Southwest Middle School

Summary:

Southwest Middle School is a public middle school located in Reading, Pennsylvania, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 671 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. Southwest Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania middle schools, ranking 804 out of 891 in the 2023-2024 school year.

Southwest Middle School significantly underperforms compared to the state and district averages in academic proficiency. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 5% of students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to the state average of 40.4% and the district average of 9.4%. Similarly, in PSSA English Language Arts, only 20.4% of students were proficient or better, compared to the state average of 53% and the district average of 21.3%. The school's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, such as Hispanic students and low socioeconomic status students, who ranked in the bottom quartile of Pennsylvania middle schools. Additionally, Southwest Middle School has relatively high dropout rates, ranging from 1.6% to 5.0% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average.

When comparing Southwest Middle School to other nearby schools within the Reading School District, it is clear that the school is an outlier in terms of academic performance. For example, Northeast Middle School and Southern Middle School perform significantly better on PSSA assessments, with higher proficiency rates in both Math and English Language Arts. However, the strong performance of English Language Learner students at Southwest Middle School suggests that the school may have the potential to improve with the right interventions and support.

Detail:

Public 5-8

300 Chestnut St
Reading, PA 19602-1811

(610) 371-5934

District: Reading School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
804^th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Students who attend Southwest Middle School usually attend:

High:

Reading Senior High School

Feeder schools for Southwest Middle School:

Elementary:	Lauers Park Elementary School
	Tyson-Schoener Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 671

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

88.2%

African American:

6.3%

White:

4.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Southwest Middle School ranks worse than 90.2% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks 3^rd among 5 ranked middle schools in the Reading School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.38. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Southwest Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Reading School District. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (88.2%), African American (6.3%), White (4.6%). (See more...)

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

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southwest Middle School is 15.3. 2 middle schools in the Reading School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Southwest Middle School employs 43.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southwest Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southwest Middle School 804^th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Southwest 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:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Reading School District:

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

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Rank History for Southwest Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2021	7.61	746^th	797	6.4%
2022	8.78	811^th	883	8.2%
2023	8.68	816^th	893	8.6%
2024	9.38	804^th	891	9.8%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	42.94	73^rd	143	49.0%
2024	50.83	55^th	150	63.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	11.25	804^th	874	8.0%
2024	12.34	790^th	877	9.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	9.77	778^th	860	9.5%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	19.58	590^th	660	10.6%
2024	18.72	604^th	672	10.1%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	9.73	792^nd	870	9.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	49.90	169^th	421	59.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	18.01	320^th	362	11.6%
2024	18.82	314^th	362	13.3%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southwest Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	32.63	473^rd	673	29.7%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White 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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Enrollment information for Southwest Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2020	26	60	0	595	0	2	7	690
2021	24	65	0	591	0	1	6	687
2022	25	52	0	597	0	0	4	678
2023	31	42	1	592	1	0	4	671

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 School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	690	43.0	16.0	100
2021	687	48.0	14.3	99.6
2022	678	45.0	15.0	99.6
2023	671	43.8	15.3	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 Southwest Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	690	43.0	16.0	100
2021	687	48.0	14.3	99.6
2022	678	45.0	15.0	99.6
2023	671	43.8	15.3	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 Southwest Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$00 (NaN)	$00 (NaN)	$00
2021	$00 (NaN)	$00 (NaN)	$00
2022	$00 (NaN)	$00 (NaN)	$00

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Schools Near Southwest Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSSA Math (2024)					PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Middle School	Public	5-8	300 Chestnut St	Reading	19602	Berks County	Reading School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 371-5934	671	44	15.3	100.0%	31 (4.6%)	42 (6.3%)	592 (88.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	9.4	804^th of 891 public middle schools	9.8%		8.7	816^th of 893 public middle schools	8.6%	12	8.9	5.0	5.0	1.5	5.0	19.1	19.1	14.1	22.8	21.8	22.0	20.4	$00	$00	$00
Southern Middle School	Public	5-8	931 Chestnut St	Reading	19602	Berks County	Reading School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 371-5803	759	55	13.7	100.0%	25 (3.3%)	70 (9.2%)	651 (85.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.6%)	7.6	836^th of 891 public middle schools	6.2%		8.1	829^th of 893 public middle schools	7.2%	7	4.3	3.5	3.5	5.3	4.2	15.9	15.9	19.0	14.5	16.8	16.5	16.6	$00	$00	$00
West Reading Elementary Center	Public	5-6	421 Chestnut St	West Reading	19611	Berks County	Wyomissing Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 374-0739	297	20	14.8	41.1%	184 (62.0%)	15 (5.1%)	76 (25.6%)	8 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (4.4%)								(n/a)	50.4	52.1			51.2			61.0	64.8			63.0	$16,974	$1,159	$15,816
Central Middle School	Public	5-8	215 North 12th St	Reading	19604	Berks County	Reading School District	No	No	No	Yes	(484) 258-7365	1,865	120	15.5	100.0%	92 (4.9%)	119 (6.4%)	1,625 (87.1%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (1.3%)	9.1	810^th of 891 public middle schools	9.1%		9.8	801^st of 893 public middle schools	10.3%	9	6.9	2.7	5.5	2.3	4.3	23.6	23.6	15.1	19.1	21.8	19.6	18.8	$00	$00	$00
Northwest Middle School	Public	5-8	1000 N Front St	Reading	19601	Berks County	Reading School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 371-5772	869	53	16.4	100.0%	38 (4.4%)	61 (7.0%)	760 (87.5%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.8%)	10.5	789^th of 891 public middle schools	11.4%		9	810^th of 893 public middle schools	9.3%	21	6.5	10.4	4.9	8.0	7.4	16.2	16.2	20.3	26.3	13.5	19.4	19.9	$00	$00	$00
Northeast Middle School	Public	5-8	1216 N 13th St	Reading	19604	Berks County	Reading School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 371-5774	938	63	14.9	100.0%	46 (4.9%)	50 (5.3%)	829 (88.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.2%)	13.1	758^th of 891 public middle schools	14.9%		13	756^th of 893 public middle schools	15.3%	2	14.4	6.6	8.0	4.3	8.3	23.1	23.1	20.9	27.7	28.8	26.1	25.8	$00	$00	$00
Intermediate School	Public	5-6	600 Governor Dr	Shillington	19607	Berks County	Governor Mifflin School District	No	No	No	Yes	(610) 775-5083	570	42	13.5	51.6%	315 (55.3%)	30 (5.3%)	193 (33.9%)	8 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.2%)								(n/a)	31.6	32.8			32.2			49.3	51.3			50.3	$17,223	$640	$16,583
Governor Mifflin Middle School	Public	7-8	130 East Lancaster Avenue	Shillington	19607	Berks County	Governor Mifflin School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 775-1465	629	43	14.8	53.6%	362 (57.6%)	24 (3.8%)	210 (33.4%)	6 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.3%)	44.4	522^nd of 891 public middle schools	41.4%		38.1	570^th of 893 public middle schools	36.2%	48			25.6	24.5	25.0	53.4	53.4			41.2	41.3	41.2	$16,436	$611	$15,826
Exeter Township Junior High School	Public	7-8	151 E 39th St	Reading	19606	Berks County	Exeter Township School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 779-3320	637	44	14.4	33.6%	427 (67.0%)	29 (4.6%)	141 (22.1%)	13 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.2%)	69.6	256^th of 891 public middle schools	71.3%		66.9	278^th of 893 public middle schools	68.9%	22			44.7	28.4	36.4	57.8	57.8			67.4	54.3	60.7	$17,462	$461	$17,001
Reiffton School	Public	5-6	4355 Dunham Drive	Reading	19606	Berks County	Exeter Township School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 779-7640	612	39	15.7	39.1%	428 (69.9%)	31 (5.1%)	119 (19.4%)	8 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.2%)								(n/a)	46.5	49.4			48.2			63.9	57.7			60.6	$16,250	$975	$15,275

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Middle School

What high school do graduates of Southwest Middle School attend?

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

How many students attend Southwest Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 671 students attended Southwest Middle School.

Is Southwest Middle School a good school?

Southwest Middle School ranks in the bottom 9.8% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

What district is Southwest Middle School in?

Reading School District

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Middle School?

Students at Southwest Middle School are 88% Hispanic, 6% African American, 5% White.

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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.