Mickle Middle School, Lincoln NE

Original Research by School Decision on Mickle Middle School

Mickle Middle School, located in the Lincoln Public Schools district, serves students in sixth through eighth grades. The school draws its attendance area from the north side of Lincoln, a city that blends residential neighborhoods with the state capitol, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, and a mix of government, education, healthcare, and manufacturing employers, including a growing high-tech sector. The district recently completed a major building program funded by a bond issue, opening two new high schools and an elementary school, which reshaped attendance boundaries and relieved overcrowding. Lincoln Public Schools has also shifted to a science-of-reading approach for early literacy instruction across its elementary schools.

The student population at Mickle is approximately seven hundred, making it a middle school of moderate size for its grade band. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who are Hispanic, two or more races, Black, and Asian, along with a very small number of American Indian or Alaska Native students. The school did not report counts for students with individualized education programs or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about special education and language support services.

On state assessments, results varied by grade and subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient was highest in eighth grade, followed by sixth grade, and lowest in seventh grade. In English language arts, eighth graders also posted the strongest results, with sixth and seventh graders at lower levels. In science, which is tested only in eighth grade, a solid majority of students met the proficiency bar. The school’s performance on these exams, when averaged across all tested subjects and grades, placed in the bottom quarter among middle schools in Lancaster County. The multi-year trend data show that proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science have all declined over a recent multi-year window, with science dropping the most. A family considering Mickle may want to discuss with the school how it is addressing these trends, particularly the downward trajectory in science.

Because Mickle is a middle school, it does not have a graduation rate, and data on chronic absenteeism was not available for this profile. No information was reported on course access, staffing ratios, or disciplinary incidents, so a parent may wish to ask about advanced coursework options, class sizes, and the school climate directly.

Housing in the area carries a market value that is below the Nebraska statewide typical home value. Rents are moderate relative to income. The broader national economic context at the time of this profile shows a national unemployment rate in the mid-single digits and a 30-year fixed mortgage rate in the mid-single digits, which together shape the affordability picture for families moving into the attendance zone.

Mickle Middle School offers a neighborhood public school option in north Lincoln, with enrollment patterns that reflect the area’s demographics. The academic results present a mixed picture, with eighth-grade performance standing out relative to the lower grades, but overall proficiency on state tests trailing many other schools in the county and showing recent declines. Families considering this school should seek current information on programming, support services, and the school’s plans for addressing the performance trends.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 54% · ▼ 3 pts below district

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

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 55% · ▼ 9 pts below district

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

Grade 861%

School 61% · District 58% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 61 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 652%

School 52% · District 58% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 46 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Grade 749%

School 49% · District 58% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▲ 49 pts above state median · even with county median

Grade 863%

School 63% · District 62% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 865%

School 65% · District 75% · ▼ 10 pts below district

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

This schoolLINCOLN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 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-income46%Higher-income70%25 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income37%Higher-income72%35 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income55%Higher-income75%20 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income43%Higher-income69%26 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income51%Higher-income80%29 pp gap