The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Math. The lowest is 50% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on South Cache Middle School
South Cache Middle School serves seventh and eighth graders in Hyrum, a community in Cache Valley that is described as rural in character but has been absorbing suburban growth. The city has a compact downtown along Main Street with the library, city offices, and a historic dance hall, while residential subdivisions have been expanding to the east. Hyrum State Park and the Blacksmith Fork Canyon provide recreation nearby. JBS Swift, a meatpacking plant, is the dominant employer, and many residents commute to Logan or other Cache Valley employers.
The school itself is part of the Cache District. In a 2023 bond measure, voters approved funding for two new middle schools, a new elementary school, and reconfiguring grade levels across the district, including moving sixth grade back into middle schools. That change will reshape which grades attend which buildings in the coming years.
South Cache Middle School enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population that makes up a notable share. A substantial portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, giving the school a moderate level of economic diversity. The school’s enrollment is concentrated in the two grades it serves, with a slightly larger seventh-grade class than eighth.
On the Utah RISE assessments, which measure proficiency in math, English language arts, and science, the school’s performance places it above the midpoint among districts in Cache County. In both math and science, a majority of students scored at proficient or above. In English language arts, the share of students meeting the proficiency bar was lower, with just over half reaching that level. A family may want to look into how the school supports literacy, particularly for students who are not yet meeting that benchmark.
Data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not available, so it is not possible to speak to those dimensions of the school environment. Likewise, information on English learner and special education populations was missing from the data provided, and no program or course access data was included. Because the school serves only middle grades, graduation rate is not applicable.
Housing in the Hyrum area reflects a market that is somewhat more affordable than the state benchmark, though prices have been rising. The cost of a home in the area is well below the statewide median, and monthly mortgage payments are estimated at a level that is moderate relative to national incomes. Rents are lower than mortgage payments, suggesting that renting is the more affordable short-term option for many households.
For a family evaluating this school, the central considerations are its solid academic performance in math and science in a district that is investing in new infrastructure and a grade-level reorganization that will affect future attendance patterns. The community is a growing but still rural-in-feeling Cache Valley town with a meatpacking plant as the economic anchor and a commuting population. The moderate economic diversity, the above-average proficiency index relative to other districts in the county, and the lack of easily available data on student support populations are the key points a parent would want to weigh.
See more original research from School Decision →