Middle Schools in Southside School District (Independence)

The Southside School District (Independence) in Arkansas is home to two middle schools: Southside Junior High School and Southside Middle School. Based on the available data, Southside Middle School appears to be the stronger performing school overall, with higher proficiency rates across core subject areas compared to Southside Junior High School.

Southside Middle School consistently outperforms Southside Junior High School in English Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. For instance, in the 2023-2024 school year, Southside Middle School had a 51.6% proficiency rate in Mathematics, while Southside Junior High School had a 35.2% proficiency rate. Additionally, Southside Middle School's performance exceeds the district and state averages in many subject areas, indicating it is a relatively high-performing school within the broader context.

In contrast, Southside Junior High School has seen its statewide ranking decline over the past few years, going from 201 out of 318 Arkansas middle schools in 2021-2022 to 143 out of 335 in 2023-2024. This suggests the school's performance may be trending downward compared to its peers. Further investigation into the factors driving these differences, such as instructional practices, resources, or student-teacher ratios, could help the district identify opportunities for improvement and ensure equitable educational outcomes for all students.