Southern Middle School

Summary:

Southern Middle School is a public middle school located in Reading, Pennsylvania, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 759 students. The school is part of the Reading School District, which is ranked 558 out of 610 districts in Pennsylvania and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Southern Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools, with a ranking of 836 out of 891 schools for the 2023-2024 school year and a 0-star rating.

Southern Middle School's academic performance is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 4.2% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to the Reading School District average of 9.4% and the Pennsylvania state average of 40.4%. Similarly, in PSSA English Language Arts, only 16.6% of students were proficient or better, compared to the district average of 21.3% and the state average of 53%. The school's performance for specific student subgroups, such as African American, Hispanic, and students with disabilities, is also concerning, with rankings in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools.

When comparing Southern Middle School to other middle schools in the Reading School District, such as Northeast Middle School, Northwest Middle School, and Central Middle School, the academic performance gap is significant. These nearby schools, while still below state averages, consistently outperform Southern Middle School across various subject areas and grade levels. Addressing the challenges faced by Southern Middle School will require a concerted effort from the school, district, and community stakeholders to implement effective strategies and interventions that can drive sustainable improvements in student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 931 Chestnut St
       Reading, PA  19602-1958


(610) 371-5803

District: Reading School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
836th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools


Students who attend Southern Middle School usually attend:

High:    Reading Senior High School

Feeder schools for Southern Middle School:

Elementary:    Amanda E Stout Elementary School
    Tenth & Penn Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.7 Help
Number of students:  759

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
85.8%
African American:
9.2%
White:
3.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Southern Middle School ranks worse than 93.8% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks last among 5 ranked middle schools in the Reading School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.61. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (85.8%), African American (9.2%), White (3.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Reading School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Middle School is 13.7, which is the lowest among 5 middle schools in the Reading School District! (See more...)
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Compare Southern Middle School employs 55.3 full-time teachers.
Finance
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southern Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Middle School 836th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Southern Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:


Reading School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Reading School District 558th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Southern Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 10.32 572nd 643 11.0%
2004 10.66 590th 663 11.0%
2005 25.52 560th 687 18.5%
2006 12.38 660th 736 10.3%
2007 12.31 671st 749 10.4%
2008 9.12 688th 753 8.6%
2009 8.35 714th 770 7.3%
2010 22.43 679th 805 15.7%
2011 15.99 725th 825 12.1%
2012 19.31 700th 834 16.1%
2013 2.78 715th 758 5.7%
2014 4.34 677th 728 7.0%
2016 8.14 770th 870 11.5%
2017 5.42 830th 877 5.4%
2018 5.94 808th 861 6.2%
2019 4.91 853rd 891 4.3%
2021 8.16 741st 797 7.0%
2022 7.82 830th 883 6.0%
2023 8.10 829th 893 7.2%
2024 7.61 836th 891 6.2%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.10 126th 143 11.9%
2024 28.92 118th 150 21.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 11.69 798th 874 8.7%
2024 9.81 818th 877 6.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania 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 PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 7.62 802nd 860 6.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 17.32 622nd 660 5.8%
2024 17.42 626th 672 6.8%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 7.82 827th 870 4.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.27 334th 421 20.7%
2024 44.10 203rd 408 50.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southern Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 16.61 331st 362 8.6%
2024 14.25 336th 362 7.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Southern Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 315 61 6 138 1 n/a n/a 0 521
1989 361 84 10 199 1 n/a n/a 0 655
1990 342 90 13 219 0 n/a n/a 0 664
1991 364 100 12 272 0 n/a n/a 0 748
1992 316 77 10 235 0 n/a n/a 0 638
1993 295 69 9 255 0 n/a n/a 0 628
1994 293 90 8 275 0 n/a n/a 0 666
1995 257 80 5 298 0 n/a n/a 0 640
1996 257 80 5 298 0 n/a n/a 0 640
1997 257 88 7 325 0 n/a n/a 0 677
1998 245 71 9 338 0 n/a n/a 0 663
1999 231 88 7 345 0 n/a n/a 0 671
2000 223 87 7 402 0 n/a n/a 0 719
2001 201 104 6 443 1 n/a n/a 0 755
2002 175 100 6 511 1 n/a n/a 0 793
2003 175 100 6 511 1 n/a n/a 0 793
2004 162 116 7 592 0 n/a n/a 0 877
2005 147 128 4 620 0 n/a n/a 0 899
2006 133 125 9 668 0 n/a n/a 0 935
2007 109 103 10 543 0 n/a n/a 0 765
2008 89 94 13 553 0 n/a n/a 0 749
2009 83 79 7 554 1 n/a n/a 0 724
2010 60 65 5 443 1 n/a n/a 0 574
2011 56 82 5 473 1 0 0 0 617
2012 55 71 2 460 0 0 13 0 601
2013 47 67 4 511 0 0 11 0 640
2014 43 58 7 485 0 0 19 0 612
2015 35 59 5 453 0 0 21 0 573
2016 40 48 4 448 0 0 20 0 560
2017 46 50 3 523 2 0 25 0 649
2018 29 53 2 544 1 0 17 0 646
2019 24 48 5 496 0 0 11 0 584
2020 24 54 4 634 0 0 7 0 723
2021 25 64 4 654 0 0 8 0 755
2022 32 72 1 657 1 0 11 0 774
2023 25 70 1 651 0 0 12 0 759

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
1988 521 47.7 10.9 n/a
1989 655 54.2 12.0 n/a
1990 664 49.0 13.5 0
1991 748 55.0 13.6 n/a
1992 638 46.0 13.8 n/a
1993 628 36.0 17.4 n/a
1994 666 35.0 19.0 n/a
1995 640 38.0 16.8 n/a
1996 640 38.0 16.8 n/a
1997 677 38.0 17.8 n/a
1998 663 39.0 17.0 n/a
1999 671 41.0 16.4 n/a
2000 719 41.0 17.5 77.5
2001 755 41.0 18.4 78.4
2002 793 46.8 16.9 81.3
2003 793 46.8 16.9 81.3
2004 877 52.0 16.9 72.3
2005 899 53.1 16.9 71.7
2006 935 51.6 18.1 89.1
2007 765 42.8 17.9 86.9
2008 749 57.8 13.0 87.7
2009 724 55.5 13.0 91.9
2010 574 47.5 12.0 92.5
2011 617 47.5 12.9 90.9
2012 601 44.5 13.5 92.2
2013 640 36.0 17.7 92.7
2014 612 39.5 15.4 96.1
2015 573 38.0 15.0 99.5
2016 560 40.0 14.0 100
2017 649 35.5 18.2 100
2018 646 38.5 16.7 100
2019 584 39.5 14.7 100
2020 723 53.0 13.6 100
2021 755 55.0 13.7 99.6
2022 774 58.0 13.3 99.6
2023 759 55.3 13.7 100

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
1988 521 47.7 10.9 n/a
1989 655 54.2 12.0 n/a
1990 664 49.0 13.5 0
1991 748 55.0 13.6 n/a
1992 638 46.0 13.8 n/a
1993 628 36.0 17.4 n/a
1994 666 35.0 19.0 n/a
1995 640 38.0 16.8 n/a
1996 640 38.0 16.8 n/a
1997 677 38.0 17.8 n/a
1998 663 39.0 17.0 n/a
1999 671 41.0 16.4 n/a
2000 719 41.0 17.5 77.5
2001 755 41.0 18.4 78.4
2002 793 46.8 16.9 81.3
2003 793 46.8 16.9 81.3
2004 877 52.0 16.9 72.3
2005 899 53.1 16.9 71.7
2006 935 51.6 18.1 89.1
2007 765 42.8 17.9 86.9
2008 749 57.8 13.0 87.7
2009 724 55.5 13.0 91.9
2010 574 47.5 12.0 92.5
2011 617 47.5 12.9 90.9
2012 601 44.5 13.5 92.2
2013 640 36.0 17.7 92.7
2014 612 39.5 15.4 96.1
2015 573 38.0 15.0 99.5
2016 560 40.0 14.0 100
2017 649 35.5 18.2 100
2018 646 38.5 16.7 100
2019 584 39.5 14.7 100
2020 723 53.0 13.6 100
2021 755 55.0 13.7 99.6
2022 774 58.0 13.3 99.6
2023 759 55.3 13.7 100

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 $1,474 (10.7%) $12,307 (89.3%) $13,781
2020 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2021 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00
2022 $00 (NaN) $00 (NaN) $00

Data source: Pennsylvania 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 853rd of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 829th of 893 Middle schools
 2.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Southern Middle School)3.34.8
 1.5%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Middle School)20.317.1
 3.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Southern Middle School)5.33.1
 2.2%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Middle School)12.713.9
 1.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
All Grades Math (Southern Middle School)4.35.5
 1.2%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades English Language Arts (Southern Middle School)16.417.2
 0.8%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students584759
 30%
African American4870
 45.8%
American Indian00
Asian51
 80%
Hispanic496651
 31.3%
Pacific Islander00
White2425
 4.2%
Two or More Races1112
 9.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Middle School

Students at Southern Middle School are 86% Hispanic, 9% African American, 3% White, 2% Two or more races.

Students who attend Southern Middle School usually go on to attend Reading Senior High School

Southern Middle School ranks in the bottom 6.2% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 759 students attended Southern Middle School.


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