The top reported proficiency rate is 14% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Wilber-clatonia Middle School
Wilber-Clatonia Middle School serves sixth through eighth grade in the small, agriculturally rooted town of Wilber, Nebraska, which is the county seat of Saline County and the self-designated Czech Capital of the USA. The school is part of the Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools district, and its campus sits south of the compact downtown core, a typical layout for a rural Midwestern school complex set apart from the main commercial strip.
The student body is small by middle school standards, with roughly similar class sizes across the three grades. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Racially, the enrollment is predominantly white, with a smaller Hispanic population and very small numbers of students who identify as Black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or two or more races. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available in the source materials, so a parent who wants to understand those support structures would need to contact the school directly.
State assessment results for 2024-25 show a mixed picture that parents will want to examine closely. In English language arts, sixth graders posted a proficiency rate that sits well below the statewide average for that subject and grade, while seventh and eighth grade ELA results reported at zero percent proficient. Across all tested grades in math, and in eighth-grade science, the school reported zero percent proficient. This is an unusual pattern that stands out sharply, and any parent considering the school should ask the administration how these scores are understood locally, what instructional changes are in place, and whether the zero-proficiency figures reflect a particular testing cohort dynamic, a small-group suppression issue, or a deeper challenge. The comparison data places the school's overall proficiency index in the bottom quartile among districts in Saline County, though the county contains only a handful of districts, so a bottom-quartile position there may still leave a wide range between schools.
The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its directory listing shows it does not have a Title I status designation. No information was available in the provided data about course offerings, extracurricular programs, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or chronic absenteeism. A family looking for a full picture of what the school provides beyond core academics will need to gather that information from the school or district.
The surrounding town of Wilber offers a quiet rural setting with a modest downtown anchored by the Wilber Bakery, Karpisek Meat Market, and the historic Hotel Wilber. The Dvoracek Memorial Library and the Wilber Czech Museum serve as civic and cultural anchors. Housing values in the area are below the national median, and the town is growing very slowly. The local economy is tied to farming, grain storage, meat processing, and small businesses. There were no recent district-level changes identified in the search that would alter a family's baseline picture of the schools.
For a family considering Wilber-Clatonia Middle School, the core takeaway is that the school serves a small, stable rural population and shares a campus with the high school. The academic proficiency data, particularly the widespread zero-percent figures across multiple subjects and grades, is the most notable issue in the available record and warrants direct conversation with educators in the building. Without more detail on programming, support services, and the context behind those test results, a family may find it hard to judge the day-to-day instructional reality.
See more original research from School Decision →