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Southern Middle School

Summary:

Southern Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Oakland, Maryland, with a total enrollment of 434 students. The school's student population is predominantly White (95.85%), with small percentages of other racial groups.

While Southern Middle School has some areas of strength, such as its Algebra I performance, which exceeds district and state averages, the school's overall academic performance lags behind. Only 18.7% of students were proficient or better in Mathematics, compared to 28.5% for the Garrett County Public Schools district and 24.1% for the state of Maryland. Similarly, in English Language Arts, 41.1% of Southern Middle School students were proficient or better, compared to 50.1% for the district and 48.4% for the state. The school's high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (46.77%) may contribute to these academic challenges.

When compared to the nearby Northern Middle School, also part of the Garrett County Public Schools district, Southern Middle School consistently underperforms in both Mathematics and English Language Arts. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 63.6% of Northern Middle School students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 41.1% at Southern Middle School. This suggests that there may be opportunities for Southern Middle School to learn from the practices and strategies employed at the higher-performing Northern Middle School.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 605 Harvey Winters Road
       Oakland, MD  21550-4350

(301) 334-8881

District: Garrett County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
157th of 328 Maryland Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,934 Help


Students who attend Southern Middle School usually attend:

High:    Southern Garrett High School

Feeder schools for Southern Middle School:

Elementary:    Broad Ford Elementary
    Crellin Elementary
    Swan Meadow School
    Yough Glades Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  12.4 Help
Number of students:  448

Racial breakdown:

White:
95.3%
Hispanic:
2.5%
Two or more races:
2.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  56.5% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Southern Middle School ranks better than 52.1% of middle schools in Maryland. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.56. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (95.3%), Hispanic (2.5%), two or more races (2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 56.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Middle School is 12.4. (See more...)
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Compare Southern Middle School employs 36.1 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Middle School is $17,934.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Southern Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Southern Middle School 157th of 328 Maryland public middle schools. (See Southern Middle School in the ranking list.)

Garrett County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Garrett County Public Schools 11th of 25 Maryland school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Southern Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 54.12 114th 252 54.8%
2005 59.46 109th 255 57.3%
2006 53.52 119th 254 53.1%
2007 52.39 129th 264 51.1%
2008 68.24 101st 283 64.3%
2009 63.47 129th 301 57.1%
2010 78.23 67th 324 79.3%
2011 76.55 73rd 309 76.4%
2012 69.27 106th 314 66.2%
2013 66.26 111th 316 64.9%
2014 69.61 113th 339 66.7%
2015 50.41 141st 315 55.2%
2016 41.70 179th 314 43.0%
2017 46.14 168th 317 47.0%
2018 50.09 153rd 328 53.4%
2019 39.15 177th 316 44.0%
2021 45.42 153rd 303 49.5%
2022 55.23 140th 333 58.0%
2023 36.09 178th 322 44.7%
2024 41.56 157th 328 52.1%
See the entire list of Maryland Middle School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.28 162nd 273 40.7%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 45.13 151st 303 50.2%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.18 166th 288 42.4%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MD State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 14.63 188th 210 10.5%
See the entire list of Best Maryland Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Maryland State 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.

Southern Middle School Test Scores
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Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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District Scores:
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Data source: Maryland State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Southern Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 645 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 646
1990 687 0 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 688
1991 684 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 686
1992 720 1 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 723
1993 731 1 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 734
1994 756 0 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 758
1995 750 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 750
1996 750 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 750
1997 697 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 697
1998 646 1 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 649
1999 622 1 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 625
2000 611 1 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 612
2001 634 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 634
2002 687 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 689
2003 687 1 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 689
2004 679 1 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 683
2005 684 0 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 687
2006 681 1 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 685
2007 683 1 2 1 0 n/a n/a 0 687
2008 610 1 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 614
2009 572 2 3 1 2 n/a n/a 0 580
2010 559 2 3 0 1 n/a n/a 0 565
2011 532 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 538
2012 535 0 2 4 0 0 7 0 548
2013 517 0 5 4 0 0 9 0 535
2014 512 0 7 5 0 1 13 0 538
2015 493 2 6 5 0 0 14 0 520
2016 525 2 2 4 1 0 10 0 544
2017 519 2 2 5 1 0 7 0 536
2018 501 1 1 6 0 0 5 0 514
2019 515 0 1 6 0 0 9 0 531
2020 487 2 1 5 0 0 12 0 507
2021 447 3 1 6 0 0 11 0 468
2022 442 5 0 9 0 0 5 0 461
2023 416 4 2 7 0 0 5 0 434
2024 427 1 0 11 0 0 9 0 448

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 Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 646 44.0 14.6 n/a
1990 688 44.0 15.6 28.3
1991 686 48.0 14.2 28.6
1992 723 48.0 15.0 30.2
1993 734 47.0 15.6 29.7
1994 758 46.0 16.5 34
1995 750 45.0 16.7 32.8
1996 750 45.0 16.7 32.8
1997 697 44.0 15.8 38.6
1998 649 45.0 14.4 41.4
1999 625 45.0 13.9 49.1
2000 612 44.5 13.8 46.4
2001 634 44.0 14.4 47.5
2002 689 45.0 15.3 44.1
2003 689 45.0 15.3 44.1
2004 683 46.0 14.8 44.8
2005 687 47.0 14.6 45
2006 685 47.0 14.6 42.2
2007 687 47.0 14.6 43.2
2008 614 47.0 13.1 43.5
2009 580 46.0 12.6 48.6
2010 565 48.0 11.7 49.9
2011 538 45.0 11.9 45.4
2012 548 42.0 13.0 45.4
2013 535 40.0 13.3 46.9
2014 538 39.0 13.7 48
2015 520 36.0 14.4 47.3
2016 544 38.0 14.3 48.9
2017 536 37.0 14.4 50.4
2018 514 36.0 14.2 50.8
2019 531 38.3 13.8 50.3
2020 507 37.1 13.6 55.8
2021 468 35.1 13.3 55.1
2022 461 36.1 12.7 49.5
2023 434 37.1 11.6 46.8
2024 448 36.1 12.4 56.5

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 Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 646 44.0 14.6 n/a
1990 688 44.0 15.6 28.3
1991 686 48.0 14.2 28.6
1992 723 48.0 15.0 30.2
1993 734 47.0 15.6 29.7
1994 758 46.0 16.5 34
1995 750 45.0 16.7 32.8
1996 750 45.0 16.7 32.8
1997 697 44.0 15.8 38.6
1998 649 45.0 14.4 41.4
1999 625 45.0 13.9 49.1
2000 612 44.5 13.8 46.4
2001 634 44.0 14.4 47.5
2002 689 45.0 15.3 44.1
2003 689 45.0 15.3 44.1
2004 683 46.0 14.8 44.8
2005 687 47.0 14.6 45
2006 685 47.0 14.6 42.2
2007 687 47.0 14.6 43.2
2008 614 47.0 13.1 43.5
2009 580 46.0 12.6 48.6
2010 565 48.0 11.7 49.9
2011 538 45.0 11.9 45.4
2012 548 42.0 13.0 45.4
2013 535 40.0 13.3 46.9
2014 538 39.0 13.7 48
2015 520 36.0 14.4 47.3
2016 544 38.0 14.3 48.9
2017 536 37.0 14.4 50.4
2018 514 36.0 14.2 50.8
2019 531 38.3 13.8 50.3
2020 507 37.1 13.6 55.8
2021 468 35.1 13.3 55.1
2022 461 36.1 12.7 49.5
2023 434 37.1 11.6 46.8
2024 448 36.1 12.4 56.5

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 Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,031 (7.9%) $12,044 (92.1%) $13,076
2020 $927 (6.4%) $13,517 (93.6%) $14,445
2021 $1,492 (9.8%) $13,736 (90.2%) $15,228
2022 $2,451 (15.6%) $13,282 (84.4%) $15,732
2023 $2,329 (13.0%) $15,605 (87.0%) $17,934

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern 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 177th of 316 Middle schoolsRanks 178th of 322 Middle schools
 0.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students531434
 18.3%
African American04
American Indian00
Asian12
 100%
Hispanic67
 16.7%
Pacific Islander00
White515416
 19.2%
Two or More Races95
 44.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.3%46.8%
 3.5%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Middle School

Students at Southern Middle School are 95% White, 2% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 448 students attended Southern Middle School.

Students who attend Southern Middle School usually go on to attend Southern Garrett High School

Southern Middle School ranks 157th of 328 Maryland middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.


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