The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in Science. The lowest is 33% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on San Rafael Middle School
San Rafael Middle School serves grades six through eight in the small, rural town of Ferron, Utah. The school is one of two middle schools in Emery District, a countywide system that also manages elementary and high schools across the broader area. For families considering this school, the setting is the first thing to understand: Ferron is an agricultural and energy-industry town in western Emery County, historically built around farming, stockraising, and, since the 1970s, the Hunter Power Plant and coal mining. The town’s population has declined since its peak in that era, and the community retains a close-knit, rural character with annual traditions like Peach Days. The school itself sits at 420 West 500 South, within the town’s residential fabric.
Academically, San Rafael Middle School’s state assessment results paint a mixed picture. On the 2024-25 Utah RISE tests for grades three through eight, math proficiency among all students was below what many parents would expect, with about a third of students meeting the state’s proficient or above threshold. English language arts results from the previous school year were similar, with just over a third of students reaching proficiency. Science performance was notably stronger, with nearly half of students scoring proficient or above. That spread—science ahead of math and ELA—is worth a closer look for a parent trying to understand where the school’s instruction is most effective. The data does not include participation rates or tested counts, so a family may want to ask the school directly about how many students took each test and whether the results reflect the full enrolled population.
The student body is small and demographically homogeneous. The overwhelming majority of the roughly two hundred students identify as white. A very small number of students are Hispanic or multiracial; no Asian, Black, Native American, or Pacific Islander students are reported in the enrollment data. About half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a moderate share that aligns with the area’s economic profile. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so families with specific support needs should inquire with the school about those services.
No information was provided on the school’s course offerings, staffing ratios, discipline rates, or chronic absenteeism. Without that context, it is hard to assess the full learning environment beyond test scores. The comparison metric that would place San Rafael Middle School against other districts in Emery County was not applicable because the cohort was too small—the school is essentially the only middle school for its part of the county. That means the publicly available data does not allow a direct ranking against local peers.
The community context matters for families weighing a move. Housing in Ferron, based on the data for the zip code, is notably more affordable than the state average and sits slightly below the national benchmark. The town has seen a modest rise in home values recently, but overall the market is far from the pressures of Utah’s urban corridor. The local economy depends on the power plant, mining, and agriculture, and unemployment nationally has been stable, though local figures were not given. The district itself has been stable, with no recent bond issues or major property tax changes reported, and it operates with a consistent enrollment across its ten schools.
Who is this school for? Families who value a small, rural setting where the school is the central academic hub for its grade band and where the community is tight-knit and historically rooted will find San Rafael Middle School a natural fit. The science program appears to be a relative strength. The math and English results are softer, and a parent may want to discuss those with the principal to understand what interventions or curriculum supports are in place. For anyone considering a move to Ferron, the school offers a straightforward, no-frills middle school experience in a town where the pace of life is quiet and the landscape is defined by plateaus, canyons, and working ranches.
See more original research from School Decision →