Is South Junior High School a good school?

South Junior High School ranks in the bottom 11.0% of Idaho middle schools.

How many students attend South Junior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 560 students attended South Junior High School.

What is the racial makeup of South Junior High School?

Students at South Junior High School are 64% White, 19% Hispanic, 8% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 1% Pacific Islander.

What high school do graduates of South Junior High School attend?

Students who attend South Junior High School usually go on to attend Borah Senior High School

South Junior High School

Summary:

South Junior High School is a public middle school located in Boise, Idaho, serving grades 7-9 with a student population of 565. The school is part of the Boise Independent District, which is ranked 37 out of 77 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite its location in Boise, South Junior High School faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools like Les Bois Junior High, East Junior High, and North Junior High. The school has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.5% to 35%, which are much higher than the 12.4% to 23% rates at nearby schools. Additionally, South Junior High School underperforms the district and state in ISAT Math, Science, and English Language Arts proficiency, with proficiency rates around 10-20 percentage points lower than the district averages.

Further analysis reveals that South Junior High School has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of minority students (34.69%) compared to the nearby schools, which range from 24.68% to 42.69%. The school also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 28.64% to 46.15%, compared to the nearby schools, which range from 11.95% to 31.52%. Despite these challenges, the school's per-student spending is higher than the nearby schools, suggesting that resource allocation may not be the primary factor driving the school's underperformance. The school's declining performance and achievement gaps across different student subgroups warrant further investigation and targeted interventions to improve student outcomes.

Detail:

Public 7-9

3101 Cassia Street
Boise, ID 83705-2337

(208) 854-6110

District: Boise Independent District

SchoolDigger Rank:
146^th of 164 Idaho Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,445

Students who attend South Junior High School usually attend:

High:

Borah Senior High School

Feeder schools for South Junior High School:

Elementary:	Hawthorne Elementary School
	Jefferson Elementary School
	Monroe Elementary School
	Whitney Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Number of students: 560

Racial breakdown:

White:

64.5%

Hispanic:

19.1%

African American:

7.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50%

See top rated Idaho middle schools

Compare South Junior High School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Junior High School ranks worse than 89% of middle schools in Idaho. It also ranks last among 8 ranked middle schools in the Boise Independent District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.63. (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 Racial makeup is: White (64.5%), Hispanic (19.1%), African American (7.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Boise Independent District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Junior High School is 14.8, which is the 3^rd best among 8 middle schools in the Boise Independent District. (See more...)

Compare South Junior High School employs 37.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Junior High School is $11,445, which is the 2^nd highest among 8 middle schools in the Boise Independent District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Junior High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Junior High School 146^th of 164 Idaho public middle schools. (See South Junior High School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Boise Independent District:

SchoolDigger ranks Boise Independent District 37^th of 77 Idaho school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for South Junior High School

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Rank History for all students at South Junior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile
2008	53.49	75^th	158	52.5%
2009	23.00	139^th	160	13.1%
2010	35.59	122^nd	166	26.5%
2011	28.76	142^nd	169	16.0%
2012	28.70	146^th	171	14.6%
2013	25.83	143^rd	173	17.3%
2015	29.46	68^th	100	32.0%
2016	35.76	61^st	98	37.8%
2017	33.03	90^th	131	31.3%
2018	19.95	83^rd	100	17.0%
2019	5.53	42^nd	43	2.3%
2023	25.53	78^th	107	27.1%
2024	12.63	146^th	164	11.0%

See the entire list of Idaho Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Female students at South Junior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	23.60	47^th	60	21.7%
2023	27.55	41^st	51	19.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at South Junior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	12.19	54^th	60	10.0%
2023	14.76	46^th	51	9.8%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Junior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	38.49	10^th	17	41.2%

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

Rank History for White students at South Junior High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	ID State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	11.70	33^rd	35	5.7%
2024	20.04	69^th	81	14.8%

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

Data source: test scores: Idaho 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: Idaho Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for South Junior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	955	955
1992	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	984	984
1993	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1031	1031
1994	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1020	1020
1995	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	966	966
1996	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	966	966
1997	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	1039	1039
1998	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	974	974
1999	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	879	879
2000	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	874	874
2001	795	14	27	41	4	n/a	n/a	0	881
2002	833	23	23	55	3	n/a	n/a	0	937
2003	833	23	23	55	3	n/a	n/a	0	937
2004	744	18	17	58	5	n/a	n/a	0	842
2005	705	19	16	66	3	n/a	n/a	0	809
2006	655	20	14	52	6	n/a	n/a	0	747
2007	624	22	18	62	6	n/a	n/a	0	732
2008	542	22	29	84	8	n/a	n/a	0	685
2009	463	31	22	96	6	n/a	n/a	0	618
2010	459	27	24	97	6	n/a	n/a	0	613
2011	469	40	17	98	4	7	1	0	636
2012	514	42	15	105	10	6	2	0	694
2013	493	40	7	106	8	6	8	0	668
2014	496	30	11	109	8	4	10	0	668
2015	437	38	14	101	6	2	14	0	612
2016	440	27	22	108	7	7	8	0	619
2017	446	26	15	110	6	5	12	0	620
2018	468	26	21	122	5	5	17	0	664
2019	482	39	24	112	4	3	25	0	689
2020	471	50	19	122	1	4	32	0	699
2021	346	31	7	113	3	4	16	0	520
2022	414	36	11	131	2	8	23	0	625
2023	369	38	13	111	4	5	25	0	565
2024	361	44	14	107	3	6	25	0	560

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 South Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	955	51.8	18.4	16.5
1992	984	52.6	18.7	17.8
1993	1031	53.2	19.4	17.4
1994	1020	54.3	18.8	18.8
1995	966	53.0	18.2	18.7
1996	966	53.0	18.2	18.7
1997	1039	52.8	19.7	18.9
1998	974	52.0	18.7	22
1999	879	48.9	18.0	32.2
2000	874	47.8	18.3	34.4
2001	881	48.0	18.4	35.5
2002	937	53.4	17.5	41.5
2003	937	53.4	17.5	41.5
2004	842	50.4	16.7	48.5
2005	809	52.0	15.6	46
2006	747	51.4	14.5	46.6
2007	732	48.9	15.0	40.7
2008	685	44.3	15.5	45.4
2009	618	43.5	14.2	58.6
2010	613	39.9	15.3	65.4
2011	636	43.4	14.6	72.3
2012	694	47.3	14.6	72.6
2013	668	44.9	14.8	74
2014	668	43.2	15.4	69.6
2015	612	45.0	13.6	65.2
2016	619	46.0	13.4	71.2
2017	620	45.2	13.6	65
2018	664	46.7	14.2	65.1
2019	689	47.3	14.5	65
2020	699	45.5	15.3	52.4
2021	520	42.0	12.3	46.2
2022	625	39.9	15.6	28.6
2023	565	41.0	13.7	44.4
2024	560	37.6	14.8	50

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 South Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	955	51.8	18.4	16.5
1992	984	52.6	18.7	17.8
1993	1031	53.2	19.4	17.4
1994	1020	54.3	18.8	18.8
1995	966	53.0	18.2	18.7
1996	966	53.0	18.2	18.7
1997	1039	52.8	19.7	18.9
1998	974	52.0	18.7	22
1999	879	48.9	18.0	32.2
2000	874	47.8	18.3	34.4
2001	881	48.0	18.4	35.5
2002	937	53.4	17.5	41.5
2003	937	53.4	17.5	41.5
2004	842	50.4	16.7	48.5
2005	809	52.0	15.6	46
2006	747	51.4	14.5	46.6
2007	732	48.9	15.0	40.7
2008	685	44.3	15.5	45.4
2009	618	43.5	14.2	58.6
2010	613	39.9	15.3	65.4
2011	636	43.4	14.6	72.3
2012	694	47.3	14.6	72.6
2013	668	44.9	14.8	74
2014	668	43.2	15.4	69.6
2015	612	45.0	13.6	65.2
2016	619	46.0	13.4	71.2
2017	620	45.2	13.6	65
2018	664	46.7	14.2	65.1
2019	689	47.3	14.5	65
2020	699	45.5	15.3	52.4
2021	520	42.0	12.3	46.2
2022	625	39.9	15.6	28.6
2023	565	41.0	13.7	44.4
2024	560	37.6	14.8	50

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 South Junior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$758 (6.6%)	$10,687 (93.4%)	$11,445

Data source: Idaho Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Junior High 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 42^nd of 43 Middle schools	Ranks 78^th of 107 Middle schools	24.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Math (South Junior High School)	27.3	27.9	0.6%
7th Grade Math (Boise Independent District)	45.7	45.9	0.2%
7th Grade Math (Idaho)	45.7	41.3	4.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Junior High School)	39.1	41.5	2.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Boise Independent District)	56.9	56.2	0.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	57.7	53.8	3.9%
8th Grade Math (South Junior High School)	27	32.1	5.1%
8th Grade Math (Boise Independent District)	42.4	38	4.4%
8th Grade Math (Idaho)	40.7	36.8	3.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Junior High School)	40	45.6	5.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Boise Independent District)	52.9	53.8	0.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Idaho)	53.5	51.8	1.7%
All Grades Math (South Junior High School)	27.2	30	2.8%
All Grades Math (Boise Independent District)	46.5	45.5	1%
All Grades Math (Idaho)	44.4	41.5	2.9%
All Grades Science (South Junior High School)	34.1	34.1
All Grades Science (Boise Independent District)	58.7	40.8	17.9%
All Grades Science (Idaho)	58.9	41.6	17.3%
All Grades English Language Arts (South Junior High School)	39.5	43.6	4.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Boise Independent District)	57.3	55.5	1.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Idaho)	55	52.2	2.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	689	565	18%
African American	39	38	2.6%
American Indian	4	4
Asian	24	13	45.8%
Hispanic	112	111	0.9%
Pacific Islander	3	5	66.7%
White	482	369	23.4%
Two or More Races	25	25
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	65%	44.4%	20.6%

Schools Near South Junior High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ISAT Math (2024)				ISAT Science (2024)	ISAT English Language Arts (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	ISAT Math 6th Grade	ISAT Math 7th Grade	ISAT Math 8th Grade	ISAT Math All Grades	ISAT Science All Grades	ISAT English Language Arts 6th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 7th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts 8th Grade	ISAT English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Junior High School	Public	7-9	3101 Cassia Street	Boise	83705	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-6110	560	38	14.8	50.0%	361 (64.5%)	44 (7.9%)	107 (19.1%)	14 (2.5%)	3 (0.5%)	6 (1.1%)	25 (4.5%)	12.6	146^th of 164 public middle schools	11.0%		25.5	78^th of 107 public middle schools	27.1%	68		29.2	24.0	26.6	23.6		33.1	37.2	35.2	$11,445	$758	$10,687
Minidoka Junior High Alternative	Public	7-8	650 W State St	Boise	83702	Ada County	Minidoka County Joint District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(208) 332-6800	34	4	8.5	44.1%	14 (41.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (52.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Tiger Learn Program	Public	7-8	650 W State St	Boise	83702	Ada County	Mountain Home District	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(208) 332-6800	7	1	8.4		5 (71.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (14.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (14.3%)								(n/a)
North Junior High School	Public	7-9	1105 North 13th Street	Boise	83702	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-5740	924	50	18.4	15.4%	736 (79.7%)	30 (3.2%)	92 (10.0%)	11 (1.2%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (5.4%)	60	51^st of 164 public middle schools	68.9%		83.7	11^th of 107 public middle schools	89.7%	40		57.0	48.6	53.0	36.5		61.5	53.1	57.5	$8,791	$618	$8,174
Fairmont Junior High School	Public	7-9	2121 North Cole Road	Boise	83704	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-4790	633	47	13.4	43.6%	350 (55.3%)	53 (8.4%)	181 (28.6%)	13 (2.1%)	7 (1.1%)	3 (0.5%)	26 (4.1%)	30.7	116^th of 164 public middle schools	29.3%		20.3	83^rd of 107 public middle schools	22.4%	33		38.8	26.7	33.0	32.9		51.6	47.7	49.8	$10,023	$750	$9,273
West Junior High	Public	7-9	8371 West Salt Creek Court	Boise	83709	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-6450	746	44	17.1	30.0%	563 (75.5%)	12 (1.6%)	111 (14.9%)	14 (1.9%)	5 (0.7%)	4 (0.5%)	37 (5.0%)	35	99^th of 164 public middle schools	39.6%		37.6	63^rd of 107 public middle schools	41.1%	36		42.5	37.4	39.7	32.7		47.5	47.3	47.3	$9,693	$868	$8,825
Hillside Junior High School	Public	7-9	3536 Hill Road	Boise	83703	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-5120	595	37	16.0	27.2%	437 (73.4%)	58 (9.7%)	57 (9.6%)	19 (3.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.7%)	43.8	79^th of 164 public middle schools	51.8%		41.8	58^th of 107 public middle schools	45.8%	21		49.8	31.0	40.1	37.6		60.0	47.4	53.6	$10,075	$866	$9,208
Les Bois Junior High School	Public	6-9	4150 East Grand Forest Drive	Boise	83716	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-5340	668	41	16.1	16.0%	507 (75.9%)	14 (2.1%)	44 (6.6%)	46 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.9%)	51 (7.6%)	76.2	32^nd of 164 public middle schools	80.5%		71.7	20^th of 107 public middle schools	81.3%	12		65.4	53.9	59.5	49.7		63.1	65.1	64.1	$9,051	$582	$8,468
East Junior High School	Public	7-9	5600 East Warm Springs Avenue	Boise	83716	Ada County	Boise Independent District	No	No	No	No	(208) 854-4730	594	34	17.6	13.0%	460 (77.4%)	6 (1.0%)	50 (8.4%)	48 (8.1%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (4.5%)	84.3	22^nd of 164 public middle schools	86.6%		83.9	10^th of 107 public middle schools	90.7%	12		64.3	62.2	63.3	51.5		70.8	70.2	70.4	$9,315	$771	$8,545
Lake Hazel Middle School	Public	6-8	11625 La Grange Street	Boise	83709	Ada County	Joint School District No. 2	No	No	No	No	(208) 855-4375	1,015	54	18.9	33.2%	724 (71.3%)	54 (5.3%)	110 (10.8%)	44 (4.3%)	4 (0.4%)	12 (1.2%)	67 (6.6%)	59.7	52^nd of 164 public middle schools	68.3%		53.5	39^th of 107 public middle schools	63.6%	13	40.4	45.2	48.6	44.8	47.9	59.4	62.7	63.2	61.8	$6,611	$609	$6,002

South Junior High School

South Junior High School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Boise Independent District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for South Junior High School

Rank History for all students at South Junior High School

Rank History for Female students at South Junior High School

Rank History for Male students at South Junior High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Junior High School

Rank History for White students at South Junior High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for South Junior High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Junior High School

Student/Teacher Ratio South Junior High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Junior High School

Impact of COVID-19 on South Junior High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Junior High School

Frequently Asked Questions about South Junior High School

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