West Chatham Middle School

Summary:

West Chatham Middle School is a public middle school located in Pooler, Georgia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 953 students. The school is part of the Savannah-Chatham County School District, which is ranked 128 out of 203 districts in Georgia and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Chatham Middle School consistently performs below the Savannah-Chatham County and Georgia state averages in the Milestones Assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in ELA ranged from 16.6% to 27.5%, compared to the county average of 29.1% to 33.3% and the state average of 39.8% to 44.7%. The school has been ranked in the bottom half of Georgia middle schools for the past several years, consistently ranking between 415 and 508 out of 539 to 588 schools, and has maintained a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, with a 0-star rating in the 2020-2021 school year. Additionally, West Chatham Middle School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 63.23% to 71.98% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.

When comparing West Chatham Middle School to the nearby schools in the Savannah-Chatham County district, it consistently underperforms. For example, Coastal Middle School and The STEM Academy at Bartlett have significantly higher academic performance, with proficiency rates in the 40-60% range for ELA and Mathematics. However, one notable exception is Southwest Middle School, which also serves the Savannah-Chatham County district and outperforms West Chatham Middle School in several areas, such as Algebra I proficiency rates reaching 76.5%.

Detail:

Public 6-8

800 Pine Barren Rd
Pooler, GA 31322

(912) 395-3650

District: Savannah-Chatham County

SchoolDigger Rank:
476^th of 588 Georgia Middle Schools

Students who attend West Chatham Middle School usually attend:

High:

New Hampstead High School

Feeder schools for West Chatham Middle School:

Elementary:	Bloomingdale Elementary School
	Gould Elementary School
	Pooler Elementary School
	West Chatham Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 953

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.8%

Hispanic:

27.8%

White:

16.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 72%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details West Chatham Middle School ranks worse than 81% of middle schools in Georgia. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.21. (See more...)

Student Body

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger Rankings:

West Chatham Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks West Chatham Middle School 476^th of 588 Georgia public middle schools. (See West Chatham Middle School in the ranking list.)

Savannah-Chatham County:

SchoolDigger ranks Savannah-Chatham County 128^th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for West Chatham Middle School.

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Rank History for West Chatham Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	GA State Percentile
2006	38.25	311^th	420	26.0%
2007	34.20	344^th	445	22.7%
2008	25.65	392^nd	462	15.2%
2009	27.49	399^th	466	14.4%
2010	24.24	420^th	494	15.0%
2011	22.84	435^th	504	13.7%
2012	24.12	436^th	508	14.2%
2013	25.20	445^th	527	15.6%
2014	22.83	449^th	521	13.8%
2015	15.04	463^rd	537	13.8%
2016	12.95	488^th	545	10.5%
2017	16.96	464^th	539	13.9%
2018	26.93	415^th	543	23.6%
2019	26.13	432^nd	559	22.7%
2021	9.84	508^th	542	6.3%
2022	18.97	461^st	567	18.7%
2023	19.92	467^th	577	19.1%
2024	20.21	476^th	588	19.0%

See the entire list of Georgia Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.6)

40%

60%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, June 30, 2017

I ended up homeschooling my 7th grade due to constant bullying, extremely disrespectful kids and the school being rated a chronically failing school in Chatham Count . Close Quote

by a citizen
Wednesday, July 30, 2014

I've personally witnessed wonderful teachers at this school get lied to, misinformed, and even bullied into trying to put uneligible students on an IEP so that the parents can get a government check. The teachers try many strategies to get underachieving students where they need to be, but let's face it, teachers cannot undo years of piss-poor parenting. There are so many students wo want to learn and who are successfull, but like any school, there will be a handful of students who simply cannot and will not be successfull by their own fault, and by their parents who never led their child down the right path socially, behaviorally, and academically. 504 plans and IEPs are put in place depending on students' needs and eligibilities and are carried out with fidelity every day. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, June 6, 2014

If your child has special needs do not let them attend this school. This school does not know the difference between a 504 plan and IEP. Numerous teachers disrespect students by calling them names infront of other students and speak to them in a manner that is unprofessional. Move out of the county if you have too but stay away from this school if you want you child to succeed in life. Close Quote

Enrollment information for West Chatham Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1999	445	249	4	7	4	n/a	n/a	0	709
2000	496	321	6	17	3	n/a	n/a	0	843
2001	527	416	13	14	2	n/a	n/a	0	972
2002	562	373	17	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	975
2003	562	373	17	20	3	n/a	n/a	0	975
2004	570	388	17	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	1005
2005	521	391	18	30	2	n/a	n/a	15	977
2006	466	353	13	38	0	n/a	n/a	26	896
2007	446	367	13	48	1	n/a	n/a	33	908
2008	425	392	21	99	4	n/a	n/a	32	973
2009	417	417	33	104	2	n/a	n/a	36	1009
2010	448	485	40	123	4	0	0	0	1100
2011	424	433	25	106	1	0	48	0	1037
2012	425	436	18	86	1	0	45	0	1011
2013	420	462	16	111	0	1	60	0	1070
2014	379	453	18	102	1	1	55	0	1009
2015	333	395	14	122	3	1	50	0	918
2016	285	412	16	131	2	0	49	0	895
2017	263	388	15	118	3	0	53	0	840
2018	232	406	13	121	3	1	57	0	833
2019	205	454	22	181	2	1	53	0	918
2020	214	475	27	203	2	3	45	0	969
2021	207	460	23	220	0	3	58	0	971
2022	190	440	18	252	2	5	59	0	966
2023	160	427	16	265	1	2	82	0	953

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 West Chatham Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	709	47.6	14.9	41.6
2000	843	45.0	18.7	41.2
2001	972	55.0	17.7	47.2
2002	975	60.4	16.1	45
2003	975	60.4	16.1	45
2004	1005	61.0	16.5	47.3
2005	977	62.5	15.6	52.7
2006	896	63.0	14.2	54.5
2007	908	62.1	14.6	53
2008	973	70.5	13.8	52.4
2009	1009	73.5	13.7	50.1
2010	1100	75.5	14.5	64.3
2011	1037	74.8	13.8	57.2
2012	1011	67.0	15.0	63.8
2013	1070	68.0	15.7	65
2014	1009	64.0	15.7	69.7
2015	918	64.0	14.3	67.9
2016	895	65.0	13.7	67.6
2017	840	62.0	13.5	71.5
2018	833	63.1	13.2	61.9
2019	918	67.3	13.6	78.2
2020	969	68.3	14.1	68.6
2021	971	68.0	14.2	63.2
2022	966	72.5	13.3	n/a
2023	953	72.1	13.2	72

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 West Chatham Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	709	47.6	14.9	41.6
2000	843	45.0	18.7	41.2
2001	972	55.0	17.7	47.2
2002	975	60.4	16.1	45
2003	975	60.4	16.1	45
2004	1005	61.0	16.5	47.3
2005	977	62.5	15.6	52.7
2006	896	63.0	14.2	54.5
2007	908	62.1	14.6	53
2008	973	70.5	13.8	52.4
2009	1009	73.5	13.7	50.1
2010	1100	75.5	14.5	64.3
2011	1037	74.8	13.8	57.2
2012	1011	67.0	15.0	63.8
2013	1070	68.0	15.7	65
2014	1009	64.0	15.7	69.7
2015	918	64.0	14.3	67.9
2016	895	65.0	13.7	67.6
2017	840	62.0	13.5	71.5
2018	833	63.1	13.2	61.9
2019	918	67.3	13.6	78.2
2020	969	68.3	14.1	68.6
2021	971	68.0	14.2	63.2
2022	966	72.5	13.3	n/a
2023	953	72.1	13.2	72

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 West Chatham Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017	$808 (8.2%)	$9,045 (91.8%)	$9,853
2018	$817 (7.7%)	$9,796 (92.3%)	$10,613
2019	$708 (6.8%)	$9,699 (93.2%)	$10,407

Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Chatham 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 432^nd of 559 Middle schools	Ranks 467^th of 577 Middle schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Chatham Middle School)	30.1	10.9	19.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Savannah-Chatham County)	34	23.2	10.8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	46	39.2	6.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Chatham Middle School)	21.2	14.2	7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Savannah-Chatham County)	27.3	18.3	9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	40	32.9	7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (West Chatham Middle School)	21.8	18.4	3.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Savannah-Chatham County)	28	23.7	4.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	39	39.1	0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Chatham Middle School)	19.8	16.1	3.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Savannah-Chatham County)	29	20.6	8.4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	43	34.9	8.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (West Chatham Middle School)	23.6	17.7	5.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Savannah-Chatham County)	22.2	26	3.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)	47	42.1	4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Chatham Middle School)	27.9	13.7	14.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Savannah-Chatham County)	23.9	20.2	3.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)	35	36.2	1.2%
8th Grade Science (West Chatham Middle School)	29.1	23.3	5.8%
8th Grade Science (Savannah-Chatham County)	19.4	17.2	2.2%
8th Grade Science (Georgia)	32	26.4	5.6%
8th Grade Social Studies (West Chatham Middle School)	23	13.1	9.9%
8th Grade Social Studies (Savannah-Chatham County)	28.1	20.3	7.8%
8th Grade Social Studies (Georgia)	41	35.9	5.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	918	953	3.8%
African American	454	427	5.9%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	22	16	27.3%
Hispanic	181	265	46.4%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	205	160	22%
Two or More Races	53	82	54.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	78.2%	72%	6.2%

Schools Near West Chatham Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Milestones Assessment Algebra I (2024)	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts (2024)			Milestones Assessment Mathematics (2024)			Milestones Assessment Science (2024)	Milestones Assessment Social Studies (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	Milestones Assessment Algebra I End of Course	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment English Language Arts 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 6th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 7th Grade	Milestones Assessment Mathematics 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Science 8th Grade	Milestones Assessment Social Studies 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
West Chatham Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Pine Barren Rd	Pooler	31322	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-3650	953	72	13.2	72.0%	160 (16.8%)	427 (44.8%)	265 (27.8%)	16 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	82 (8.6%)	20.2	476^th of 588 public middle schools	19.0%		19.9	467^th of 577 public middle schools	19.1%	9		16.6	16.9	27.5	11.7	17.0	17.0	20.7	18.4	$10,407	$708	$9,699
Southwest Middle School	Public	6-8	6030 Ogeechee Rd	Savannah	31419	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-3540	743	53	14.0	82.9%	82 (11.0%)	475 (63.9%)	125 (16.8%)	18 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	6 (0.8%)	36 (4.8%)	13.4	529^th of 588 public middle schools	10.0%		15.6	501^st of 577 public middle schools	13.2%	28	76.5	18.9	15.9	20.7	13.3	11.0	13.3	4.8	13.8	$9,502	$616	$8,887
South Effingham Middle School	Public	6-8	1200 Noel C Conaway Rd	Guyton	31312	Effingham County	Effingham County	No	No	No	No	(912) 728-7500	1,097	74	14.8	32.3%	755 (68.8%)	131 (11.9%)	121 (11.0%)	20 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (6.2%)	88.3	65^th of 588 public middle schools	88.9%		88.2	59^th of 577 public middle schools	89.8%	6	100.0	53.4	51.4	65.3	57.0	59.3	72.3	44.2	71.1	$8,445	$306	$8,139
DeRenne Middle School	Public	6-8	1009 Clinch St	Savannah	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-5900	530	48	11.1	92.8%	12 (2.3%)	484 (91.3%)	21 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.3%)	10.6	558^th of 588 public middle schools	5.1%		8.1	561^st of 577 public middle schools	2.8%	3		17.3	14.4	16.4	9.0	5.2	13.5	7.6	5.4	$10,547	$1,096	$9,451
Mercer Middle School	Public	6-8	5330 Montgomery St	Garden City	31405	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-6700	402	23	17.4	89.8%	23 (5.7%)	241 (60.0%)	118 (29.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.7%)	14 (3.5%)	11.8	549^th of 588 public middle schools	6.6%		9.3	555^th of 577 public middle schools	3.8%	6	12.5	16.3	10.4	17.6	7.9	6.5	6.3	1.0	24.6	$10,007	$1,284	$8,723
Hubert Middle School	Public	6-8	768 Grant St	Savannah	31401	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-5235	460	36	12.7	94.6%	11 (2.4%)	402 (87.4%)	31 (6.7%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	10.4	559^th of 588 public middle schools	4.9%		9.3	554^th of 577 public middle schools	4.0%	5		9.4	8.8	14.4	8.8	3.7	7.6	9.3	17.9	$11,827	$956	$10,871
The STEM Academy at Bartlett	Public	6-8	207 Montgomery Xrd	Savannah	31406	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	No	(912) 395-3500	671	52	12.8	46.1%	202 (30.1%)	291 (43.4%)	96 (14.3%)	32 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (7.5%)	81.9	95^th of 588 public middle schools	83.8%		84.6	79^th of 577 public middle schools	86.3%	16	46.0	58.6	60.0	68.7	51.0	44.4	52.3		49.2	$9,447	$263	$9,184
Myers Middle School	Public	6-8	2025 E 52nd St	Savannah	31404	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-6600	461	35	13.1	90.7%	19 (4.1%)	393 (85.2%)	26 (5.6%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	16 (3.5%)	11.1	555^th of 588 public middle schools	5.6%		8.1	562^nd of 577 public middle schools	2.6%	7	17.4	12.6	17.5	21.5	6.4	4.5	10.7	1.6	16.9	$11,387	$1,108	$10,278
Oglethorpe Charter School	Public, Charter	6-8	7202 Central Ave	Savannah	31406	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	Yes	No	No	Yes	(912) 395-5075	605	45	13.4	81.8%	43 (7.1%)	498 (82.3%)	38 (6.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.0%)	18.5	490^th of 588 public middle schools	16.7%		13.4	527^th of 577 public middle schools	8.7%	37	62.5	23.3	21.5	25.0	20.5	15.9	24.3	0.0	8.1	$10,536	$244	$10,536
Coastal Middle School	Public	6-8	4595 US Highway 80 E	Savannah	31410	Chatham County	Savannah-Chatham County	No	No	No	No	(912) 395-3950	556	46	12.0	46.0%	309 (55.6%)	146 (26.3%)	44 (7.9%)	26 (4.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (5.4%)	71.7	142^nd of 588 public middle schools	75.9%		59.9	201^st of 577 public middle schools	65.2%	59	97.6	51.6	45.2	46.9	41.0	44.5	53.2	39.3	46.8	$10,915	$255	$10,660

Frequently Asked Questions about West Chatham Middle School

Is West Chatham Middle School a good school?

West Chatham Middle School ranks in the bottom 19.0% of Georgia middle schools.

What high school do graduates of West Chatham Middle School attend?

Students who attend West Chatham Middle School usually go on to attend New Hampstead High School

How many students attend West Chatham Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 953 students attended West Chatham Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of West Chatham Middle School?

Students at West Chatham Middle School are 45% African American, 28% Hispanic, 17% White, 9% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is West Chatham Middle School in?

Savannah-Chatham County

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