Washburn Rural Middle School

Washburn Rural Middle School is a sprawling 6-8 campus in Topeka, Kansas, part of Auburn-Washburn. The school instructs 966 students in grades 7 through 8. That puts it 140% bigger than the typical public school in Kansas, which averages around 402 students.

Washburn Rural Middle School is one of 9 schools operated by Auburn-Washburn, a district that instructs 5,866 students overall.

On demographics, Washburn Rural Middle School lists that White students make up the majority at 73%. Beyond that, the school logs 11% Hispanic, 8% multiracial, 4% Black, 4% Asian. Compared to Shawnee County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

On the resource side, Washburn Rural Middle School logs 81 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.0:1. That tracks the state average closely. About 37% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Shawnee County (around 54%), the school's rate is south of typical.

After controlling for student poverty, Washburn Rural Middle School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 44.6% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 35.1%.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Shawnee County) records that median household income runs about $67,104, 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Shawnee County runs 54 public schools (combined enrollment of about 26,294 students), of which Washburn Rural Middle School is one.

The closest other public school is Washburn Rural High, roughly 0.4 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Washburn Rural Middle School at 3rd of 9; the average score across the group is 35.6%.

Washburn Rural Middle School operates from a low-density location.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Washburn Rural Middle School has stayed largely flat, going from 967 students in 2018 to 966 in 2025. Class-load math has pulled in: from 13.4:1 in 2018 to 12.0:1 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around fundraisers, lost-and-found posts, and report-card season. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.