, and the enrollment leans heavily white in its racial and ethnic composition. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students receiving special education services or English learner support was not available for this profile, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and the level of individualized support available.
State testing results from the most recent year show a mixed picture that varies by grade and subject. In English language arts, sixth graders posted a proficiency rate that was above the midpoint, seventh graders were lower, and eighth graders were the strongest at a level that many families would consider solid. In math, the pattern was more uneven: sixth graders were again above the midpoint, seventh graders were lower, and eighth graders showed a result that warrants attention, as no tested students met the proficiency benchmark. In science, which is tested only in eighth grade, the proficiency rate was strong, with a sizable majority of students meeting the standard. The overall proficiency index, which combines all tested subjects and grades, placed the school in the bottom quartile among the three districts in Nemaha County, meaning it trails the other two districts in the county on this combined measure. This is a clear soft spot, and a parent may want to follow up with the school about how it supports students who are still developing foundational math skills, particularly by the time they reach eighth grade.
The school’s multi-year trend data, which covers the most recent year, shows that overall proficiency rates for English language arts, math, and science were each lower at the end of the period than at the beginning. Because trend comparability information was not available, it is unclear whether changes in assessments or cut scores affected these numbers. The trajectory is worth a conversation with the school to understand what interventions or curriculum adjustments are in place.
The school serves middle grades only, so there is no high school graduation rate to report, which is typical for a school of this grade band. Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were also not available, so a parent may want to ask about attendance patterns and school climate directly.
Auburn itself is a small city where most daily needs are within a compact area, though the two-downtown layout and highway crossroads mean car travel is common. The city has been recognized as Nebraska’s longest-running Tree City USA, and the historic district gives the residential streets a mature, canopy-heavy character. Housing values in the area are well below both the state and national benchmarks, making the community relatively affordable. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate and national unemployment rate at the time of this profile were consistent with broader economic conditions.
No recent major district-level changes such as building projects, curriculum overhauls, or levy referendums were found in public reporting for Auburn Public Schools, so a parent may want to check with the district office directly about any upcoming initiatives or planned improvements at the middle school level.
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