Best Middle Schools in Nebraska (2025-26)

Ranked middle schools

120

Listed, not ranked

Every ranked middle school in Nebraska, ordered by SchoolGrade. A grade rewards actual test performance against the projection for each school's student context, so a B in a high-poverty school can outrank an A- elsewhere on impact. Click a column heading to sort, or filter by school, city or district.

Nebraska rankings: High Schools · Middle Schools · Elementary Schools

Nebraska middle schools ranked

Rank	Grade	School	City	District	Actual	Projected	Impact	Students
#1	A+	Elkhorn Valley View Middle School	Elkhorn	Elkhorn Public Schools	79%	64%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	604
#2	A+	Elkhorn Grandview Middle School	Omaha	Elkhorn Public Schools	78%	74%	Exceeds Expectations	518
#3	A+	Elkhorn Ridge Middle School	Omaha	Elkhorn Public Schools	75%	67%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	545
#4	A+	Moore Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	74%	59%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	738
#5	A+	Seward Middle School	Seward	Seward Public Schools	69%	66%	Exceeds Expectations	422
#6	A+	Lux Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	68%	61%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	791
#7	A+	Scott Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	68%	64%	Exceeds Expectations	1,136
#8	A	Kiewit Middle School	Omaha	Millard Public Schools	66%	66%	Meets Expectations	947
#9	A	Elkhorn Middle School	Elkhorn	Elkhorn Public Schools	65%	64%	Meets Expectations	607
#10	A	Aspen Creek Middle School	Omaha	Gretna Public Schools	64%	60%	Exceeds Expectations	777
#11	A	Bennington Middle School	Bennington	Bennington Public Schools	64%	64%	Meets Expectations	410
#12	A	Liberty Middle School	Papillion	Papillion La Vista Community Schools	64%	52%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	499
#13	A	Russell Middle School	Omaha	Millard Public Schools	63%	67%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	779
#14	A	Beadle Middle School	Omaha	Millard Public Schools	61%	64%	Meets Expectations	1,012
#15	A	Hay Springs Middle School	Hay Springs	Hay Springs Public Schools	60%	54%	Exceeds Expectations	42
#16	A	Pound Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	60%	52%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	727
#17	A	Wahoo Middle School	Wahoo	Wahoo Public Schools	60%	61%	Meets Expectations	235
#18	A	Gerald Otte Blair Middle Sch	Blair	Blair Community Schools	59%	55%	Exceeds Expectations	506
#19	A	Gretna Middle School	Gretna	Gretna Public Schools	59%	62%	Meets Expectations	728
#20	A-	Chadron Middle School	Chadron	Chadron Public Schools	58%	50%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	288
#21	A-	Westridge Middle School	Grand Island	Grand Island Public Schools	58%	44%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	599
#22	A-	Lewis And Clark Middle School	Bellevue	Bellevue Public Schools	57%	53%	Exceeds Expectations	512
#23	A-	Horizon Middle School	Kearney	Kearney Public Schools	56%	52%	Exceeds Expectations	619
#24	A-	Papillion Middle School	Papillion	Papillion La Vista Community Schools	56%	47%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	659
#25	A-	Westside Middle School	Omaha	Westside Community Schools	56%	55%	Meets Expectations	979
#26	A-	Cody Kilgore Middle School	Cody	Cody-Kilgore Public Schs	55%	45%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	35
#27	A-	North Bend Central Middle School	North Bend	North Bend Central Public Schs	55%	54%	Meets Expectations	89
#28	A-	Riverside Middle School	Spalding	Riverside Public Schools	55%	47%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	48
#29	A-	Sunrise Middle School	Kearney	Kearney Public Schools	55%	46%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	577
#30	A-	Logan Fontenelle Middle School	Bellevue	Bellevue Public Schools	54%	46%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	493
#31	A-	Mickle Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	54%	53%	Exceeds Expectations	694
#32	A-	Millard North Middle School	Omaha	Millard Public Schools	54%	55%	Meets Expectations	790
#33	A-	Auburn Middle School	Auburn	Auburn Public Schools	53%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	190
#34	A-	Cross County Middle School	Stromsburg	Cross County Community Schools	53%	46%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	75
#35	A-	Irving Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	53%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	890
#36	A-	Platteview Central JR High School	Springfield	Springfield Platteview Community Schools	53%	62%	Underperforms Expectations	181
#37	A-	Valentine Middle School	Valentine	Valentine Community Schools	53%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	160
#38	A-	York Middle School	York	York Public Schools	53%	54%	Meets Expectations	315
#39	B+	Aurora Middle School	Aurora	Aurora Public Schools	52%	56%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	269
#40	B+	La Vista Middle School	La Vista	Papillion La Vista Community Schools	52%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	716
#41	B+	Mc Cook Junior High School	Mc Cook	Mc Cook Public Schools	52%	54%	Meets Expectations	307
#42	B+	Norris Middle School	Firth	Norris School Dist 160	52%	59%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	595
#43	B+	Madison Middle School	North Platte	North Platte Public Schools	51%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	265
#44	B+	Bruning Davenport Middle Sch	Davenport	Bruning-Davenport Unified Sys	50%	48%	Exceeds Expectations	49
#45	B+	Fillmore Central Middle School	Fairmont	Fillmore Central Public Schs	50%	54%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	160
#46	B+	Lakeview Junior High School	Columbus	Lakeview Community Schools	50%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	147
#47	B+	Sidney Middle School	Sidney	Sidney Public Schools	50%	46%	Exceeds Expectations	187
#48	B+	Waverly Middle School	Waverly	Waverly School District 145	50%	58%	Underperforms Expectations	532
#49	B+	Schoo Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	49%	43%	Exceeds Expectations	917
#50	B+	Ainsworth Middle School	Ainsworth	Ainsworth Community Schools	48%	45%	Exceeds Expectations	116
#51	B+	Douglas Co West Middle School	Valley	Douglas Co West Community Schs	48%	52%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	240
#52	B+	Intermediate School At Jrsr High School	Raymond	Raymond Central Public Schools	48%	52%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	48
#53	B+	West Point Beemer Middle School	West Point	West Point Public Schools	48%	36%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	187
#54	B	Crete Middle School	Crete	Crete Public Schools	47%	38%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	477
#55	B	Central City Middle School	Central City	Central City Public Schools	46%	50%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	228
#56	B	Harry Andersen Middle School	Omaha	Millard Public Schools	46%	54%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	911
#57	B	Holdrege Middle School	Holdrege	Holdrege Public Schools	46%	51%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	306
#58	B	Lefler Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	46%	40%	Exceeds Expectations	613
#59	B	South Sioux City Middle School	So Sioux City	So Sioux City Community Schs	44%	37%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	773
#60	B	Adams Middle School	North Platte	North Platte Public Schools	43%	44%	Meets Expectations	566
#61	B-	Beatrice Middle School	Beatrice	Beatrice Public Schools	43%	45%	Meets Expectations	421
#62	B-	Cozad Middle School	Cozad	Cozad Community Schools	43%	38%	Exceeds Expectations	197
#63	B-	Wayne Junior High School	Wayne	Wayne Community Schools	43%	48%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	158
#64	B-	Wood River Rural Middle School	Wood River	Wood River Rural Schools	43%	49%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	126
#65	B-	Alice Buffett Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	42%	48%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	1,124
#66	B-	Ashland Greenwood Middle School	Ashland	Ashland-Greenwood Public Schs	42%	52%	Underperforms Expectations	238
#67	B-	Plattsmouth Middle School	Plattsmouth	Plattsmouth Community Schools	42%	49%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	395
#68	B-	Columbus Middle School	Columbus	Columbus Public Schools	41%	42%	Meets Expectations	1,174
#69	B-	Hastings Middle School	Hastings	Hastings Public Schools	41%	41%	Meets Expectations	780
#70	B-	Bellevue Mission Middle School	Bellevue	Bellevue Public Schools	40%	40%	Meets Expectations	391
#71	B-	Boyd County Middle School Spencer	Spencer	Boyd County Schools	40%	46%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	105
#72	B-	Broken Bow Middle School	Broken Bow	Broken Bow Public Schools	40%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	175
#73	B-	Cambridge Middle School	Cambridge	Cambridge Public Schools	40%	46%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	72
#74	B-	Falls City Middle School	Falls City	Falls City Public Schools	40%	46%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	174
#75	B-	Gordon Rushville Middle School	Rushville	Gordon-Rushville Public Schs	40%	43%	Meets Expectations	101
#76	B-	Johnson Co Central Middle Sch	Cook	Johnson Co Central Public Schs	40%	49%	Underperforms Expectations	119
#77	B-	Louisville Middle School	Louisville	Louisville Public Schools	40%	62%	Underperforms Expectations	115
#78	B-	Millard Central Middle School	Omaha	Millard Public Schools	40%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	825
#79	B-	Osceola Middle School	Osceola	Osceola Public Schools	40%	38%	Exceeds Expectations	57
#80	B-	Bluffs Middle School	Scottsbluff	Scottsbluff Public Schools	39%	39%	Meets Expectations	785
#81	B-	Fremont Middle School	Fremont	Fremont Public Schools	39%	31%	Greatly Exceeds Expectations	744
#82	B-	Norfolk JR High School	Norfolk	Norfolk Public Schools	39%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	641
#83	B-	Schuyler Middle School	Schuyler	Schuyler Community Schools	39%	34%	Exceeds Expectations	401
#84	C+	Laurel Concord Coleridge Middle School	Coleridge	Laurel-Concord-Coleridge School	38%	47%	Underperforms Expectations	119
#85	C+	Weeping Water Middle School	Weeping Water	Weeping Water Public Schools	38%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	60
#86	C+	Wilber Clatonia Middle School	Wilber	Wilber-Clatonia Public Schools	38%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	143
#87	C+	Goodrich Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	37%	36%	Meets Expectations	877
#88	C+	Park Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	37%	34%	Exceeds Expectations	834
#89	C+	Alfonza W Davis Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	36%	44%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	759
#90	C	Boone Central Middle School	Albion	Boone Central Schools	35%	44%	Underperforms Expectations	167
#91	C	Dawes Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	35%	38%	Meets Expectations	405
#92	C	Emerson Hubbard Middle School	Emerson	Emerson-Hubbard Public Schools	35%	46%	Underperforms Expectations	66
#93	C	Htrs Middle School	Humboldt	Humboldt Table Rock Steinauer	35%	45%	Underperforms Expectations	62
#94	C	Lexington Middle School	Lexington	Lexington Public Schools	35%	29%	Exceeds Expectations	685
#95	C	Mullen Middle School	Mullen	Mullen Public Schools	35%	42%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	36
#96	C	Wynot Middle School	Wynot	Wynot Public Schools	35%	48%	Underperforms Expectations	49
#97	C	Gering Junior High School	Gering	Gering Public Schools	34%	39%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	414
#98	C	Barr Middle School	Grand Island	Grand Island Public Schools	32%	32%	Meets Expectations	718
#99	C	Beveridge Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	32%	41%	Underperforms Expectations	816
#100	C	Culler Middle School	Lincoln	Lincoln Public Schools	32%	32%	Meets Expectations	703
#101	C-	Banner County Middle School	Harrisburg	Banner County Public Schools	31%	40%	Underperforms Expectations	32
#102	C-	Alliance Middle School	Alliance	Alliance Public Schools	30%	40%	Underperforms Expectations	286
#103	C-	Harvard Middle School	Harvard	Harvard Public Schools	30%	44%	Underperforms Expectations	54
#104	C-	Nebraska City Middle School	Nebraska City	Nebraska City Public Schools	30%	36%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	326
#105	C-	Ralston Middle School	Ralston	Ralston Public Schools	30%	37%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	464
#106	C-	Lewis And Clark Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	29%	30%	Meets Expectations	860
#107	C-	Walnut Middle School	Grand Island	Grand Island Public Schools	29%	27%	Exceeds Expectations	853
#108	C-	Shelby Rising City Middle School	Shelby	Shelby - Rising City Public Schools	28%	42%	Underperforms Expectations	89
#109	C-	Superior Middle School	Superior	Superior Public Schools	28%	44%	Underperforms Expectations	84
#110	D+	Wauneta Palisade Middle School	Wauneta	Wauneta-Palisade Public Schs	25%	32%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	52
#111	D+	Morton Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	24%	31%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	724
#112	D	R M Marrs Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	21%	22%	Meets Expectations	1,066
#113	D	King Sciencetech Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	20%	20%	Meets Expectations	667
#114	D-	Bryan Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	18%	25%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	866
#115	D-	Madison Middle School	Madison	Madison Public Schools	18%	39%	Underperforms Expectations	106
#116	D-	Mc Millan Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	16%	20%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	751
#117	D-	Nathan Hale Magnet Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	16%	24%	Doesn't Meet Expectations	620
#118	D-	Norris Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	14%	23%	Underperforms Expectations	1,187
#119	F	Monroe Middle School	Omaha	Omaha Public Schools	12%	24%	Underperforms Expectations	769
#120	F	Umo N Ho N Nation Middle Sch	Macy	Umo N Ho N Nation Public Schs	4%	6%	Meets Expectations	113

How Nebraska's middle schools compare

A: 38B: 45C: 26D: 9F: 2

69% of the 120 ranked middle schools in Nebraska earn an A or B (38 A grades, 45 B, 26 C, 9 D, 2 F), against 47% of middle schools nationwide. 70 schools meet or beat the proficiency projected from their student context (58% here, 71% nationally), and 44 exceed it. On average 45% of tested students meet the state bar against a projected 46% (national averages: 39% actual, 38% projected).

The biggest overperformers, by actual proficiency above projection: Elkhorn Valley View Middle School (79% against 64%, A+), Moore Middle School (74% against 59%, A+), Westridge Middle School (58% against 44%, A-), Liberty Middle School (64% against 52%, A), West Point Beemer Middle School (48% against 36%, B+).

Districts with the most schools in the top quarter (the top 30): Elkhorn Public Schools (4), Lincoln Public Schools (4), Millard Public Schools (3), Gretna Public Schools (2).

Cities with the most ranked middle schools: Omaha (22, 11 at A or B), Lincoln (12, 8 at A or B), Grand Island (3, 1 at A or B), Bellevue (3, 3 at A or B).

The largest ranked middle schools: Norris Middle School (1,187 students, D-, #118), Columbus Middle School (1,174 students, B-, #68), Scott Middle School (1,136 students, A+, #7).

Middle schools in Nebraska that are not ranked

5 graded middle schools are listed here rather than ranked, each for the reason given. Every one has its own page with its full SchoolGrade report.

Closed schools (2)

NCES lists these schools as closed or inactive since their last graded year.

C Lawrence Nelson Middle School, Nelson
A Sandy Creek Middle School, Fairfield

Not yet graded (3)

Our source data has no school-level proficiency results for these schools, so they carry no SchoolGrade yet.

Elkhorn North Ridge Middle School, Omaha
Exeter Milligan Middle School, Exeter
Isanti Middle School, Niobrara

About this ranking

Scope: every public middle school in Nebraska.
Order: SchoolGrade, then actual proficiency, then name; schools with the same grade and score share a rank.
Ranked: regular public schools that NCES lists as open, not fully online, with at least 30 students. Others are listed with the reason.
Tags: Magnet and Charter from the NCES school directory; K-12 marks schools serving every grade that are ranked with the middle schools.
Grades are the 2025-26 SchoolGrade model. How SchoolGrade works

Questions about middle schools in Nebraska

What is the best middle school in Nebraska?

Elkhorn Valley View Middle School in Elkhorn ranks first among the 120 ranked middle schools in Nebraska with a SchoolGrade of A+, 79% of tested students meeting the state bar against a projected 64%.

How are middle schools in Nebraska ranked?

By SchoolGrade, the 2025-26 model that scores each school's actual test proficiency against the level projected for its student context, then by actual proficiency to break ties. Regular public schools that are open, not fully online and have at least 30 students are ranked; the rest are listed below the table with the reason.

How many middle schools does Nebraska have?

SchoolGrade grades 125 public middle schools in Nebraska; 120 are ranked here and 5 are listed as not ranked.