Is Smyrna Middle School a good school?

Smyrna Middle School ranks 25 th of 54 Delaware middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Smyrna Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,009 students attended Smyrna Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Smyrna Middle School?

Students at Smyrna Middle School are 48% White, 36% African American, 10% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Smyrna Middle School attend?

Students who attend Smyrna Middle School usually go on to attend Smyrna High School

Smyrna Middle School

Summary:

Smyrna Middle School is a public middle school serving 1,027 students in grades 7-8 in the Smyrna School District in Smyrna, Delaware. While the school has a 3-star rating, it faces several challenges, including high chronic absenteeism, below-average test scores, and uneven performance across student subgroups.

Smyrna Middle School's chronic absenteeism rate has risen significantly, from 13.3% in 2017-2018 to 22.5% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average and the rates of nearby schools like Clayton Intermediate (18.0%) and Moore (John Bassett) School (17.8%). Academically, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies are all below the state averages, with significant performance gaps between different student subgroups.

Smyrna Middle School's higher spending per student ($12,738) compared to nearby schools like Clayton Intermediate ($10,973) and Moore (John Bassett) School ($12,740), as well as the school's declining enrollment and shifting racial composition, suggest that socioeconomic factors may be playing a significant role in the school's academic outcomes. Further investigation into the school's context and strategies for improvement may be warranted to address these challenges and support student success.

Detail:

Public 7-8

700 Duck Creek Parkway
Smyrna, DE 19977-1091

(302) 653-8584

District: Smyrna School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
25^th of 54 Delaware Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,738

Students who attend Smyrna Middle School usually attend:

High:

Smyrna High School

Feeder schools for Smyrna Middle School:

Elementary:	Clayton Elementary School
	North Smyrna Elementary School
	Smyrna Elementary School
	Sunnyside Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.8

Number of students: 1,009

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.4%

African American:

36.0%

Hispanic:

10.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 26.4%

See top rated Delaware middle schools

Compare Smyrna Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Smyrna Middle School ranks better than 53.7% of middle schools in Delaware. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Smyrna Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Smyrna School District. Racial makeup is: White (48.4%), African American (36%), Hispanic (10%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smyrna Middle School is 16.8. 1 middle schools in the Smyrna School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Smyrna Middle School employs 60 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smyrna Middle School is $12,738. 1 middle schools in the Smyrna School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Smyrna Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Smyrna Middle School 25^th of 54 Delaware public middle schools. (See Smyrna Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Multi-racial students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Smyrna School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Smyrna School District 8^th of 32 Delaware school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Smyrna Middle School?

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Rank History for Smyrna Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2011	40.74	24^th	38	36.8%
2012	49.62	23^rd	38	39.5%
2013	45.04	23^rd	37	37.8%
2014	52.44	11^th	17	35.3%
2015	49.19	28^th	49	42.9%
2016	53.24	18^th	35	48.6%
2017	48.96	18^th	35	48.6%
2018	62.34	13^th	35	62.9%
2019	53.54	25^th	52	51.9%
2021	31.59	32^nd	47	31.9%
2022	39.70	28^th	51	45.1%
2023	38.55	30^th	53	43.4%
2024	46.00	25^th	54	53.7%

See the entire list of Delaware Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2022	66.73	1^st	4	75.0%
2023	66.43	1^st	4	75.0%
2024	50.50	3^rd	7	57.1%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	13.65	8^th	9	11.1%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	54.58	16^th	41	61.0%
2021	24.41	17^th	19	10.5%
2022	33.76	23^rd	38	39.5%
2023	45.76	19^th	40	52.5%
2024	50.21	17^th	39	56.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	51.97	25^th	49	49.0%
2021	34.16	22^nd	38	42.1%
2022	42.45	26^th	50	48.0%
2023	37.33	30^th	50	40.0%
2024	41.87	26^th	49	46.9%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	24.73	3^rd	3	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	56.05	22^nd	49	55.1%
2021	24.16	30^th	38	21.1%
2022	29.91	36^th	50	28.0%
2023	35.77	29^th	50	42.0%
2024	43.02	24^th	49	51.0%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	66.43	9^th	44	79.5%
2021	29.16	15^th	20	25.0%
2022	37.21	22^nd	41	46.3%
2023	48.32	19^th	43	55.8%
2024	45.45	20^th	42	52.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	57.24	13^th	35	62.9%
2021	54.16	5^th	18	72.2%
2022	57.02	10^th	37	73.0%
2023	59.62	12^th	37	67.6%
2024	57.89	12^th	37	67.6%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Smyrna Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	DE State Percentile
2019	47.57	25^th	43	41.9%
2021	18.49	37^th	41	9.8%
2022	27.77	34^th	45	24.4%
2024	37.52	25^th	45	44.4%

See the entire list of Best Delaware Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Delaware 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.

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Smyrna Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2004	497	100	10	21	2	n/a	n/a	630
2005	500	122	12	23	0	n/a	n/a	657
2006	533	147	13	25	0	n/a	n/a	718
2007	568	157	13	26	1	n/a	n/a	765
2008	564	174	12	30	1	n/a	n/a	781
2009	533	213	13	33	3	n/a	n/a	795
2010	539	222	9	23	2	n/a	n/a	795
2011	515	250	9	33	2	0	1	810
2012	541	239	13	37	2	0	3	835
2013	553	240	12	39	2	0	10	856
2014	531	222	17	45	5	0	11	831
2015	522	265	19	59	5	0	13	883
2016	562	259	13	73	4	0	12	923
2017	586	232	9	69	9	1	11	917
2018	538	271	11	67	9	1	19	916
2019	553	288	13	80	5	1	28	968
2020	571	286	16	76	0	2	33	984
2021	604	294	9	83	2	1	35	1028
2022	601	329	9	98	2	0	38	1077
2023	527	342	17	99	1	0	41	1027
2024	488	363	18	101	5	0	34	1009

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 Smyrna Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	630	35.0	18.0	20.8
2005	657	38.0	17.3	25.7
2006	718	41.0	17.5	23.5
2007	765	44.0	17.4	20.5
2008	781	47.0	16.6	20.1
2009	795	47.0	16.9	30.6
2010	795	49.0	16.2	36.2
2011	810	49.0	16.5	31.4
2012	835	48.0	17.3	44.8
2013	856	55.0	15.5	45.6
2014	831	54.0	15.3	28.2
2015	883	57.0	15.4	25.6
2016	923	58.0	15.9	26.4
2017	917	58.0	15.8	n/a
2018	916	57.0	16.0	n/a
2019	968	58.0	16.6	n/a
2020	984	64.0	15.3	n/a
2021	1028	66.0	15.5	n/a
2022	1077	65.0	16.5	n/a
2023	1027	62.0	16.5	n/a
2024	1009	60.0	16.8	n/a

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 Smyrna Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	630	35.0	18.0	20.8
2005	657	38.0	17.3	25.7
2006	718	41.0	17.5	23.5
2007	765	44.0	17.4	20.5
2008	781	47.0	16.6	20.1
2009	795	47.0	16.9	30.6
2010	795	49.0	16.2	36.2
2011	810	49.0	16.5	31.4
2012	835	48.0	17.3	44.8
2013	856	55.0	15.5	45.6
2014	831	54.0	15.3	28.2
2015	883	57.0	15.4	25.6
2016	923	58.0	15.9	26.4
2017	917	58.0	15.8	n/a
2018	916	57.0	16.0	n/a
2019	968	58.0	16.6	n/a
2020	984	64.0	15.3	n/a
2021	1028	66.0	15.5	n/a
2022	1077	65.0	16.5	n/a
2023	1027	62.0	16.5	n/a
2024	1009	60.0	16.8	n/a

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 Smyrna Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$379 (3.0%)	$12,275 (96.4%)	$12,738

Data source: Delaware Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Smyrna Middle School

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 25^th of 52 Middle schools	Ranks 30^th of 53 Middle schools	8.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Smyrna Middle School)	59.1	43.3	15.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Smyrna School District)	59.1	43.3	15.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	54.6	42.6	12%
7th Grade Mathematics (Smyrna Middle School)	50.4	29.7	20.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Smyrna School District)	50.4	29.7	20.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	41	28.9	12.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Smyrna Middle School)	51.8	39.3	12.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Smyrna School District)	51.8	39.3	12.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Delaware)	52.1	41.3	10.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Smyrna Middle School)	39.8	20.3	19.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Smyrna School District)	39.8	20.3	19.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Delaware)	38	24.3	13.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	968	1027	6.1%
African American	288	342	18.8%
American Indian	5	1	80%
Asian	13	17	30.8%
Hispanic	80	99	23.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	553	527	4.7%
Two or More Races	28	41	46.4%

Schools Near Smyrna Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				DeSSA Science (2024)		DeSSA Social Studies (2024)	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts (2024)					Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	DeSSA Science 5th Grade	DeSSA Science 8th Grade	DeSSA Social Studies 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments English Language Arts 8th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 4th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 5th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 6th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 7th Grade	Smarter Balanced Assessments Mathematics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Smyrna Middle School	Public	7-8	700 Duck Creek Parkway	Smyrna	19977	Kent County	Smyrna School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 653-8584	1,009	60	16.8		488 (48.4%)	363 (36.0%)	101 (10.0%)	18 (1.8%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.4%)	46	25^th of 54 public middle schools	53.7%		38.5	30^th of 53 public middle schools	43.4%	5		15.3	38.5				34.0	42.8				30.3	22.2	$12,738	$379	$12,275
Moore (John Bassett) School	Public	4-6	20 West Frazier Street	Smyrna	19977	Kent County	Smyrna School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 659-6297	664	45	14.7		301 (45.3%)	253 (38.1%)	66 (9.9%)	12 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.7%)								(n/a)	22.5			36.3	46.1	39.7			35.6	29.4	25.2			$12,740	$285	$12,692
Clayton Intermediate School	Public	5-6	86 Sorrento Drive	Clayton	19938	Kent County	Smyrna School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 653-4512	519	30	17.3		300 (57.8%)	145 (27.9%)	42 (8.1%)	7 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (4.2%)								(n/a)	16.0				45.1	41.6				32.4	30.1			$10,973	$242	$10,926
Cantwells Bridge Middle School	Public	6-8	550 Tony Marchio Drive	Townsend	19734	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 376-4128	854	51	16.8		412 (48.2%)	280 (32.8%)	71 (8.3%)	37 (4.3%)	7 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	45 (5.3%)	69.3	16^th of 54 public middle schools	70.4%		65.6	15^th of 53 public middle schools	71.7%	1		25.6	51.1			49.1	53.0	52.3			36.7	35.3	29.2
Middle School of Excellence	Public	6-8	1 Patrick Lynn Drive	Dover	19904	Kent County	Capital School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 674-6100	615	8	76.8		149 (24.2%)	324 (52.7%)	70 (11.4%)	6 (1.0%)	8 (1.3%)	4 (0.7%)	54 (8.8%)								(n/a)		5.8	19.0			25.1	25.5	23.2			9.9	13.9	8.1
Middle School of Innovation	Public	6-8	1 Patrick Lynn Drive	Dover	19904	Kent County	Capital School District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(302) 674-6100	638	9	70.8		107 (16.8%)	360 (56.4%)	101 (15.8%)	4 (0.6%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (9.7%)								(n/a)		6.0	14.8			16.3	24.2	18.4			6.9	8.5	8.9
William Henry Middle School	Public	5	65 Carver Road	Dover	19904	Kent County	Capital School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 672-1622	481	37	13.0		84 (17.5%)	274 (57.0%)	66 (13.7%)	10 (2.1%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.9%)								(n/a)	8.9				21.7					11.3				$13,812	$1,116	$13,837
Meredith (Everett) Middle School	Public	6-8	504 South Broad Street	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 378-5001	927	58	15.9		407 (43.9%)	298 (32.1%)	111 (12.0%)	61 (6.6%)	5 (0.5%)	3 (0.3%)	42 (4.5%)	56.9	18^th of 54 public middle schools	66.7%		50.8	20^th of 53 public middle schools	62.3%	2		19.9	39.2			40.3	56.3	52.0			25.2	32.3	25.0	$12,293	$178	$14,494
Redding (Louis L.) Middle School	Public	6-8	201 New Street	Middletown	19709	New Castle County	Appoquinimink School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 378-5030	478	37	12.9		135 (28.2%)	209 (43.7%)	69 (14.4%)	35 (7.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.9%)	33.7	35^th of 54 public middle schools	35.2%		42.6	24^th of 53 public middle schools	54.7%	11		9.3	23.0			35.9	33.6	30.2			27.1	27.8	21.4	$11,794	$202	$13,951
Fred Fifer III Middle School	Public	6-8	109 East Camden-Wyoming Avenue	Camden	19934	Kent County	Caesar Rodney School District	No	No	No	No	(302) 698-8400	786	49	16.0		399 (50.8%)	223 (28.4%)	89 (11.3%)	12 (1.5%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (7.5%)	41.2	28^th of 54 public middle schools	48.1%		40.5	28^th of 53 public middle schools	47.2%			13.5	34.5			35.8	43.2	40.3			24.8	22.5	17.8	$10,841	$346	$10,619

Smyrna Middle School

Smyrna Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Smyrna School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for all students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Military Connected students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for African American students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Smyrna Middle School

Rank History for White students at Smyrna Middle School

Enrollment information for Smyrna Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Smyrna Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Smyrna Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Smyrna Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Smyrna Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Smyrna Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions about Smyrna Middle School

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