The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in English language arts. The lowest is 35% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lyman C. Hunt Middle School
Lyman C. Hunt Middle School sits on North Avenue in Burlington, serving grades six through eight as part of the Burlington School District. It is a conventional public middle school, not a charter or magnet, and its enrollment is moderate for a Vermont middle school, with roughly equal distribution across the three grade levels. The student body is diverse by Vermont standards. A majority of students are white, with a substantial Black population and smaller Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial groups. Just over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which gives a sense of the economic mix the school works with. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not reported, so those profiles are not visible here.
On state assessments, the most recent results show a school that is stronger in English language arts than in math. In ELA, proficiency rises steadily across the three grades, starting near half of tested students in sixth grade and reaching a clear majority by eighth grade. That upward trajectory through middle school is a genuinely encouraging pattern, suggesting students grow in literacy as they move through the building. Math tells a different story. Proficiency is lower across all three grades and trends downward from sixth to eighth, with only about a third of eighth graders reaching proficiency. Science, tested only in eighth grade, landed in a similar lower range. A parent considering Hunt may want to ask the school how it supports math growth across the middle grades, particularly as students prepare for high school.
No multi-year trend data was available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability. Participation rates for the assessments were also missing from the data. The comparison set for this school, relative to districts in Chittenden County, did not produce usable benchmarking for proficiency, graduation, or chronic absenteeism, so there is no clear picture of how Hunt stacks up against neighboring districts on those measures. Because Hunt is a middle school, graduation rates do not apply. The absence of these comparisons is a limitation worth naming plainly.
Burlington itself is Vermont's largest city and a regional college town, home to the University of Vermont and Champlain College, with an economy built around education, health care, and a cluster of consumer brands like Burton Snowboards, Lake Champlain Chocolates, and Seventh Generation. The downtown, anchored by the Church Street Marketplace pedestrian mall and a redeveloped waterfront on Lake Champlain, is among the most walkable in the state. The South End arts district, a large year-round farmers market, and extensive bikeways give the city a lively, lived-in feel. The median age skews young, reflecting the student population, and a relatively small share of households have children under eighteen, which means the city's energy is shaped as much by universities and young professionals as by families.
The housing market around Hunt is demanding. Home values in the school's zip code sit well above both the state and national benchmarks, and the estimated monthly mortgage is higher than typical rent, making homeownership a stretch for many families. Rents are also elevated relative to state norms, and rent absorbs a sizable portion of household income. Home values have dipped slightly over the past year, while rents have crept up modestly. For families eyeing the area, housing costs are a real factor alongside school choice.
The Burlington School District has been investing visibly in its facilities. Voters approved a major bond to build a new high school and technical center, on schedule to open in fall 2026, which will reshape the secondary pathway Hunt students feed into. The district also recently opened a new Aviation, Career, and Technical Education Center at Burlington International Airport, housing automotive, design engineering, fabrication, and aviation programs, and completed a renovation of the Integrated Arts Academy with new kindergarten classrooms and geothermal heating. On the discipline side, the district adopted a Restorative Code of Conduct and reported eliminating racial disparities in suspensions for the first time, a shift that speaks to how the district is approaching student support and equity.
What the data shows is a middle school in a vibrant, expensive college city, with real literacy growth and a math challenge, feeding into a district that is actively rebuilding its secondary campuses and rethinking discipline. Families drawn to Burlington's walkability, cultural life, and diversity may find Hunt a fitting fit, with the caveat that math outcomes warrant a closer conversation with the school.
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