The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Science. The lowest is 44% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dixie Middle
Dixie Middle is a public school in St. George, Utah, serving only eighth and ninth graders as part of the Washington District. With an enrollment that places it in the mid-range for a school of this grade band, it draws its student body from a city that has seen rapid population growth and ongoing development. The school occupies a campus on South 100 East, within the established grid of St. George’s street system and a short distance from the historic downtown core.
On state assessments administered through Utah’s RISE test, the school’s overall performance across math, English language arts, and science lands at a level that is above the midpoint when compared with other schools in Washington County. Proficiency rates in each subject sit in the mid-forties percent range, meaning roughly two in five to one in two students meet the state’s proficient or above standard. This positions Dixie Middle somewhat ahead of some peer schools in the county but below the top end of the range. The data available covers different school years for each subject—math and science from the most recent year, English language arts from the prior year—so direct side-by-side comparisons should be treated with that year mismatch in mind. Because the school does not serve upper high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report, which is expected for a school whose highest grade is ninth.
The student body is diverse in some respects but predominantly White. A substantial share of students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, placing the school solidly within the broad middle range of economic need seen across the district. Hispanic students make up roughly a quarter of enrollment, with smaller shares of students identifying as two or more races, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Black, Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native. Data on special education identification and English learner status were not available from the source, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports.
St. George itself is a fast-growing mid-sized city that blends a historic downtown with extensive suburban and commercial corridors. It was originally settled as a cotton mission and retains many pioneer-era landmarks, but the built environment is overwhelmingly car-oriented. A walkable historic district exists around the intersection of St. George Boulevard and Main Street, but most daily life—including schools, shopping, and services—is spread along roads that require driving. Housing costs in the area, as reflected by typical home values and rents, have seen a modest year-over-year decline in home values and a rise in rents, though both remain elevated relative to national benchmarks. The city’s major industries are health care, education, and retail, and Utah Tech University provides an important institutional presence. The job market has been growing, and the city continues to add infrastructure such as trails, a new city hall, and a film studio near the airport.
The Washington District, of which Dixie Middle is part, has experienced substantial enrollment growth over the past few years, rising considerably from the start of the decade. This growth has driven school construction, boundary changes, and class-size considerations across the district. A parent considering the school may want to be aware that the district’s rapid expansion is an active factor in how schools are resourced and how attendance boundaries may shift over time.
Dixie Middle offers a focused two-year span for students in the transition from middle school to high school, with academic results that sit in the middle to upper-middle range among county peers. Its location in a growing, increasingly expensive city means families will also be weighing housing costs and community development trends alongside the school’s academic profile.
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