Salem Middle School

Summary:

Salem Middle School is a public middle school located in Lithonia, Georgia, serving 988 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the DeKalb County School District, which is ranked 138 out of 203 school districts in Georgia and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Salem Middle School consistently underperforms compared to the DeKalb County and Georgia state averages in Milestones Assessment scores across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 13.2% of 6th graders, 18.6% of 7th graders, and 28.2% of 8th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the DeKalb County averages of 32.5%, 31.9%, and 37.2%, respectively. The school's mathematics performance is even more concerning, with only 5.5% of 6th graders, 7% of 7th graders, and 15.4% of 8th graders scoring proficient or better, compared to the DeKalb County averages of 19.8%, 22.4%, and 28.9%. Additionally, the school has an extremely high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 99.22% in 2020-2021 to 100% in 2022-2023, indicating a predominantly low-income student population.

When comparing Salem Middle School to other nearby schools in the DeKalb County district, it becomes evident that the school is underperforming significantly. For instance, Wadsworth Magnet School for High Achievers, located just 7 miles away, consistently outperforms Salem Middle School and the district averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, with proficiency rates often exceeding 90%. Despite the increased spending per student and the high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, Salem Middle School has not shown significant improvement in its academic performance, raising questions about the effectiveness of the school's instructional strategies and resource allocation.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5333 Salem Rd
       Lithonia, GA  30038


(678) 676-9402

District: DeKalb County

SchoolDigger Rank:
524th of 588 Georgia Middle Schools


Students who attend Salem Middle School usually attend:

High:    Martin Luther King- Junior High School

Feeder schools for Salem Middle School:

Elementary:    Browns Mill Elementary School
    Chapel Hill Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  988

Racial breakdown:

African American:
93.0%
Hispanic:
4.9%
Two or more races:
1.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Salem Middle School ranks worse than 89.1% of middle schools in Georgia. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.66. (See more...)
Finance
Schooldigger Rankings:

Salem Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Salem Middle School 524th of 588 Georgia public middle schools. (See Salem Middle School in the ranking list.)

DeKalb County:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb County 138th of 203 Georgia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Salem Middle School.

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Rank History for Salem Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools GA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 30.09 350th 420 16.7%
2007 25.37 383rd 445 13.9%
2008 26.49 388th 462 16.0%
2009 28.50 396th 466 15.0%
2010 17.75 443rd 494 10.3%
2011 16.01 461st 504 8.5%
2012 15.12 461st 508 9.3%
2013 9.91 494th 527 6.3%
2014 12.00 483rd 521 7.3%
2015 11.73 483rd 537 10.1%
2016 12.31 492nd 545 9.7%
2017 14.56 481st 539 10.8%
2018 12.99 495th 543 8.8%
2019 16.28 484th 559 13.4%
2021 13.94 474th 542 12.5%
2022 13.59 503rd 567 11.3%
2023 13.26 528th 577 8.5%
2024 13.66 524th 588 10.9%
See the entire list of Georgia Middle School Rankings!

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

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





Data source: Georgia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2)
25%

0%

0%

0%

75%

  

Reviews:
by a citizen
Monday, August 8, 2022

Open Quote Runs like a run-down prison. Extremely poor management.No respect for Latinos. Close Quote


by a student
Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Open Quote this is the best school ever Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Open Quote This school is awful. The teachers have no control over the students. The teachers seem as they have an I don't care attitude in which rubs off on the students. The teachers don't work with the parents or return phone calls. It is the most disorganized and awful school I have ever encountered. I would not recommend you move anywhere near this district. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Salem Middle School

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 980 980
1994 128 977 11 10 1 n/a n/a 0 1127
1995 70 1022 6 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1107
1996 70 1022 6 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1107
1997 43 939 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 988
1998 30 1233 2 5 1 n/a n/a 0 1271
1999 28 1453 3 8 1 n/a n/a 0 1493
2000 23 1587 3 10 0 n/a n/a 0 1623
2001 20 1746 3 15 1 n/a n/a 0 1785
2002 18 1620 2 18 2 n/a n/a 0 1660
2003 18 1620 2 18 2 n/a n/a 0 1660
2004 9 1397 3 9 1 n/a n/a 0 1419
2005 4 1444 2 7 0 n/a n/a 19 1476
2006 4 1241 4 5 2 n/a n/a 23 1279
2007 2 1170 3 7 2 n/a n/a 25 1209
2008 1 1095 1 4 3 n/a n/a 22 1126
2009 1 1086 0 3 3 n/a n/a 21 1114
2010 1 981 4 46 12 2 40 0 1086
2011 4 1084 3 27 8 2 20 0 1148
2012 2 1088 5 15 5 2 12 0 1129
2013 6 1135 0 23 1 0 5 0 1170
2014 7 1113 0 17 1 0 8 0 1146
2015 4 1052 1 24 0 0 14 0 1095
2016 5 1010 2 28 0 0 12 0 1057
2017 4 931 4 27 1 1 14 0 982
2018 9 945 3 33 2 2 13 0 1007
2019 6 978 0 28 2 0 14 0 1028
2020 9 983 0 34 2 0 17 0 1045
2021 3 971 0 39 3 0 16 0 1032
2022 2 966 0 43 4 0 10 0 1025
2023 3 919 2 48 1 0 15 0 988

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 Salem Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 980 52.0 18.8 25.5
1994 1127 68.4 16.5 28.7
1995 1107 65.0 17.0 34.5
1996 1107 65.0 17.0 34.5
1997 988 55.6 17.8 54.4
1998 1271 71.7 17.7 67.3
1999 1493 81.9 18.2 60.8
2000 1623 91.2 17.8 65.2
2001 1785 94.4 18.9 58.4
2002 1660 110.0 15.1 69.4
2003 1660 110.0 15.1 69.4
2004 1419 82.3 17.2 57.3
2005 1476 85.5 17.3 64.4
2006 1279 80.5 15.9 67.7
2007 1209 76.5 15.8 74.4
2008 1126 73.8 15.3 73.9
2009 1114 72.0 15.5 74.6
2010 1086 70.0 15.5 76.1
2011 1148 69.5 16.5 76.4
2012 1129 73.5 15.3 79.7
2013 1170 63.5 18.4 78.4
2014 1146 66.0 17.3 84
2015 1095 68.0 16.1 84.4
2016 1057 67.0 15.7 83.5
2017 982 65.3 15.0 76.6
2018 1007 66.0 15.2 85.5
2019 1028 64.0 16.0 86
2020 1045 63.5 16.4 99.2
2021 1032 68.0 15.1 99.2
2022 1025 65.5 15.6 n/a
2023 988 58.6 16.8 100

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 Salem Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 980 52.0 18.8 25.5
1994 1127 68.4 16.5 28.7
1995 1107 65.0 17.0 34.5
1996 1107 65.0 17.0 34.5
1997 988 55.6 17.8 54.4
1998 1271 71.7 17.7 67.3
1999 1493 81.9 18.2 60.8
2000 1623 91.2 17.8 65.2
2001 1785 94.4 18.9 58.4
2002 1660 110.0 15.1 69.4
2003 1660 110.0 15.1 69.4
2004 1419 82.3 17.2 57.3
2005 1476 85.5 17.3 64.4
2006 1279 80.5 15.9 67.7
2007 1209 76.5 15.8 74.4
2008 1126 73.8 15.3 73.9
2009 1114 72.0 15.5 74.6
2010 1086 70.0 15.5 76.1
2011 1148 69.5 16.5 76.4
2012 1129 73.5 15.3 79.7
2013 1170 63.5 18.4 78.4
2014 1146 66.0 17.3 84
2015 1095 68.0 16.1 84.4
2016 1057 67.0 15.7 83.5
2017 982 65.3 15.0 76.6
2018 1007 66.0 15.2 85.5
2019 1028 64.0 16.0 86
2020 1045 63.5 16.4 99.2
2021 1032 68.0 15.1 99.2
2022 1025 65.5 15.6 n/a
2023 988 58.6 16.8 100

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 Salem Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2017 $812 (8.4%) $8,911 (91.6%) $9,723
2018 $634 (6.4%) $9,218 (93.6%) $9,853
2019 $706 (6.4%) $10,346 (93.6%) $11,052

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Salem 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 484th of 559 Middle schoolsRanks 528th of 577 Middle schools
 4.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Salem Middle School)18.819
 0.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)34.331.1
 3.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4639.2
 6.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Salem Middle School)6.86.3
 0.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)25.419.7
 5.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4032.9
 7.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Salem Middle School)12.717.3
 4.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)27.529.6
 2.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)3939.1
 0.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Salem Middle School)14.59
 5.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)27.920.2
 7.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)4334.9
 8.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Salem Middle School)26.421.8
 4.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County)38.535.7
 2.8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Georgia)4742.1
 4.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Salem Middle School)25.18.4
 16.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (DeKalb County)26.523.4
 3.1%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Georgia)3536.2
 1.2%
8th Grade Science (Salem Middle School)22.58.3
 14.2%
   8th Grade Science (DeKalb County)25.920.1
 5.8%
   8th Grade Science (Georgia)3226.4
 5.6%
8th Grade Social Studies (Salem Middle School)12.34.9
 7.4%
   8th Grade Social Studies (DeKalb County)26.921.9
 5%
   8th Grade Social Studies (Georgia)4135.9
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1028988
 3.9%
African American978919
 6%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian02
Hispanic2848
 71.4%
Pacific Islander00
White63
 50%
Two or More Races1415
 7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients86%100%
 14%


Schools Near Salem Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Salem Middle School

Students who attend Salem Middle School usually go on to attend Martin Luther King- Junior High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 988 students attended Salem Middle School.

Students at Salem Middle School are 93% African American, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Salem Middle School ranks in the bottom 10.9% of Georgia middle schools.


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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.





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