Southern Oaks Middle School

Summary:

Southern Oaks Middle School is a public middle school in Port St Lucie, Florida, serving 894 students in grades 6-8. The school stands out for its strong academic performance, particularly in advanced math courses, but also faces challenges related to chronic absenteeism and declining statewide rankings.

One of the key strengths of Southern Oaks Middle School is its impressive proficiency rates in Algebra 1 and Geometry end-of-course exams, significantly outperforming the St. Lucie school district and the state of Florida. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had an 81% proficiency rate in Algebra 1, compared to just 41% for the district and 55% for the state. Similarly, the school's 96% proficiency rate in Geometry was much higher than the district's 35% and the state's 53%. However, the school's overall statewide ranking has been declining, dropping from 451 out of 997 Florida middle schools in 2015-2016 to 860 out of 1,196 in 2023-2024, suggesting it may be struggling in other areas that contribute to the overall ranking.

Another notable aspect of Southern Oaks Middle School is its relatively balanced racial diversity, with approximately 30% White, 32% African American, and 31% Hispanic students. This is in contrast to some of the nearby schools, such as Hidden Oaks Middle School in the Martin district, which consistently ranks among the top middle schools in the state. However, Southern Oaks Middle School faces challenges with a high chronic absenteeism rate, which has risen from 17% in 2019-2020 to 40.4% in the 2022-2023 school year, significantly higher than the state average and nearby schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5500 NE Saint James Dr
       Port St Lucie, FL  34983


(772) 785-5640

District: St. Lucie

SchoolDigger Rank:
860th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,750 Help


Feeder schools for Southern Oaks Middle School:

Elementary:    Floresta Elementary School
    Mariposa Elementary School
    Morningside Elementary School
    Northport K-8 School
    More...

Student/teacher ratio:  24.1 Help
Number of students:  894

Racial breakdown:

African American:
32.8%
White:
30.6%
Hispanic:
30.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  76.5% Help


 See top rated Florida middle schools

 Compare Southern Oaks Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Southern Oaks Middle School ranks worse than 71.9% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 2nd among 4 ranked middle schools in the St. Lucie School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 30.2. (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
Help
Compare Details Southern Oaks Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the St. Lucie School District. Student population at Southern Oaks Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (32.8%), Hispanic (30.6%), White (30.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 76.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Oaks Middle School is 24.1, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the St. Lucie School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Southern Oaks Middle School employs 37 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Oaks Middle School is $9,750, which is the lowest among 4 middle schools in the St. Lucie School District!
Schooldigger Rankings:

Southern Oaks Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Southern Oaks Middle School 860th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Southern Oaks Middle School in the ranking list.)

St. Lucie:

SchoolDigger ranks St. Lucie 47th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Southern Oaks Middle School?

Rank History for Southern Oaks Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 39.74 387th 593 34.7%
2005 45.24 362nd 602 39.9%
2006 36.05 462nd 675 31.6%
2007 45.00 431st 736 41.4%
2008 54.91 363rd 740 50.9%
2009 51.09 414th 780 46.9%
2010 54.56 414th 839 50.7%
2011 59.84 379th 891 57.5%
2012 57.90 384th 897 57.2%
2013 63.05 351st 956 63.3%
2014 55.90 440th 999 56.0%
2016 53.35 451st 997 54.8%
2017 49.29 519th 1031 49.7%
2018 43.44 591st 1035 42.9%
2019 39.91 676th 1099 38.5%
2021 32.48 771st 1136 32.1%
2022 31.42 792nd 1148 31.0%
2023 23.87 926th 1177 21.3%
2024 30.20 860th 1196 28.1%
See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

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

Southern Oaks Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    






Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

by a parent
Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Open Quote My daughter was on the principals honor roll and the honor roll in the 6th grade. She is an amazing athlete and was interested in all the sports offered. In 7th grade she was suspended for talking!!! How do you suspend a child for talking?? Close Quote



Enrollment information for Southern Oaks Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1995 683 235 7 120 3 n/a n/a 0 1048
1996 683 235 7 120 3 n/a n/a 0 1048
1997 727 287 5 115 4 n/a n/a 0 1138
1998 702 258 7 107 4 n/a n/a 0 1078
1999 661 227 9 118 2 n/a n/a 0 1017
2000 631 246 4 136 1 n/a n/a 0 1018
2001 645 248 2 151 3 n/a n/a 0 1049
2002 578 286 4 166 1 n/a n/a 0 1035
2003 578 286 4 166 1 n/a n/a 0 1035
2004 635 279 9 198 2 n/a n/a 0 1123
2005 640 294 5 234 3 n/a n/a 0 1176
2006 504 261 6 252 5 n/a n/a 0 1028
2007 427 191 11 190 6 n/a n/a 35 860
2008 442 170 19 191 6 n/a n/a 36 864
2009 485 180 14 198 3 n/a n/a 48 928
2010 502 184 17 199 1 n/a n/a 53 956
2011 481 206 11 192 2 3 40 0 935
2012 483 229 15 203 1 3 41 0 975
2013 456 223 14 210 3 3 30 0 939
2014 443 221 13 233 0 5 35 0 950
2015 423 195 13 231 1 6 32 0 901
2016 429 195 14 243 1 4 32 0 918
2017 405 182 15 249 1 3 32 0 887
2018 431 191 12 273 0 3 39 0 949
2019 362 207 10 272 1 4 44 0 900
2020 357 211 12 270 2 3 48 0 903
2021 325 190 9 253 1 2 47 0 827
2022 301 205 9 262 1 2 49 0 829
2023 274 293 6 274 0 2 45 0 894

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 Southern Oaks Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 1048 61.0 17.2 44.8
1996 1048 61.0 17.2 44.8
1997 1138 62.0 18.4 45.9
1998 1078 60.0 18.0 45.8
1999 1017 56.0 18.2 58.4
2000 1018 50.0 20.4 59.8
2001 1049 51.0 20.6 58.9
2002 1035 49.0 21.1 60.9
2003 1035 49.0 21.1 60.9
2004 1123 48.0 23.4 54.9
2005 1176 49.0 24.0 52.6
2006 1028 53.0 19.4 58
2007 860 48.0 17.9 57.5
2008 864 50.5 17.1 55.7
2009 928 64.3 17.2 61.6
2010 956 51.0 18.7 64.5
2011 935 59.0 15.8 58.3
2012 975 66.0 14.7 60.9
2013 939 62.0 15.1 60.1
2014 950 54.0 17.5 63.8
2015 901 56.0 16.0 60.6
2016 918 55.0 16.6 67.3
2017 887 55.0 16.1 67.3
2018 949 53.0 17.9 66.5
2019 900 55.0 16.3 64.4
2020 903 51.1 17.6 62.8
2021 827 43.1 19.1 69.3
2022 829 39.0 21.2 63.6
2023 894 37.0 24.1 76.5

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 Southern Oaks Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1995 1048 61.0 17.2 44.8
1996 1048 61.0 17.2 44.8
1997 1138 62.0 18.4 45.9
1998 1078 60.0 18.0 45.8
1999 1017 56.0 18.2 58.4
2000 1018 50.0 20.4 59.8
2001 1049 51.0 20.6 58.9
2002 1035 49.0 21.1 60.9
2003 1035 49.0 21.1 60.9
2004 1123 48.0 23.4 54.9
2005 1176 49.0 24.0 52.6
2006 1028 53.0 19.4 58
2007 860 48.0 17.9 57.5
2008 864 50.5 17.1 55.7
2009 928 64.3 17.2 61.6
2010 956 51.0 18.7 64.5
2011 935 59.0 15.8 58.3
2012 975 66.0 14.7 60.9
2013 939 62.0 15.1 60.1
2014 950 54.0 17.5 63.8
2015 901 56.0 16.0 60.6
2016 918 55.0 16.6 67.3
2017 887 55.0 16.1 67.3
2018 949 53.0 17.9 66.5
2019 900 55.0 16.3 64.4
2020 903 51.1 17.6 62.8
2021 827 43.1 19.1 69.3
2022 829 39.0 21.2 63.6
2023 894 37.0 24.1 76.5

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 Southern Oaks Middle School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $310 (4.2%) $7,075 (95.8%) $7,385
2019 $625 (7.9%) $7,265 (92.1%) $7,889
2020 $579 (7.0%) $7,667 (93.0%) $8,245
2021 $847 (9.2%) $8,343 (90.8%) $9,189
2022 $1,148 (12.7%) $7,905 (87.3%) $9,053
2023 $1,608 (16.5%) $8,142 (83.5%) $9,750

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern Oaks 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 676th of 1099 Middle schoolsRanks 926th of 1177 Middle schools
 17.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Oaks Middle School)4942
 7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (St. Lucie)5149
 2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5452
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Southern Oaks Middle School)4936
 13%
   6th Grade Mathematics (St. Lucie)4742
 5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5549
 6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Oaks Middle School)4730
 17%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (St. Lucie)4943
 6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5248
 4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Southern Oaks Middle School)3628
 8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (St. Lucie)5041
 9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5446
 8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Oaks Middle School)5345
 8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (St. Lucie)5445
 9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5649
 7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Southern Oaks Middle School)3115
 16%
   8th Grade Mathematics (St. Lucie)3426
 8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)4642
 4%
8th Grade Science (Southern Oaks Middle School)4233
 9%
   8th Grade Science (St. Lucie)4841
 7%
   8th Grade Science (Florida)4844
 4%
End of Course Civics (Southern Oaks Middle School)7349
 24%
   End of Course Civics (St. Lucie)6861
 7%
   End of Course Civics (Florida)7166
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Southern Oaks Middle School)8483
 1%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (St. Lucie)5149
 2%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)6254
 8%
End of Course Geometry (Southern Oaks Middle School)97100
 3%
   End of Course Geometry (St. Lucie)5539
 16%
   End of Course Geometry (Florida)5750
 7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students900894
 0.7%
African American207293
 41.5%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian106
 40%
Hispanic272274
 0.7%
Pacific Islander42
 50%
White362274
 24.3%
Two or More Races4445
 2.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients64.4%76.5%
 12.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Oaks Middle School

Southern Oaks Middle School ranks 860th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students at Southern Oaks Middle School are 33% African American, 31% White, 31% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 894 students attended Southern Oaks Middle School.


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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.





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