These are the best public middle schools in the Wichita metro area, a new ranking says

Lindsay Smith
·4 min read

An educational review site recently released its 2024 rankings of the top schools and districts in Kansas, but no institutions in the Wichita Public Schools district made the top-10 cut for best public middle schools in the metro area.

Fueled by data and reviews, Niche releases the rankings annually. The company grades schools on academics, teachers, culture, diversity and the overall school district. It gathers data from various federal agencies and through parent and student surveys.

Schools in the Andover, Maize, Renwick and Remington-Whitewater school districts were all represented in the 10 highest ranked in the Wichita metro area. The highest ranked Wichita Public Schools middle school was Robinson Middle School, which ranked 11th.

Wichita’s school district has recently garnered attention amid a proposal that would permanently close four elementary — Clark, Park, Payne and Cleaveland Traditional Magnet elementary schools — and two middle schools — Hadley and Jardine Magnet middle schools. Officials say passing the proposal would save $16 million of a $42 million budget shortfall.

To find out more about top-rated schools, you can review area Niche grades and reviews by searching directly for your school, district or metro. You can also filter your search by type of school and grades offered.

Here’s a look at how Wichita-area public middle schools fared in Niche’s 2024 ranking.

What are the best public middle schools in the Wichita area?

No. 1: Andover Middle School

Andover School District; 1628 N. Andover Road, Andover, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 17-to-1

  • Proficiency: 53% of students showed proficiency in reading and 44% showed proficiency in math

No. 2: Andover Central Middle School

Andover School District; 903 E. Central Ave., Andover, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 15-to-1

  • Proficiency: 44% of students showed proficiency in reading and 39% showed proficiency in math

No. 3: St. Marks School

Renwick School District; 19001 West 29th St. N., Colwich, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 17-to-1

  • Proficiency: 67% of students showed proficiency in reading and 57% showed proficiency in math

No. 4: Challenger Intermediate School

Goddard School District; 335 N. Walnut St., Goddard, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 15-to-1

  • Proficiency: 50% of students showed proficiency in reading and 30% showed proficiency in math

No. 5: Discovery Intermediate School

Goddard School District; 301 S. Main St., Goddard, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 14-to-1

  • Proficiency: 51% of students showed proficiency in reading and 36% showed proficiency in math

No. 6: Maize South Middle School

Maize School District; 3403 N. Tyler Road, Wichita, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 13-to-1

  • Proficiency: 40% of students showed proficiency in reading and 28% showed proficiency in math

No. 7: Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School

Goddard School District; 16152 W. Explorer St., Goddard, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 20-to-1

  • Proficiency: 40% of students showed proficiency in reading and 45% showed proficiency in math

No. 8: Maize Middle School

Maize School District; 4600 N. Maize Road, Maize, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 14-to-1

  • Proficiency: 37% of students showed proficiency in reading and 25% showed proficiency in math

No. 9: Andale Elementary/Middle School

Renwick School District; 500 Rush Ave., Andale, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Student-to-teacher ratio: 21-to-1

  • Proficiency: 56% of students showed proficiency in reading and 55% showed proficiency in math

No. 10: Remington Middle School

Remington-Whitewater School District; 316 E. Topeka St., Whitewater, KS

  • Overall Niche grade: A-

  • Teacher-to-student ratio: 12-to-1

  • Proficiency: 42% of students showed proficiency in reading and 32% showed proficiency in math

Proposed Wichita middle school closures

The two Wichita middle schools proposed for closures as of March 4 had an overall Niche grade of C.

Hadley Middle School reported 14% of students showed proficiency in reading and 4% showed proficiency in math. Hadley has a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio and received a 2024 A grade for diversity.

Jardine STEM and Career Exploration Magnet Middle Academy reported 11% of students showed proficiency in reading, while just 5% showed proficiency in math. Jardine has a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Like Hadley, Jardine received an A grade for diversity this year, alongside a B- for teachers.

The Wichita school board is set to vote Monday night on the proposed closures, which would effect more than 2,200 students and 322 employees,