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Southwest Middle

Summary:

Southwest Middle School is a public middle school in Albert Lea, Minnesota, serving students in grades 6-7. The school is part of the Albert Lea Public School District, which is ranked 321 out of 463 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southwest Middle has a diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students compared to the state average. The school's academic performance, as measured by the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA-III), is below the state and district averages in both math and reading. Only 24.28% of all students at Southwest Middle were proficient or better in math, compared to the state average of 45.47%, and 34.65% were proficient or better in reading, compared to the state average of 49.85%. The school has a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 48.1% to 61.81%, indicating a relatively high proportion of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

Southwest Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Minnesota middle schools, with a ranking of 409 out of 545 in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with the school ranking particularly low for female and male students. However, the school performs better for Asian and Hispanic students, though still ranking in the bottom third of Minnesota middle schools for these subgroups. Addressing the academic performance and supporting the diverse needs of all students at Southwest Middle will be crucial for the school and district to improve student learning outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-7

 1601 W Front St
       Albert Lea, MN  56007-1812

(507) 379-5240

District: Albert Lea Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
409th of 545 Minnesota Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,277 Help


Students who attend Southwest Middle usually attend:

High:    Albert Lea Senior High

Feeder schools for Southwest Middle:

Elementary:    Halverson Elementary
    Hawthorne Elementary
    Lakeview Elementary
    Sibley Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  474

Racial breakdown:

White:
57.4%
Hispanic:
24.7%
Asian:
10.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.8% Help


 See top rated Minnesota middle schools

 Compare Southwest Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Southwest Middle ranks worse than 75% of middle schools in Minnesota. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.53. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (57.4%), Hispanic (24.7%), Asian (10.8%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 61.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Middle is 15.7. (See more...)
Help
Compare Southwest Middle employs 30 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southwest Middle is $13,277.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Middle 409th of 545 Minnesota public middle schools. (See Southwest Middle 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:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Albert Lea Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Albert Lea Public School District 321st of 463 Minnesota school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Southwest Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 51.07 236th 387 39.0%
2005 46.95 272nd 396 31.3%
2006 58.28 198th 406 51.2%
2007 68.57 119th 403 70.5%
2008 68.61 122nd 409 70.2%
2009 62.70 89th 230 61.3%
2010 50.54 269th 454 40.7%
2011 46.44 302nd 478 36.8%
2012 47.14 299th 469 36.2%
2013 51.17 256th 488 47.5%
2014 42.30 312th 490 36.3%
2015 40.61 330th 516 36.0%
2016 35.62 361st 508 28.9%
2017 47.82 298th 523 43.0%
2018 45.71 323rd 518 37.6%
2019 36.58 362nd 533 32.1%
2021 27.74 396th 521 24.0%
2022 37.24 340th 520 34.6%
2023 34.47 367th 529 30.6%
2024 29.53 409th 545 25.0%
See the entire list of Minnesota Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 28.90 103rd 120 14.2%
2021 24.71 95th 102 6.9%
2022 28.15 116th 130 10.8%
2023 39.96 79th 133 40.6%
2024 30.37 132nd 158 16.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.60 174th 253 31.2%
2019 28.40 225th 282 20.2%
2021 41.92 161st 260 38.1%
2022 39.07 187th 288 35.1%
2023 40.45 178th 298 40.3%
2024 23.28 259th 307 15.6%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.55 238th 401 40.6%
2019 32.96 301st 415 27.5%
2021 32.24 292nd 399 26.8%
2022 39.41 253rd 404 37.4%
2023 36.68 299th 459 34.9%
2024 24.75 384th 473 18.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.12 266th 436 39.0%
2019 31.31 339th 439 22.8%
2021 26.67 344th 443 22.3%
2022 37.65 315th 467 32.5%
2023 34.90 321st 455 29.5%
2024 26.52 374th 474 21.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 40.29 302nd 438 31.1%
2019 35.71 316th 454 30.4%
2021 24.86 343rd 437 21.5%
2022 32.56 334th 476 29.8%
2023 30.15 331st 464 28.7%
2024 26.89 376th 479 21.5%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.47 82nd 108 24.1%
2019 33.18 78th 112 30.4%
2021 19.95 67th 87 23.0%
2022 19.21 90th 110 18.2%
2023 21.36 91st 116 21.6%
2024 23.25 85th 111 23.4%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.86 86th 163 47.2%
2019 21.55 153rd 171 10.5%
2021 25.60 130th 156 16.7%
2022 34.29 129th 188 31.4%
2023 33.24 120th 178 32.6%
2024 24.49 158th 186 15.1%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southwest Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools MN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.42 299th 428 30.1%
2019 31.31 328th 428 23.4%
2021 20.31 367th 422 13.0%
2022 35.98 284th 438 35.2%
2023 33.25 312th 436 28.4%
2024 29.06 344th 440 21.8%
See the entire list of Best Minnesota Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Minnesota 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.

Southwest Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Minnesota Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a citizen
Friday, September 10, 2021

Open Quote The teachers really like to waste time and we were forced to do a lot of babish things. This school also had a ton of bullying and fighting Close Quote



Enrollment information for Southwest Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 599 0 9 42 2 n/a n/a 0 652
1989 602 1 6 36 1 n/a n/a 0 646
1990 631 1 5 53 1 n/a n/a 0 691
1991 612 1 10 35 0 n/a n/a 0 658
1992 588 0 6 46 1 n/a n/a 0 641
1993 607 0 4 48 2 n/a n/a 0 661
1994 634 0 3 37 2 n/a n/a 0 676
1995 613 1 8 39 0 n/a n/a 0 661
1996 613 1 8 39 0 n/a n/a 0 661
1997 639 1 6 46 1 n/a n/a 0 693
1998 619 2 8 47 0 n/a n/a 0 676
1999 611 3 9 69 0 n/a n/a 0 692
2000 602 2 4 43 0 n/a n/a 0 651
2001 568 2 5 67 1 n/a n/a 0 643
2002 577 3 8 65 2 n/a n/a 0 655
2003 577 3 8 65 2 n/a n/a 0 655
2004 492 3 11 65 2 n/a n/a 0 573
2005 459 8 8 88 3 n/a n/a 0 566
2006 463 9 3 90 2 n/a n/a 0 567
2007 410 13 4 74 1 n/a n/a 0 502
2008 359 12 5 70 1 n/a n/a 0 447
2009 372 9 5 68 3 n/a n/a 0 457
2010 378 8 4 63 1 n/a n/a 0 454
2011 384 8 9 54 1 0 1 0 457
2012 346 12 8 106 3 0 2 0 477
2013 387 12 10 97 0 0 5 0 511
2014 342 9 9 109 0 0 8 0 477
2015 333 12 24 101 0 0 13 0 483
2016 363 16 22 97 1 0 18 0 517
2017 354 15 27 112 3 0 21 0 532
2018 326 7 24 107 3 0 15 0 482
2019 329 13 32 107 1 0 19 0 501
2020 335 14 44 126 1 0 21 0 541
2021 319 15 46 133 1 0 17 0 531
2022 300 16 53 113 1 0 16 0 499
2023 272 18 51 117 0 0 16 0 474

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 Southwest Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 652 42.6 15.3 13
1989 646 42.9 15.0 12.4
1990 691 43.2 15.9 13.6
1991 658 41.3 15.9 13.7
1992 641 37.6 17.0 15.9
1993 661 34.9 18.9 15.7
1994 676 39.0 17.3 19.8
1995 661 37.0 17.9 21.5
1996 661 37.0 17.9 21.5
1997 693 38.2 18.1 18.8
1998 676 n/a 0.0 17.9
1999 692 39.9 17.3 17.6
2000 651 36.8 17.7 23.5
2001 643 36.4 17.7 28.6
2002 655 37.7 17.4 31.1
2003 655 37.7 17.4 31.1
2004 573 33.4 17.2 34.7
2005 566 35.2 16.1 38.9
2006 567 34.5 16.4 38.4
2007 502 31.8 15.8 39.2
2008 447 30.9 14.5 40.5
2009 457 29.2 15.7 40.5
2010 454 27.2 16.6 43
2011 457 29.4 15.4 43.8
2012 477 32.2 14.7 49.5
2013 511 35.7 14.2 48.3
2014 477 34.4 13.8 50.9
2015 483 34.0 14.2 55.1
2016 517 33.0 15.6 53.2
2017 532 34.7 15.3 49.2
2018 482 39.5 12.1 47.7
2019 501 35.8 13.9 50.7
2020 541 37.2 14.5 54.2
2021 531 34.5 15.3 51.6
2022 499 32.6 15.2 48.1
2023 474 30.0 15.7 61.8

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 Southwest Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 652 42.6 15.3 13
1989 646 42.9 15.0 12.4
1990 691 43.2 15.9 13.6
1991 658 41.3 15.9 13.7
1992 641 37.6 17.0 15.9
1993 661 34.9 18.9 15.7
1994 676 39.0 17.3 19.8
1995 661 37.0 17.9 21.5
1996 661 37.0 17.9 21.5
1997 693 38.2 18.1 18.8
1998 676 n/a 0.0 17.9
1999 692 39.9 17.3 17.6
2000 651 36.8 17.7 23.5
2001 643 36.4 17.7 28.6
2002 655 37.7 17.4 31.1
2003 655 37.7 17.4 31.1
2004 573 33.4 17.2 34.7
2005 566 35.2 16.1 38.9
2006 567 34.5 16.4 38.4
2007 502 31.8 15.8 39.2
2008 447 30.9 14.5 40.5
2009 457 29.2 15.7 40.5
2010 454 27.2 16.6 43
2011 457 29.4 15.4 43.8
2012 477 32.2 14.7 49.5
2013 511 35.7 14.2 48.3
2014 477 34.4 13.8 50.9
2015 483 34.0 14.2 55.1
2016 517 33.0 15.6 53.2
2017 532 34.7 15.3 49.2
2018 482 39.5 12.1 47.7
2019 501 35.8 13.9 50.7
2020 541 37.2 14.5 54.2
2021 531 34.5 15.3 51.6
2022 499 32.6 15.2 48.1
2023 474 30.0 15.7 61.8

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 Southwest Middle

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $13,277

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Southwest Middle

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 362nd of 533 Middle schoolsRanks 367th of 529 Middle schools
 1.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Southwest Middle)35.218.8
 16.5%
   6th Grade Math (Albert Lea Public School District)35.218.7
 16.5%
   6th Grade Math (Minnesota)50.539.7
 10.8%
6th Grade Reading (Southwest Middle)56.236.8
 19.3%
   6th Grade Reading (Albert Lea Public School District)56.236.7
 19.5%
   6th Grade Reading (Minnesota)62.853.4
 9.4%
7th Grade Math (Southwest Middle)37.433.8
 3.6%
   7th Grade Math (Albert Lea Public School District)37.433.8
 3.6%
   7th Grade Math (Minnesota)52.139.7
 12.4%
7th Grade Reading (Southwest Middle)47.437.4
 10%
   7th Grade Reading (Albert Lea Public School District)47.437.4
 10%
   7th Grade Reading (Minnesota)57.545.2
 12.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students501474
 5.4%
African American1318
 38.5%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian3251
 59.4%
Hispanic107117
 9.3%
Pacific Islander00
White329272
 17.3%
Two or More Races1916
 15.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.7%61.8%
 11.1%

Schools Near Southwest Middle








Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Middle

Students who attend Southwest Middle usually go on to attend Albert Lea Senior High

Students at Southwest Middle are 57% White, 25% Hispanic, 11% Asian, 4% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Southwest Middle ranks in the bottom 25.0% of Minnesota middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 474 students attended Southwest Middle.


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