South Lake Middle

Summary:

South Lake Middle is a public middle school in Irvine, California, serving 601 students in grades 7-8 and part of the highly-ranked Irvine Unified School District. This school consistently ranks among the top middle schools in California, currently at 209 out of 2,777 middle schools for the 2023-2024 school year.

South Lake Middle's students consistently outperform the state average in Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, with proficiency rates of 72.67% in ELA and 59.12% in Math, compared to the state averages of 47.04% and 35.54%, respectively. The school also excels in supporting diverse student populations, with many subgroups, such as African American, Hispanic, English Language Learners, and Special Education students, ranking in the top 20-40% of California middle schools. While South Lake Middle has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, the school's rates remain lower than the state average and are comparable to other high-performing Irvine Unified schools.

In contrast to the high-performing Irvine Unified schools, middle schools in the neighboring Santa Ana Unified District, such as Julia C. Lathrop Intermediate and Raymond A. Villa Fundamental Intermediate, demonstrate significantly lower academic proficiency rates, with only 10-30% of students meeting or exceeding state standards in ELA and Math. This stark contrast highlights the importance of addressing educational inequities and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality educational opportunities.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 655 West Yale Loop
       Irvine, CA  92614-7939


(949) 936-6700

District: Irvine Unified

SchoolDigger Rank:
209th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $6,343 Help


Students who attend South Lake Middle usually attend:

High:    Woodbridge High

Feeder schools for South Lake Middle:

Elementary:    Culverdale Elementary
    Meadow Park Elementary
    Oak Creek Elementary
    Springbrook Elementary
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  23.6 Help
Number of students:  668

Racial breakdown:

Asian:
33.8%
White:
32.9%
Hispanic:
17.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  34.7% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details South Lake Middle ranks better than 92.5% of middle schools in California. It also ranks last among 6 ranked middle schools in the Irvine Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 92.81. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at South Lake Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (33.8%), White (32.9%), Hispanic (17.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 34.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Irvine Unified School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Lake Middle is 23.6, which is the 2nd best among 6 middle schools in the Irvine Unified School District. (See more...)
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Compare South Lake Middle employs 28.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Lake Middle is $6,343, which is the 2nd highest among 6 middle schools in the Irvine Unified School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Lake Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks South Lake Middle 209th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See South Lake Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Irvine Unified:

SchoolDigger ranks Irvine Unified 108th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for South Lake Middle

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Rank History for all students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 96.13 36th 1769 98.0%
2005 97.13 16th 1777 99.1%
2006 96.88 14th 1804 99.2%
2007 96.10 25th 1999 98.7%
2008 97.09 9th 2005 99.6%
2009 95.72 12th 2063 99.4%
2010 91.10 82nd 2179 96.2%
2011 91.41 61st 2236 97.3%
2012 91.07 61st 2259 97.3%
2013 91.22 61st 2379 97.4%
2015 94.10 128th 2477 94.8%
2016 92.61 158th 2497 93.7%
2017 91.52 210th 2508 91.6%
2018 87.77 291st 2480 88.3%
2019 90.02 265th 2715 90.2%
2022 87.76 325th 2740 88.1%
2023 93.19 203rd 2802 92.8%
2024 92.81 209th 2777 92.5%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.66 157th 462 66.0%
2019 78.53 101st 554 81.8%
2022 64.68 233rd 665 65.0%
2023 72.70 183rd 678 73.0%
2024 84.47 79th 699 88.7%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 99.05 23rd 1364 98.3%
2019 97.37 26th 1442 98.2%
2022 78.79 117th 1540 92.4%
2023 98.73 13th 1529 99.1%
2024 92.76 39th 1477 97.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 79.85 169th 1538 89.0%
2024 91.72 87th 1550 94.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.90 361st 2230 83.8%
2019 72.18 450th 2369 81.0%
2022 76.14 382nd 2458 84.5%
2023 93.21 113th 2549 95.6%
2024 90.80 175th 2575 93.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 84.97 307th 2262 86.4%
2019 87.91 274th 2380 88.5%
2022 84.21 359th 2509 85.7%
2023 91.28 224th 2547 91.2%
2024 93.91 158th 2546 93.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 91.35 71st 1369 94.8%
2019 97.06 33rd 1491 97.8%
2022 80.33 176th 1531 88.5%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 38.53 121st 193 37.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.00 247th 2273 89.1%
2019 90.44 229th 2407 90.5%
2022 88.98 272nd 2527 89.2%
2023 93.04 174th 2558 93.2%
2024 89.69 255th 2547 90.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.79 215th 700 69.3%
2019 77.27 154th 745 79.3%
2022 64.60 300th 733 59.1%
2023 72.38 202nd 718 71.9%
2024 67.40 271st 741 63.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 56.38 225th 600 62.5%
2019 78.06 103rd 643 84.0%
2022 51.11 257th 637 59.7%
2023 69.39 140th 614 77.2%
2024 97.39 13th 626 97.9%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.34 337th 2072 83.7%
2019 75.53 388th 2213 82.5%
2022 79.66 306th 2359 87.0%
2023 90.89 129th 2391 94.6%
2024 91.76 119th 2383 95.0%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South Lake Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 61.24 585th 1496 60.9%
2019 66.85 511th 1602 68.1%
2022 71.50 393rd 1555 74.7%
2023 80.83 227th 1552 85.4%
2024 70.17 423rd 1535 72.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

South Lake Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: California Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
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Enrollment information for South Lake Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 475 9 109 26 5 n/a n/a 0 624
1996 475 9 109 26 5 n/a n/a 0 624
1997 453 14 126 35 3 n/a n/a 0 631
1998 424 22 146 55 1 n/a n/a 0 648
1999 364 23 144 49 4 n/a n/a 7 591
2000 358 11 152 36 4 n/a n/a 2 563
2001 304 9 164 49 3 n/a n/a 10 539
2002 283 27 174 56 6 n/a n/a 9 555
2003 283 27 174 56 6 n/a n/a 9 555
2004 292 28 160 63 2 n/a n/a 19 564
2005 320 37 185 58 5 n/a n/a 20 625
2006 317 24 162 60 7 n/a n/a 27 597
2007 266 28 170 57 5 n/a n/a 33 559
2008 241 29 188 79 6 n/a n/a 0 543
2009 251 22 176 74 8 1 32 0 564
2010 253 22 172 66 3 2 40 0 558
2011 237 29 202 78 3 3 40 0 592
2012 242 31 202 86 2 5 19 0 587
2013 274 31 234 83 3 8 21 0 654
2014 292 29 242 91 4 5 27 0 690
2015 286 23 240 97 4 4 24 0 678
2016 293 26 247 105 3 2 30 0 706
2017 304 34 257 101 4 2 45 0 747
2018 277 34 266 108 2 1 49 0 737
2019 257 36 238 114 0 1 66 0 712
2020 232 33 222 104 0 2 72 0 665
2021 170 13 126 80 1 0 47 2 439
2022 207 28 193 126 2 4 61 4 625
2023 195 30 190 109 0 7 66 4 601
2024 220 27 226 114 0 4 77 0 668

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Lake Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 624 24.0 26.0 7.1
1996 624 24.0 26.0 7.1
1997 631 27.6 22.9 8.4
1998 648 28.0 23.1 10.3
1999 591 24.4 24.2 8.7
2000 563 22.6 24.9 8.6
2001 539 23.6 22.8 7.4
2002 555 20.4 27.2 9.7
2003 555 20.4 27.2 9.7
2004 564 22.8 24.7 14.9
2005 625 24.5 25.5 9.3
2006 597 23.6 25.3 9.3
2007 559 22.2 25.2 10.5
2008 543 26.8 20.3 10.9
2009 564 22.2 21.3 9.4
2010 558 22.7 24.4 19.9
2011 592 n/a n/a 22.3
2012 587 24.0 24.3 n/a
2013 654 26.5 24.6 27.7
2014 690 26.4 26.0 25.5
2015 678 24.0 28.2 27.9
2016 706 28.0 25.2 29.3
2017 747 31.6 23.6 27.3
2018 737 32.4 22.6 33.6
2019 712 31.0 22.9 31.2
2020 665 n/a n/a 28.7
2021 439 21.8 20.1 33.5
2022 625 29.4 21.2 31.2
2023 601 27.2 22.0 30.8
2024 668 28.3 23.6 34.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio South Lake Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 624 24.0 26.0 7.1
1996 624 24.0 26.0 7.1
1997 631 27.6 22.9 8.4
1998 648 28.0 23.1 10.3
1999 591 24.4 24.2 8.7
2000 563 22.6 24.9 8.6
2001 539 23.6 22.8 7.4
2002 555 20.4 27.2 9.7
2003 555 20.4 27.2 9.7
2004 564 22.8 24.7 14.9
2005 625 24.5 25.5 9.3
2006 597 23.6 25.3 9.3
2007 559 22.2 25.2 10.5
2008 543 26.8 20.3 10.9
2009 564 22.2 21.3 9.4
2010 558 22.7 24.4 19.9
2011 592 n/a n/a 22.3
2012 587 24.0 24.3 n/a
2013 654 26.5 24.6 27.7
2014 690 26.4 26.0 25.5
2015 678 24.0 28.2 27.9
2016 706 28.0 25.2 29.3
2017 747 31.6 23.6 27.3
2018 737 32.4 22.6 33.6
2019 712 31.0 22.9 31.2
2020 665 n/a n/a 28.7
2021 439 21.8 20.1 33.5
2022 625 29.4 21.2 31.2
2023 601 27.2 22.0 30.8
2024 668 28.3 23.6 34.7

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Lake Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $6,343

Data source: California Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Lake Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 265th of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 203rd of 2802 Middle schools
 2.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (South Lake Middle)77.469.1
 8.4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Irvine Unified)82.877.7
 5.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Lake Middle)71.259.2
 12%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Irvine Unified)77.971.3
 6.6%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (South Lake Middle)66.376
 9.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Irvine Unified)79.777.9
 1.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Lake Middle)59.756.9
 2.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Irvine Unified)76.268.5
 7.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (South Lake Middle)53.363
 9.7%
   8th Grade Science (Irvine Unified)6666.3
 0.3%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students712601
 15.6%
African American3630
 16.7%
American Indian00
Asian238190
 20.2%
Hispanic114109
 4.4%
Pacific Islander17
 600%
White257195
 24.1%
Two or More Races6666
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients31.2%30.8%
 0.4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about South Lake Middle

In the 2023-24 school year, 668 students attended South Lake Middle.

Yes. South Lake Middle ranks in the top 7.5% of California middle schools.

Students who attend South Lake Middle usually go on to attend Woodbridge High

Students at South Lake Middle are 34% Asian, 33% White, 17% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 4% African American.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the California Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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