Southwest Middle

Q: Is Southwest Middle a good school?

Southwest Middle ranks 567 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Southwest Middle is a public middle school located in Orlando, Florida, serving 1,385 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Orange County School District, which is ranked 31 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southwest Middle consistently outperforms the Orange County and Florida state averages in several key academic areas, including End-of-Course (EOC) exams in Algebra 1 (93% proficient vs. 53% Orange, 55% Florida) and Geometry (100% proficient vs. 54% Orange, 53% Florida), as well as the 8th grade Statewide Science assessment (56% proficient vs. 48% Orange, 45% Florida). However, the school's performance in English Language Arts (ELA) lags behind the district and state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 46% to 53% for grades 6-8. Southwest Middle has a diverse student population, with 27% White, 20.79% African American, 42.82% Hispanic, and 6.93% Asian students, which is more balanced compared to nearby schools like Judson B. Walker Middle (6% White, 71.92% Hispanic) and Memorial Middle (2.01% White, 63.67% African American).

The school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 16.1% in 2018-2019 to 40.6% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the Orange County average of 36% and the state average of 17.1% in 2020-2021. However, the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at Southwest Middle has decreased from 58.9% in 2020-2021 to 39.93% in 2022-2023, which is lower than some nearby schools like Memorial Middle (75.42%) and Robinswood Middle (70.65%), indicating a relatively higher socioeconomic status of the student population.

Detail:

Public 6-8

6450 Dr Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819

(407) 370-7200

District: Orange

SchoolDigger Rank:
567^th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,466

Feeder schools for Southwest Middle:

Elementary:	Bay Meadows Elementary
	Dr. Phillips Elementary
	Millennia Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 20.9

Number of students: 1,385

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.8%

White:

27.0%

African American:

20.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 39.9%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Southwest Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southwest Middle ranks better than 52.6% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 19^th among 42 ranked middle schools in the Orange School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.39. (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 Student population at Southwest Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42.8%), White (27%), African American (20.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 39.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Middle is 20.9. 27 middle schools in the Orange School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Southwest Middle employs 66 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest Middle is $8,466. 35 middle schools in the Orange School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Southwest Middle was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Middle 567^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Southwest Middle in the ranking list.)

Orange:

SchoolDigger ranks Orange 31^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Southwest Middle.

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Rank History for Southwest Middle

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	80.58	98^th	593	83.5%
2005	85.44	70^th	602	88.4%
2006	82.17	101^st	675	85.0%
2007	83.76	96^th	736	87.0%
2008	78.77	140^th	740	81.1%
2009	75.93	177^th	780	77.3%
2010	72.43	227^th	839	72.9%
2011	73.30	224^th	891	74.9%
2012	76.07	195^th	897	78.3%
2013	73.67	232^nd	956	75.7%
2014	72.01	254^th	999	74.6%
2016	55.90	420^th	997	57.9%
2017	55.40	452^nd	1031	56.2%
2018	48.56	539^th	1035	47.9%
2019	46.03	605^th	1099	44.9%
2021	50.27	554^th	1136	51.2%
2022	43.72	628^th	1148	45.3%
2023	39.93	703^rd	1177	40.3%
2024	51.39	567^th	1196	52.6%

See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

This school is HORRIBLE. if you are moving here i suggest sending your child to private school. The teachers here are overwhelmed with bad students. It is very dirty and my child doess't feel safe here. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN HERE! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Southwest Middle

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	1065	213	123	116	4	n/a	n/a	0	1521
1993	1185	203	126	123	6	n/a	n/a	0	1643
1994	1230	234	162	152	2	n/a	n/a	0	1780
1995	1030	234	155	102	2	n/a	n/a	0	1523
1996	1030	234	155	102	2	n/a	n/a	0	1523
1997	1019	258	132	99	3	n/a	n/a	0	1511
1998	1109	268	138	102	4	n/a	n/a	0	1621
1999	1074	245	149	110	6	n/a	n/a	0	1584
2000	753	193	122	136	9	n/a	n/a	0	1213
2001	735	205	116	134	6	n/a	n/a	0	1196
2002	692	242	122	196	10	n/a	n/a	0	1262
2003	692	242	122	196	10	n/a	n/a	0	1262
2004	717	262	128	225	12	n/a	n/a	0	1344
2005	739	259	138	238	4	n/a	n/a	0	1378
2006	679	251	141	228	7	n/a	n/a	0	1306
2007	650	212	121	200	3	n/a	n/a	31	1217
2008	619	275	129	220	0	n/a	n/a	32	1275
2009	603	303	120	215	3	n/a	n/a	42	1286
2010	545	337	111	239	2	n/a	n/a	49	1283
2011	536	331	111	283	2	2	40	0	1305
2012	479	332	104	278	0	4	30	0	1227
2013	464	325	104	306	0	4	26	0	1229
2014	445	313	104	299	1	6	21	0	1189
2015	444	334	118	311	1	7	29	0	1244
2016	451	347	129	378	2	4	29	0	1340
2017	468	361	122	403	0	4	23	0	1381
2018	449	320	106	513	0	2	20	0	1410
2019	428	334	87	572	0	3	22	0	1446
2020	427	320	100	674	2	3	21	0	1547
2021	396	290	108	569	3	4	24	0	1394
2022	372	294	115	567	2	6	27	0	1383
2023	374	288	96	593	1	2	31	0	1385

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 Southwest Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	1521	73.0	20.8	0.2
1993	1643	69.0	23.8	1
1994	1780	74.0	24.1	7.1
1995	1523	62.0	24.6	12.2
1996	1523	62.0	24.6	12.2
1997	1511	67.0	22.6	13.8
1998	1621	70.0	23.2	10.4
1999	1584	73.0	21.7	17.1
2000	1213	61.0	19.9	25.1
2001	1196	56.0	21.4	26.3
2002	1262	59.0	21.4	27.4
2003	1262	59.0	21.4	27.4
2004	1344	72.0	18.7	26.8
2005	1378	72.0	19.1	30.3
2006	1306	77.0	17.0	31.8
2007	1217	77.0	15.8	29
2008	1275	77.0	16.6	29.4
2009	1286	73.7	17.9	33.3
2010	1283	73.0	17.5	37.5
2011	1305	69.0	18.9	43
2012	1227	70.0	17.5	36.3
2013	1229	70.0	17.5	54.6
2014	1189	68.0	17.4	48.8
2015	1244	71.0	17.5	49
2016	1340	73.0	18.3	53
2017	1381	77.0	17.9	51.7
2018	1410	81.0	17.4	50.9
2019	1446	79.0	18.3	51.4
2020	1547	82.0	18.8	55.2
2021	1394	83.0	16.7	58.9
2022	1383	73.0	18.9	39.9
2023	1385	66.0	20.9	39.9

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 Southwest Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	1521	73.0	20.8	0.2
1993	1643	69.0	23.8	1
1994	1780	74.0	24.1	7.1
1995	1523	62.0	24.6	12.2
1996	1523	62.0	24.6	12.2
1997	1511	67.0	22.6	13.8
1998	1621	70.0	23.2	10.4
1999	1584	73.0	21.7	17.1
2000	1213	61.0	19.9	25.1
2001	1196	56.0	21.4	26.3
2002	1262	59.0	21.4	27.4
2003	1262	59.0	21.4	27.4
2004	1344	72.0	18.7	26.8
2005	1378	72.0	19.1	30.3
2006	1306	77.0	17.0	31.8
2007	1217	77.0	15.8	29
2008	1275	77.0	16.6	29.4
2009	1286	73.7	17.9	33.3
2010	1283	73.0	17.5	37.5
2011	1305	69.0	18.9	43
2012	1227	70.0	17.5	36.3
2013	1229	70.0	17.5	54.6
2014	1189	68.0	17.4	48.8
2015	1244	71.0	17.5	49
2016	1340	73.0	18.3	53
2017	1381	77.0	17.9	51.7
2018	1410	81.0	17.4	50.9
2019	1446	79.0	18.3	51.4
2020	1547	82.0	18.8	55.2
2021	1394	83.0	16.7	58.9
2022	1383	73.0	18.9	39.9
2023	1385	66.0	20.9	39.9

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 Southwest Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$245 (3.4%)	$6,948 (96.6%)	$7,193
2019	$324 (4.2%)	$7,345 (95.8%)	$7,669
2020	$301 (3.8%)	$7,567 (96.2%)	$7,868
2021	$780 (8.8%)	$8,105 (91.2%)	$8,885
2022	$1,237 (13.4%)	$7,997 (86.6%)	$9,234
2023	$976 (11.5%)	$7,490 (88.5%)	$8,466

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest 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 605^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 703^rd of 1177 Middle schools	4.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Middle)	53	47	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Orange)	48	46	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Southwest Middle)	53	44	9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Orange)	49	50	1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Southwest Middle)	56	45	11%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Orange)	54	47	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Southwest Middle)	25	24	1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Orange)	36	38	2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Southwest Middle)	45	50	5%
8th Grade Science (Orange)	49	50	1%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Southwest Middle)	63	54	9%
End of Course Civics (Orange)	66	61	5%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Southwest Middle)	96	96
End of Course Algebra 1 (Orange)	63	51	12%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Southwest Middle)	96	99	3%
End of Course Geometry (Orange)	53	44	9%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1446	1385	4.2%
African American	334	288	13.8%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	87	96	10.3%
Hispanic	572	593	3.7%
Pacific Islander	3	2	33.3%
White	428	374	12.6%
Two or More Races	22	31	40.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.4%	39.9%	11.5%

Schools Near Southwest Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)			FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Middle	Public	6-8	6450 Dr Phillips Blvd	Orlando	32819	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 370-7200	1,385	66	20.9	39.9%	374 (27.0%)	288 (20.8%)	593 (42.8%)	96 (6.9%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	31 (2.2%)	51.4	567^th of 1196 public middle schools	52.6%		39.9	703^rd of 1177 public middle schools	40.3%	136	53.0	48.0	46.0	56.0	33.0	63.0	56.0	93.0	100.0		65.0	$8,466	$976	$7,490
Chain Of Lakes Middle	Public	6-8	8700 Conroy Windermere Rd	Orlando	32835	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 909-5400	1,209	49	24.6	46.2%	187 (15.5%)	478 (39.5%)	466 (38.5%)	35 (2.9%)	4 (0.3%)	6 (0.5%)	33 (2.7%)	21	984^th of 1196 public middle schools	17.7%		20.8	969^th of 1177 public middle schools	17.7%	15	39.0	29.0	31.0	35.0	22.0	40.0	28.0	61.0	81.0		40.0	$7,641	$876	$6,765
Florida Virtual Middle School	Public, Virtual	6-8	5422 Carrier Dr.	Orlando	32819	Orange County	Fl Virtual	No	No	Yes	Yes	(800) 374-1430	2,387	97	24.6	26.2%	1,145 (48.0%)	241 (10.1%)	752 (31.5%)	64 (2.7%)	2 (0.1%)	5 (0.2%)	178 (7.5%)	67.2	364^th of 1196 public middle schools	69.6%		75.1	256^th of 1177 public middle schools	78.2%	108	68.0	68.0	62.0	57.0	66.0	49.0	45.0	83.0	93.0	95.0	79.0	$7,081	$856	$6,225
Gotha Middle	Public	6-8	9155 Gotha Rd	Windermere	34786	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 521-2360	1,052	51	20.6	42.5%	295 (28.0%)	341 (32.4%)	333 (31.7%)	49 (4.7%)	4 (0.4%)	6 (0.6%)	24 (2.3%)	57.9	475^th of 1196 public middle schools	60.3%		48.7	583^rd of 1177 public middle schools	50.5%	108	56.0	47.0	55.0	64.0	18.0	67.0	55.0	77.0	89.0		57.0	$8,937	$1,357	$7,580
Westridge Middle	Public	6-8	3800 W Oak Ridge Rd	Orlando	32809	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 354-2640	1,207	60	20.1	68.4%	33 (2.7%)	514 (42.6%)	633 (52.4%)	14 (1.2%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (0.8%)	23.4	953^rd of 1196 public middle schools	20.3%		28	869^th of 1177 public middle schools	26.2%	84	28.0	28.0	32.0	38.0	17.0	52.0	31.0	78.0	73.0		50.0	$9,408	$1,850	$7,557
Horizon West Middle	Public	6-8	8200 Tattant Blvd	Windermere	34786	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 905-3731	1,346	62	21.7	29.1%	430 (31.9%)	56 (4.2%)	736 (54.7%)	90 (6.7%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	29 (2.2%)	67.4	358^th of 1196 public middle schools	70.1%		69.7	330^th of 1177 public middle schools	72.0%	28	64.0	59.0	58.0	65.0	42.0	69.0	56.0	87.0	100.0		72.0	$8,056	$941	$7,114
Carver Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	4500 W Columbia St	Orlando	32811	Orange County	Orange	No	Yes	No	Yes	(407) 296-5110	721	44	16.3	79.2%	10 (1.4%)	621 (86.1%)	83 (11.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	21.1	983^rd of 1196 public middle schools	17.8%		17.5	1004^th of 1177 public middle schools	14.7%	21	31.0	35.0	30.0	29.0	29.0	42.0	27.0	95.0	50.0		43.0	$13,054	$3,165	$9,890
Freedom Middle	Public	6-8	2850 Taft Vineland Rd	Orlando	32837	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 858-6130	1,159	59	19.6	43.7%	164 (14.2%)	138 (11.9%)	766 (66.1%)	62 (5.3%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (0.7%)	20 (1.7%)	25.9	918^th of 1196 public middle schools	23.2%		36.8	744^th of 1177 public middle schools	36.8%	174	36.0	36.0	32.0	31.0	26.0	43.0	39.0	83.0	100.0		59.0	$8,985	$1,155	$7,831
Memorial Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2220 W 29th St	Orlando	32805	Orange County	Orange	No	Yes	No	Yes	(407) 245-1810	944	45	20.9	75.4%	19 (2.0%)	601 (63.7%)	305 (32.3%)	5 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	9 (1.0%)	12	1088^th of 1196 public middle schools	9.0%		16	1028^th of 1177 public middle schools	12.7%	60	20.0	17.0	23.0	16.0	29.0	38.0	17.0	94.0	100.0		31.0	$9,175	$2,114	$7,062
Robinswood Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	6305 Balboa Dr	Orlando	32818	Orange County	Orange	No	Yes	No	Yes	(407) 296-5140	1,080	51	21.1	70.6%	28 (2.6%)	904 (83.7%)	107 (9.9%)	16 (1.5%)	5 (0.5%)	10 (0.9%)	10 (0.9%)	18.4	1023^rd of 1196 public middle schools	14.5%		18.1	999^th of 1177 public middle schools	15.1%	24	33.0	21.0	35.0	20.0	13.0	37.0	35.0	67.0			45.0	$9,853	$1,825	$8,029

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Middle

How many students attend Southwest Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,385 students attended Southwest Middle.

Is Southwest Middle a good school?

Southwest Middle ranks 567^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Southwest Middle in?

Orange

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Middle?

Students at Southwest Middle are 43% Hispanic, 27% White, 21% African American, 7% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

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