Washburn Rural Middle School started off as Jay Shideler Junior High in 1964. The Junior High moved into the old Washburn Rural High School located off Wanamaker Road and was named after the principal Jay Shideler. In 1987 the name was changed from Jay Shideler Junior High to Jay Shideler Middle School when the ninth grade moved into the high school.

As enrollment continued to grow, a new middle school was built in its current location off of 61st Street. When the school moved the name was changed again to Washburn Rural Middle School and the old building on Wanamaker became Jay Shideler Elementary School.

In 2007 a bond was passed which approved the building of a new elementary school and the renovation of existing schools. In 2009 the middle school began the construction of a new gymnasium, locker rooms, a full cooking kitchen, auditorium, and the remodeling of the old cafetorium into a music room and the old serving kitchen into four new classrooms.

Today Washburn Rural Middle School houses 7th and 8th grade students that come from the seven elementary schools. The students are divided into four teams per grade level in order to help keep the feel of a small school.