South River Middle School

Summary:

South River Middle School is a public middle school serving 530 students in grades 6-8 in South River, New Jersey, which is part of the South River Public School District. The school faces significant challenges, consistently performing below the state average on academic assessments and struggling with high chronic absenteeism rates.

South River Middle School's academic performance is a major concern, with only 27.1% of 6th graders, 21.9% of 7th graders, and 27.5% of 8th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 53.2%, 53.9%, and 52.9%, respectively. The school's math proficiency rates are even lower, ranging from 4.9% for 8th grade to 26.2% for 7th grade, well below the state averages. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 16.6% to 23.7% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state average.

Interestingly, the nearby middle schools, such as Linwood School, Highland Park Middle School, and Carl Sandburg Middle School, generally outperform South River Middle School on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and better overall rankings. One bright spot for South River Middle School is its Algebra I performance, with 79.6% of students proficient or better in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state average of 73.6%. However, the school's overall ranking and rating have steadily declined over the past decade, indicating that the district and school leadership need to implement comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to address the school's challenges and improve outcomes for its students.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 3 Montgomery Street
       South River, NJ  08882


(732) 613-4073

District: South River Public School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
587th of 743 New Jersey Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,158 Help


Students who attend South River Middle School usually attend:

High:    South River High School

Feeder schools for South River Middle School:

Elementary:    South River Elementary School
    South River Primary School

Student/teacher ratio:  10.8 Help
Number of students:  538

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
46.8%
White:
43.7%
African American:
4.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  55.9% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details South River Middle School ranks worse than 79% of middle schools in New Jersey. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 21.27. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (46.8%), White (43.7%), African American (4.3%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 55.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South River Middle School is 10.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare South River Middle School employs 49.4 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at South River Middle School is $10,158.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South River Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks South River Middle School 587th of 743 New Jersey public middle schools. (See South River 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:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


South River Public School District:

SchoolDigger ranks South River Public School District 539th of 613 New Jersey school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for South River Middle School

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Rank History for all students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 49.01 379th 574 34.0%
2004 34.14 437th 588 25.7%
2005 41.05 417th 599 30.4%
2006 36.05 460th 615 25.2%
2007 50.81 409th 631 35.2%
2008 43.03 443rd 640 30.8%
2009 42.28 466th 664 29.8%
2010 49.60 427th 677 36.9%
2011 47.10 445th 684 34.9%
2012 45.24 442nd 677 34.7%
2013 40.23 481st 704 31.7%
2014 46.90 435th 717 39.3%
2015 49.11 357th 713 49.9%
2016 47.51 375th 713 47.4%
2017 29.80 505th 712 29.1%
2018 38.34 457th 716 36.2%
2019 28.77 534th 745 28.3%
2021 31.66 416th 652 36.2%
2022 25.16 552nd 745 25.9%
2023 21.16 586th 748 21.7%
2024 21.27 587th 743 21.0%
See the entire list of New Jersey Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.71 149th 202 26.2%
2019 15.97 216th 227 4.8%
2021 13.82 197th 197 0.0%
2022 26.26 221st 270 18.1%
2023 18.10 277th 288 3.8%
2024 29.65 239th 320 25.3%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 43.31 244th 471 48.2%
2019 42.53 249th 492 49.4%
2021 31.81 264th 401 34.2%
2022 24.32 441st 535 17.6%
2023 27.37 393rd 505 22.2%
2024 29.21 367th 510 28.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.36 227th 522 56.5%
2019 33.79 354th 541 34.6%
2021 38.23 283rd 467 39.4%
2022 32.72 370th 549 32.6%
2023 27.88 418th 568 26.4%
2024 24.28 468th 584 19.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.06 397th 680 41.6%
2019 28.27 519th 703 26.2%
2021 28.18 431st 625 31.0%
2022 25.80 536th 726 26.2%
2023 21.12 569th 720 21.0%
2024 20.25 587th 717 18.1%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.61 477th 675 29.3%
2019 28.51 508th 697 27.1%
2021 37.28 349th 635 45.0%
2022 25.50 533rd 730 27.0%
2023 21.61 551st 718 23.3%
2024 21.03 579th 719 19.5%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 34.60 217th 326 33.4%
2019 28.11 250th 326 23.3%
2023 25.56 296th 361 18.0%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.89 309th 504 38.7%
2019 34.92 351st 524 33.0%
2021 34.45 312th 480 35.0%
2022 30.27 420th 591 28.9%
2023 25.35 469th 587 20.1%
2024 21.33 498th 589 15.4%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at South River Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NJ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.12 389th 497 21.7%
2019 16.92 449th 504 10.9%
2021 21.46 376th 435 13.6%
2022 13.12 471st 512 8.0%
2023 9.53 480th 509 5.7%
2024 11.03 475th 510 6.9%
See the entire list of Best New Jersey Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: New Jersey 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.

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






Data source: New Jersey Department of Education

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Enrollment information for South River Middle School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 245 20 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 272
1989 269 17 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 292
1990 262 28 4 16 0 n/a n/a 0 310
1991 288 29 5 10 0 n/a n/a 0 332
1992 287 32 2 7 0 n/a n/a 0 328
1993 319 34 2 16 0 n/a n/a 0 371
1994 331 39 5 18 0 n/a n/a 0 393
1995 335 48 1 22 0 n/a n/a 0 406
1996 335 48 1 22 0 n/a n/a 0 406
1998 366 54 6 21 0 n/a n/a 0 447
1999 521 68 8 33 0 n/a n/a 0 630
2000 507 67 13 47 0 n/a n/a -2 632
2001 525 65 16 51 1 n/a n/a 0 658
2002 497 71 23 98 2 n/a n/a 0 691
2003 497 71 23 98 2 n/a n/a 0 691
2004 496 78 24 95 0 n/a n/a 0 693
2005 469 81 24 112 0 n/a n/a 0 686
2006 359 57 21 103 0 n/a n/a 0 540
2007 348 57 23 99 0 n/a n/a 0 527
2008 346 54 23 111 0 n/a n/a 0 534
2009 359 57 27 125 0 0 2 0 570
2010 357 61 20 113 0 0 0 0 551
2011 325 53 21 122 1 0 0 0 522
2012 294 45 23 136 0 0 0 0 498
2013 308 49 22 158 0 0 0 0 537
2014 314 45 30 158 0 0 5 0 552
2015 310 40 25 172 0 0 7 0 554
2016 275 40 24 157 0 0 13 0 509
2017 267 43 16 196 1 0 13 0 536
2018 267 46 12 196 1 0 17 0 539
2019 259 38 9 202 1 0 10 0 519
2020 274 31 9 213 1 0 6 0 534
2021 248 36 10 212 0 0 5 0 511
2022 255 28 14 233 0 0 13 0 543
2023 224 29 14 247 1 1 14 0 530
2024 235 23 14 252 2 1 11 0 538

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 River Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 272 29.0 9.3 n/a
1989 292 31.0 9.4 n/a
1990 310 32.0 9.6 13.2
1991 332 32.0 10.3 15.7
1992 328 29.0 11.3 22.6
1993 371 30.0 12.4 26.7
1994 393 28.5 13.8 29.5
1995 406 30.0 13.5 27.1
1996 406 30.0 13.5 27.1
1998 447 27.0 16.6 26.6
1999 630 41.5 15.2 24.9
2000 632 41.5 15.2 35
2001 658 42.7 15.4 30.9
2002 691 46.0 15.0 32.4
2003 691 46.0 15.0 32.4
2004 693 45.0 15.4 26.3
2005 686 44.0 15.6 n/a
2006 540 32.0 16.9 30.9
2007 527 36.0 14.6 26.8
2008 534 33.0 16.2 35.4
2009 570 45.1 13.4 34.2
2010 551 40.0 13.7 38.8
2011 522 32.7 15.9 34.3
2012 498 36.8 13.5 39.6
2013 537 41.9 12.8 45.8
2014 552 44.0 12.5 43.1
2015 554 44.0 12.5 48
2016 509 44.0 11.5 15.1
2017 536 48.2 11.1 45.7
2018 539 45.5 11.8 49.5
2019 519 45.3 11.4 46.4
2020 534 47.0 11.3 48.3
2021 511 50.6 10.0 50.9
2022 543 51.5 10.5 35.5
2023 530 48.8 10.8 60.4
2024 538 49.4 10.8 55.9

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 River Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 272 29.0 9.3 n/a
1989 292 31.0 9.4 n/a
1990 310 32.0 9.6 13.2
1991 332 32.0 10.3 15.7
1992 328 29.0 11.3 22.6
1993 371 30.0 12.4 26.7
1994 393 28.5 13.8 29.5
1995 406 30.0 13.5 27.1
1996 406 30.0 13.5 27.1
1998 447 27.0 16.6 26.6
1999 630 41.5 15.2 24.9
2000 632 41.5 15.2 35
2001 658 42.7 15.4 30.9
2002 691 46.0 15.0 32.4
2003 691 46.0 15.0 32.4
2004 693 45.0 15.4 26.3
2005 686 44.0 15.6 n/a
2006 540 32.0 16.9 30.9
2007 527 36.0 14.6 26.8
2008 534 33.0 16.2 35.4
2009 570 45.1 13.4 34.2
2010 551 40.0 13.7 38.8
2011 522 32.7 15.9 34.3
2012 498 36.8 13.5 39.6
2013 537 41.9 12.8 45.8
2014 552 44.0 12.5 43.1
2015 554 44.0 12.5 48
2016 509 44.0 11.5 15.1
2017 536 48.2 11.1 45.7
2018 539 45.5 11.8 49.5
2019 519 45.3 11.4 46.4
2020 534 47.0 11.3 48.3
2021 511 50.6 10.0 50.9
2022 543 51.5 10.5 35.5
2023 530 48.8 10.8 60.4
2024 538 49.4 10.8 55.9

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 River Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $414 (4.1%) $9,744 (95.9%) $10,158

Data source: New Jersey Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South River 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 534th of 745 Middle schoolsRanks 586th of 748 Middle schools
 6.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (South River Middle School)29.619.8
 9.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South River Public School District)29.619.8
 9.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)56.149
 7.1%
6th Grade Mathematics (South River Middle School)24.719.2
 5.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South River Public School District)24.719.2
 5.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)40.634.3
 6.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South River Middle School)4233.5
 8.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South River Public School District)4233.5
 8.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.855.7
 7.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (South River Middle School)47.420.4
 27%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South River Public School District)47.420.4
 27%
   7th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)42.133.8
 8.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South River Middle School)38.929.2
 9.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South River Public School District)38.929.2
 9.7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (New Jersey)62.955.3
 7.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (South River Middle School)18.21.5
 16.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South River Public School District)18.21.5
 16.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (New Jersey)29.317.8
 11.5%
8th Grade Algebra I (South River Middle School)9665.8
 30.2%
   8th Grade Algebra I (South River Public School District)9665.8
 30.2%
   8th Grade Algebra I (New Jersey)75.166
 9.1%
End of Course Algebra I (South River Middle School)9665.8
 30.2%
   End of Course Algebra I (South River Public School District)24.621.4
 3.2%
   End of Course Algebra I (New Jersey)43.335.1
 8.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students519530
 2.1%
African American3829
 23.7%
American Indian11
Asian914
 55.6%
Hispanic202247
 22.3%
Pacific Islander01
White259224
 13.5%
Two or More Races1014
 40%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients46.4%60.4%
 13.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about South River Middle School

Students at South River Middle School are 47% Hispanic, 44% White, 4% African American, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 538 students attended South River Middle School.

Students who attend South River Middle School usually go on to attend South River High School

South River Middle School ranks in the bottom 21.0% of New Jersey 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 New Jersey 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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