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Murchison Middle School
(512) 414-3254
3700 N Hills Dr
Austin, TX 78731
Level: 6-8
District: Austin Independent School District

Extended Information

In-depth school information including test scores, student stats, parent ratings and reviews for Murchison Middle School, Austin, TX.

Cenus Info	Value	Year
White, non-Hispanic:	64%	(2007)
Black, non-Hispanic:	7.5%	(2007)
Hispanic:	21.4%	(2007)
American Indian/Alaskan Native:	0.3%	(2007)
Asian/Pacific Islander:	6.7%	(2007)
Percent Free and Reduced Price Lunch:	19%	(2007)

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Murchison Middle School Ratings Summary

Average Quality Rating	4
Average Principals Rating	4
Average Teachers Rating	4
Average Activities Rating	4
Average Parents Rating	4
Average Safety Rating	3

Murchison Middle School Reviews


Posted By: parent Quality Score: 4 2008-08-05 “Very dedicated teachers who are interested in whether the children learn. The International Baccalaureate program is a wonderful opportunity for students interested in a liberal arts education from an early age, and the elective courses are as excellent as the required courses. Because of the size & diversity of the population, there are occasional disciplinary issues (e.g., fights) that arise, but overall the administration does a good job preventing these issues through policy decisions (dress code, etc.) and discipline after the fact.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: decline 2008-08-01 “MMS is great for accelerated students. MMS is NOT great for Special Ed students. Teachers don't go the extra mile for the 20 or so Spec. Ed students who need extra help. We had a great elementary! Now we have gone straight to sharks in college, even though we just finished 6th. There is NO transition from caring elem. to 7, 8, or even 9th. Teachers cannot put one student on an individual level, they treat one as all - They don't understand learning disabilities at all!!!” Posted By: parent Quality Score: 3 2008-02-24 “My son is in 8th grade and in special education and found out in 6th grade he is autistic. Most the time the teachers have worked with me on modifing my son's work and have done well in helping him most the time. My son does not go to the tutoring after school because it is so overloaded with kids that he does not get the extra help he needs with homework. In general, the school is good.” Posted By: teacher Quality Score: 4 2008-02-07 “The teachers at MMS place importance first and foremost on student learning. Test scores are emphasized by district/state/federal officials, and yes, some MMS programs are driven by that pressure. Don't think for a second that teachers are happy about that! But via the IB program and other innovative teaching strategies, MMS faculty works very hard to elevate student achievement, learning, and global responsibility beyond test scores. Parents sometimes struggle with the fact that this is secondary school, and especially at the 7th-8th grade levels, teachers cannot call home every time a student misses an assignment. We offer many ways for parents to support student learning: teacher web sites, student agendas, after-school tutorials and homework center, and accessibility via email, to name a few. This is my 10th year teaching at Murchison. It is a great school and I am proud to to teach here.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: decline 2008-02-02 “I have 2 kids at MMS. One in all advanced accelerated classes and one in all academic classes . Both ends of the spectrum, yet both are failing classes. Teachers don't communicate when the kids aren't turning in work. They are too busy preparing for the next class when they should be noticing who is turning in work and who isn't. I found out my student didn't turn in a project 4 weeks after the fact and another project 2 weeks late. I have to initiate all contact with teachers each time. It's very frustrating to go from a wonderful Elem. school to this school. All they care about is TAKS scores and if your kid fails one, the next year they aren't allowed an elective, only punishment by mandatory remedial classes for the TAKS they missed the year before.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: decline 2007-11-30 “Although Murchison has a fairly large student population, my daughter has adjusted very well. We relocated from Maryland and I was concerned about her social and academic adjustment. Although I had a few concerns about the curriculum and some of her instructors, after meeting and talking with the teachers in person and via phone and email my concerns were appropriately addressed.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: decline 2007-11-29 “School is too big, they only focus on testing kids not helping them learn” Posted By: student Quality Score: 4 2007-07-07 “I'm a student about to enter eighth grade! DDont listen to those negative reviews, theres tons of after school programs, teachers are exxcellent, and there is after school tutoring now. wonderful for you child to have fun, and learn, and meet other peers, you just have to trust your judgement, and bring up of your child..” Posted By: parent Quality Score: decline 2007-06-29 “Murchison Middle School is one of Austin's best kept secrets! It consistently outscores magnet schools, as well as other middle schools, both public and private. That's the academic part. It also has an IB program that kids can be a part of that requires them to take a well rounded smorgasborg of electives. We have been very pleased with the quality of instruction and program offerings at Murchison--and we will have had three children go through there.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: 4 2006-06-02 “The administration and faculty at Murchison are very dedicated, and parental involvement is good, but the school is so large (1200-plus) that students who have difficulty coping with the fast-paced world of middle school can get lost in the crowd. All three of my kids have attended Murchison, but only one got through it successfully. Seventh grade appears to be the make-it-or-break-it year, and I've had one flunk out and another develop behavior problems due to social pressures. We've had problems with discipline (food fights in the lunchroom) and security (locker break-ins, etc.).” Posted By: parent Quality Score: 5 2006-01-10 “Murchison Middle School has something very unique to offer students who are gifted or otherwise motivated to go the extra mile--it is the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. Even if your child is not gifted or participating in the IBMYP, he can benefit by doing community and service projects or just be taking part in the international and interdisciplinary units that are for every student. My son is not gifted, but he plans to take part in this program for as long as he can--at least while he is at Murchison. This is not your typical public middle school--my husband and I rate it very high.” Posted By: teacher Quality Score: decline 2005-09-12 “I do like the team approach to this school but there doesn't seem to be any follow through with the teachers.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: 5 2004-09-18 “Two of my children have gone through murchison middle school; one was a part of the international baccalaureate middle years program, and the other was involved in a couple of school sports. Both grew tremendously in spite of adolescent ups and downs and we found most teachers to be very enthusiastic about teaching and learning. We believe Murchison is reaching out from the educational desert that many schools are caught in. It seems to be evolving into something better each year. My husband and I give it a big thumbs up.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: 4 2004-07-23 “Our second child is going through Murchison right now and is having the same great experience the first did. Exceptional Fine Arts programs in a real-world environment. We have been very pleased, especially with the 7 Habits training and time management skills the students receive.” Posted By: parent Quality Score: 1 2004-06-08 “Nice school, but not for all. Teachers seem to lack enthusiasm and the ability to control students. This could be due to large class sizes and 1,300 6th-8th graders in one place. No tutoring available after school, limited after school activities.”