The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Science. The lowest is 38% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Norfolk Jr High School
Norfolk Junior High School serves seventh and eighth graders in the Norfolk Public Schools district, a single junior high feeding a pair of high schools in this northeast Nebraska regional hub. For a family settling in or already living in Norfolk, this school is the two-year middle step before high school, and the data gives a clear picture of what that step looks like academically.
The school enrolls a student body that is roughly three-fifths white and a little over a quarter Hispanic, with smaller shares of students identifying as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, Black, and Asian. A clear majority of students, well over half, qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker that the school serves a population with significant economic need. The data did not report the share of students with disabilities or English learners, so a parent wanting that picture should ask the school directly.
On state assessments, the results are mixed and a parent will want to look closely. In seventh grade English language arts, just over a third of students scored proficient. Eighth grade ELA was stronger, with just under half of students proficient. In math, both grades landed just under two-fifths proficient. Science, tested only in eighth grade, showed a stronger result, with nearly two-thirds of students proficient. When placed against other schools in Madison County, Norfolk Junior High’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades falls in the bottom quarter of the small pool of five reporting schools. That is a soft spot. At the same time, the school’s science attainment is a relative bright spot in the profile, and a parent may want to ask how that strength is built and whether it carries into other subjects.
Because the school serves only two grades, there is no graduation rate to report; that metric applies to the high schools the students will move on to. The multi-year trend data shows proficiency rates from recent years for the school taken as a whole, but the data available is only for the most recent year, so there is no clean trend line to compare. A parent curious about improvement or decline over time would need to ask the district for prior years’ results.
Norfolk itself is the economic center for a six-county region, with a mix of manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and education as major employers. The city is auto-oriented, with a traditional downtown core but a built environment that reflects a mid-sized plains city. Housing in the zip code covering the school values homes at a level somewhat below the state average and well below the national average, and monthly rent is estimated to consume a modest share of a typical household income, making the area comparatively affordable. The district did not report any recent significant changes, such as boundary adjustments, program launches, or leadership shifts, that would alter a family’s decision.
For a family weighing this school, the bottom line is straightforward. This is a regular public junior high serving a majority low-income student body, with state math and English results that are lower than those of most neighboring districts in the county. Science is a clear relative strength. A parent with a student who needs strong academic support or acceleration should investigate what interventions and advanced coursework the school offers, since the data does not name specific programs. The school’s size and its place as the single junior high in the district mean the peer group is the full cohort of Norfolk’s seventh and eighth graders, a diverse mix by income and ethnicity. Housing is affordable relative to state and national norms, and the local economy provides a stable base of employment.
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