The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in English language arts. The lowest is 57% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School
Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School sits on Dorset Street in South Burlington, serving grades six through eight as the city's only public middle school. It is part of the South Burlington School District. The school draws from a community that is in the midst of a deliberate transformation from a car-oriented suburb into a more walkable mixed-use center, and the campus sits apart from that emerging downtown core rather than integrated into it.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results tell a mostly strong story, particularly in English language arts. Across all three grade levels, ELA proficiency is solid, with the seventh grade reaching a particularly high level. A clear majority of sixth and seventh graders are proficient in math as well. Science, tested only in eighth grade, shows a modest majority of students reaching proficiency. The one soft spot stands out: eighth grade math proficiency drops well below what the school posts in sixth and seventh grade math and below its own ELA results across all grades. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly whether the eighth grade math dip reflects a curricular transition, a cohort effect, or something else. Participation rates for the assessments were not reported, so we cannot confirm how complete the testing was.
The school enrolls a moderate number of students for a middle school, spread fairly evenly across the three grades. The student body is predominantly white, with smaller Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial populations. Just under a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is below what many Vermont schools report and reflects the relatively affluent community context. Data on individualized education programs and English learner status was not available, so we cannot characterize those populations here.
South Burlington itself is Vermont's second most populous city, with a largely service-based economy anchored by retail, healthcare, and professional services concentrated around the Dorset Street and Williston Road corridors. Major employers include GE Healthcare, Ben & Jerry's headquarters, and the Vermont National Guard at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport. The University of Vermont and UVM Medical Center sit just west in adjacent Burlington and are major regional employers that have invested in South Burlington's City Center housing. The city has historically lacked a traditional downtown, and the City Center Initiative is actively building one, with a new city hall, public library, mixed-use buildings, and a growing streetscape on Market Street. Parks are plentiful, including Red Rocks Park on Lake Champlain, Veterans Memorial Park, and several neighborhood parks with trails and playgrounds. Transit is provided by Green Mountain Transit, and Interstate 89 gives the city two interchanges.
The housing market here sits well above both the Vermont and national benchmarks for typical home values, with a price-to-income ratio that signals limited affordability for many families. Recent values have softened slightly year over year, and rents have dipped marginally as well. For families considering a move into the district, the cost of housing is a real factor, and rental options, while somewhat more accessible than buying, still command a premium relative to much of the state.
Several categories of data that would help round out the picture were not available. The school does not have a graduation rate, which is expected because it serves only middle school grades. We looked for information on programs, staffing, course access, discipline, attendance, and chronic absenteeism, but found none reported. Civil rights data was also absent. Multi-year academic trends were not available, so we cannot say whether the eighth grade math dip is a new pattern or a recurring one. The comparison fact-set, which positions this entity relative to districts in Chittenden County, did not yield applicable comparison metrics for proficiency, graduation, or attendance, so we cannot place this school against its neighbors on those measures.
What the available evidence does show is a middle school with generally strong academic results, a stable and moderately diverse student population, and a community that is investing substantially in its own civic and residential infrastructure. Families drawn to South Burlington's emerging downtown, its employer base, and its outdoor amenities will find a school that performs well in most measured areas, with the caveat that eighth grade math is a question worth asking about directly.
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