The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Social studies. The lowest is 48% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Randolph Middle School
Randolph Middle School serves grades six through eight as part of the Randolph School District, a single-campus preK-12 district in the small village of Randolph, Wisconsin, which sits about an hour north of Madison straddling the Dodge-Columbia county line. The village has a traditional small-town feel, with a compact main street, agricultural support businesses, a historic library, and a village park with a pool. The most significant recent development in the district was a major renovation and addition that consolidated all grades onto one campus, a change that directly shapes the middle school experience: students attend school in the same building complex as the high school and elementary grades, giving the school a connected, K-12 community feel rather than a standalone campus.
The student body is small and predominantly white, with a modest share of students identifying as Hispanic and a very small number of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a notable portion of families face economic pressures. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material.
On state assessments, the middle school shows a mixed academic picture. In math, proficiency rates across sixth, seventh, and eighth grades cluster near the midpoint of the state's performance range, with about half of students scoring at or above the proficient level in each grade. Reading and language arts results are somewhat lower overall, with the sixth-grade proficiency rate falling below the half mark and seventh and eighth grades coming in around that level. Science proficiency among eighth graders is a relative strength, with a majority of students scoring proficient. Social studies, also tested in eighth grade, shows the highest proficiency rate of any subject, with roughly seven in ten students meeting the bar. When compared to other districts in Dodge County, Randolph Middle School's overall proficiency index sits slightly below the midpoint of the county, meaning some neighboring districts post higher combined results while others post lower ones. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how the school supports students who are not yet proficient, particularly in reading.
The school operates as a regular public school with no charter or magnet status. The district is implementing Wisconsin Act 20, the state's early literacy reform law, which shifts reading instruction toward science-based methods and adds universal screening for younger students. While this law primarily affects elementary grades, its effects will be felt by middle school families whose children came through the district's earlier grades under the new approach.
For families considering the area, the housing market reflects modest growth. Median home values have risen in recent years but remain below the Wisconsin state median. The village itself has seen a slight population decline since the prior census, though the district made a significant capital investment in its school campus. Employment in Randolph is anchored by a large seed company, agricultural chemical manufacturing, and canning equipment production, along with local service businesses. No public transit was found, consistent with the village's rural character.
Overall, Randolph Middle School offers a small, community-connected setting where students attend school alongside peers from the same town across all grade levels. Academic performance is mixed, with social studies and science showing stronger results than reading and math, and the school's proficiency levels are slightly below the middle of the pack among Dodge County districts. The school may fit a family seeking a tight-knit, consolidated rural school environment and who value transparency about where the school's academic strengths and softer spots lie.
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