South Middle School

Summary:

South Middle School is a public middle school located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 850 students. It is part of the Arlington Heights School District 25, which is ranked 71 out of 813 school districts in Illinois and is rated 5 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

South Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Illinois, ranking 126th out of 1,363 middle schools in the state for the 2023-2024 school year. The school's performance on state assessments is significantly higher than the state and district averages, with 72.4% of all students proficient or better in ELA and 47.7% proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 63.3% and 51% in the district, and 41.2% and 28.4% statewide, respectively. South Middle School's performance is particularly strong in science, with 83.9% of students proficient or better, matching the district average and significantly exceeding the state average of 53.2%. The school's performance is consistently strong across different student subgroups, with high rankings in the state for female, male, Hispanic, and White students, as well as for Asian students and English Language Learners.

Compared to nearby schools, South Middle School outperforms Thomas Middle School, which is also part of the Arlington Heights School District 25, in both ELA and mathematics proficiency rates. Additionally, South Middle School's academic performance is significantly higher than that of River Trails Middle School and Chippewa Middle School, which are in different districts. However, some schools like Plum Grove Junior High and MacArthur Middle School also demonstrate strong academic performance, with rankings and proficiency rates comparable to South Middle School.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 400 S Highland Ave
       Arlington Heights, IL  60005-1868


(847) 398-4250

District: Arlington Heights School District 25

SchoolDigger Rank:
126th of 1,363 Illinois Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,634 Help


Feeder schools for South Middle School:

Elementary:    Dryden Elementary School
    Westgate Elementary School
    Windsor Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.5 Help
Number of students:  850

Racial breakdown:

White:
82.8%
Hispanic:
8.5%
Asian:
5.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.1% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details South Middle School ranks better than 90.8% of middle schools in Illinois. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.72. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Middle School is $17,634.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Middle School 126th of 1363 Illinois public middle schools. (See South Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Arlington Heights School District 25:

SchoolDigger ranks Arlington Heights School District 25 71st of 813 Illinois school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for South Middle School

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Rank History for all students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 86.56 109th 1185 90.8%
2004 89.22 71st 1204 94.1%
2005 87.41 94th 1209 92.2%
2006 85.70 90th 1272 92.9%
2007 87.38 56th 1287 95.6%
2008 87.44 55th 1293 95.7%
2009 84.62 100th 1318 92.4%
2010 83.36 125th 1327 90.6%
2011 81.09 172nd 1344 87.2%
2012 83.01 147th 1365 89.2%
2013 90.13 78th 1367 94.3%
2014 90.50 73rd 1322 94.5%
2015 96.79 45th 1302 96.5%
2016 85.78 140th 1294 89.2%
2017 90.94 87th 1293 93.3%
2018 83.40 179th 1293 86.2%
2019 92.92 68th 1356 95.0%
2021 88.83 99th 1241 92.0%
2022 88.58 115th 1369 91.6%
2023 86.94 140th 1367 89.8%
2024 88.72 126th 1363 90.8%
See the entire list of Illinois Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.11 15th 164 90.9%
2019 91.97 5th 179 97.2%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 59.41 64th 339 81.1%
2021 31.43 232nd 277 16.2%
2022 90.41 8th 454 98.2%
2023 54.13 129th 480 73.1%
2024 41.83 241st 486 50.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.88 128th 602 78.7%
2019 72.29 106th 792 86.6%
2021 70.17 69th 548 87.4%
2022 70.33 96th 781 87.7%
2023 30.29 544th 805 32.4%
2024 81.89 101st 802 87.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.49 166th 1161 85.7%
2019 79.45 151st 1217 87.6%
2021 83.10 75th 1019 92.6%
2022 88.07 53rd 1221 95.7%
2023 83.88 98th 1234 92.1%
2024 82.05 118th 1219 90.3%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.45 247th 1226 79.9%
2019 92.52 59th 1276 95.4%
2021 89.30 69th 1017 93.2%
2022 88.04 118th 1286 90.8%
2023 85.06 140th 1275 89.0%
2024 87.72 120th 1251 90.4%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 51.05 228th 674 66.2%
2024 61.78 156th 639 75.6%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.31 114th 1223 90.7%
2019 91.91 70th 1296 94.6%
2021 82.70 128th 1048 87.8%
2022 86.94 120th 1286 90.7%
2023 86.52 125th 1292 90.3%
2024 87.59 125th 1264 90.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.14 89th 209 57.4%
2019 62.69 76th 201 62.2%
2021 54.46 51st 112 54.5%
2022 50.59 106th 198 46.5%
2023 65.47 63rd 192 67.2%
2024 54.12 90th 184 51.1%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.35 235th 590 60.2%
2019 58.13 220th 639 65.6%
2021 47.64 229th 517 55.7%
2022 66.76 145th 662 78.1%
2023 65.55 152nd 661 77.0%
2024 71.51 132nd 643 79.5%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.24 226th 889 74.6%
2019 85.31 81st 905 91.0%
2021 81.45 103rd 813 87.3%
2022 78.63 130th 898 85.5%
2023 75.61 168th 895 81.2%
2024 78.68 140th 875 84.0%
See the entire list of Best Illinois Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Illinois State Board 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.

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






Data source: Illinois State Board of Education

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Enrollment information for South Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 504 2 28 14 5 n/a n/a 0 553
1989 533 2 35 12 6 n/a n/a 0 588
1990 539 1 40 15 2 n/a n/a 0 597
1991 568 4 43 15 0 n/a n/a 0 630
1992 561 2 40 17 0 n/a n/a 0 620
1993 562 1 34 21 0 n/a n/a 0 618
1994 577 1 40 17 0 n/a n/a 0 635
1995 575 3 32 22 0 n/a n/a 0 632
1996 575 3 32 22 0 n/a n/a 0 632
1997 615 4 26 21 0 n/a n/a 0 666
1998 633 11 23 14 0 n/a n/a 0 681
1999 670 7 42 20 1 n/a n/a 0 740
2000 690 15 49 27 1 n/a n/a 0 782
2001 771 16 31 33 0 n/a n/a 0 851
2002 801 9 46 19 0 n/a n/a 0 875
2003 801 9 46 19 0 n/a n/a 0 875
2004 780 11 42 25 0 n/a n/a 0 858
2005 787 11 34 30 3 n/a n/a 0 865
2006 762 6 36 35 3 n/a n/a 4 846
2007 785 3 34 40 3 n/a n/a 9 874
2008 749 4 39 41 1 n/a n/a 17 851
2009 786 7 41 42 0 n/a n/a 27 903
2010 770 7 38 46 0 n/a n/a 22 883
2011 774 6 39 46 0 0 26 0 891
2012 734 6 42 46 0 0 29 0 857
2013 763 11 44 50 3 0 27 0 898
2014 725 9 39 55 2 1 30 0 861
2015 723 9 39 66 1 1 28 0 867
2016 669 5 42 77 2 2 34 0 831
2017 716 6 54 79 3 0 38 0 896
2018 705 7 55 85 2 0 50 0 904
2019 703 6 45 83 2 0 40 0 879
2020 679 3 50 85 1 1 27 0 846
2021 670 10 56 80 2 3 11 0 832
2022 682 11 57 80 2 3 11 0 846
2023 704 9 50 72 3 2 10 0 850

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 Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 553 36.0 15.3 n/a
1989 588 38.0 15.4 n/a
1990 597 39.8 15.0 n/a
1991 630 40.2 15.6 n/a
1992 620 41.3 15.0 n/a
1993 618 45.2 13.7 n/a
1994 635 46.5 13.7 n/a
1995 632 48.5 13.0 n/a
1996 632 48.5 13.0 n/a
1997 666 48.4 13.8 n/a
1998 681 51.5 13.2 n/a
1999 740 54.0 13.7 n/a
2000 782 56.0 14.0 n/a
2001 851 60.0 14.2 n/a
2002 875 67.0 13.1 6.7
2003 875 67.0 13.1 6.7
2004 858 63.5 13.5 6.9
2005 865 64.3 13.5 7.3
2006 846 63.8 13.3 7
2007 874 61.0 14.3 7.2
2008 851 54.0 15.8 7
2009 903 64.0 14.1 7.9
2010 883 63.0 14.0 10.1
2011 891 61.0 14.6 11
2012 857 61.0 14.0 10.2
2013 898 104.7 8.5 7.9
2014 861 69.9 12.3 7.1
2015 867 70.0 12.3 6.6
2016 831 68.0 12.2 7.1
2017 896 67.1 13.3 4.9
2018 904 65.7 13.7 11.1
2019 879 64.0 13.7 10.9
2020 846 63.0 13.4 10
2021 832 n/a n/a n/a
2022 846 67.8 12.4 17.1
2023 850 67.5 12.5 16.1

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 Middle School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 553 36.0 15.3 n/a
1989 588 38.0 15.4 n/a
1990 597 39.8 15.0 n/a
1991 630 40.2 15.6 n/a
1992 620 41.3 15.0 n/a
1993 618 45.2 13.7 n/a
1994 635 46.5 13.7 n/a
1995 632 48.5 13.0 n/a
1996 632 48.5 13.0 n/a
1997 666 48.4 13.8 n/a
1998 681 51.5 13.2 n/a
1999 740 54.0 13.7 n/a
2000 782 56.0 14.0 n/a
2001 851 60.0 14.2 n/a
2002 875 67.0 13.1 6.7
2003 875 67.0 13.1 6.7
2004 858 63.5 13.5 6.9
2005 865 64.3 13.5 7.3
2006 846 63.8 13.3 7
2007 874 61.0 14.3 7.2
2008 851 54.0 15.8 7
2009 903 64.0 14.1 7.9
2010 883 63.0 14.0 10.1
2011 891 61.0 14.6 11
2012 857 61.0 14.0 10.2
2013 898 104.7 8.5 7.9
2014 861 69.9 12.3 7.1
2015 867 70.0 12.3 6.6
2016 831 68.0 12.2 7.1
2017 896 67.1 13.3 4.9
2018 904 65.7 13.7 11.1
2019 879 64.0 13.7 10.9
2020 846 63.0 13.4 10
2021 832 n/a n/a n/a
2022 846 67.8 12.4 17.1
2023 850 67.5 12.5 16.1

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.

Immunization Rates

South Middle School

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YearPolioMeaslesMumpsRubellaHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMeningococcal
201599.4%99.4%99.4%99.4%99.8%98.5%99.4%
201699.5%99.6%99.6%99.5%99.6%99.4%33.5%
201799.7%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.8%99.6%100.0%66.3%
201899.5%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.7%99.5%99.7%98.4%
201999.1%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.0%98.9%99.2%97.5%
202199.3%99.3%99.3%99.3%99.4%98.9%99.3%96.4%
202299.4%99.2%99.3%99.3%99.4%98.1%99.4%97.1%
202398.8%98.5%98.5%98.5%98.7%97.9%98.6%96.9%
202498.1%98.2%98.2%98.2%97.9%96.7%98.4%97.1%

Data source: Illinois State Board of Education
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $621 (4.6%) $12,947 (95.4%) $13,568
2020 $682 (4.7%) $13,983 (95.3%) $14,666
2021 $897 (5.8%) $14,644 (94.2%) $15,541
2022 $897 (5.8%) $14,644 (94.2%) $15,541
2023 $908 (5.3%) $16,305 (94.7%) $17,213
2024 $743 (4.2%) $16,891 (95.8%) $17,634

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

Impact of COVID-19 on South 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 68th of 1356 Middle schoolsRanks 140th of 1367 Middle schools
 5.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Middle School)60.256.8
 3.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Arlington Heights School District 25)57.752.8
 4.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)3534.2
 0.8%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Middle School)59.235.3
 23.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Arlington Heights School District 25)51.144.3
 6.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)25.323.4
 1.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Middle School)61.671.9
 10.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Arlington Heights School District 25)63.367.5
 4.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)41.237.9
 3.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Middle School)54.143.6
 10.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Arlington Heights School District 25)57.149.3
 7.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)29.926.9
 3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Middle School)71.555.4
 16.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Arlington Heights School District 25)68.750.8
 17.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Illinois)39.640.5
 0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Middle School)56.441.6
 14.8%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Arlington Heights School District 25)55.240
 15.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Illinois)32.625.7
 6.9%
8th Grade Science (South Middle School)80.380.9
 0.6%
   8th Grade Science (Arlington Heights School District 25)78.473.8
 4.6%
   8th Grade Science (Illinois)5552
 3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students879850
 3.3%
African American69
 50%
American Indian23
 50%
Asian4550
 11.1%
Hispanic8372
 13.3%
Pacific Islander02
White703704
 0.1%
Two or More Races4010
 75%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients10.9%16.1%
 5.2%


Schools Near South Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about South Middle School

In the 2022-23 school year, 850 students attended South Middle School.

Yes. South Middle School ranks in the top 9.2% of Illinois middle schools.

Students at South Middle School are 83% White, 8% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 1% Two or more races, 1% African American.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board 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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