Rochester Middle School

Q: Is Rochester Middle School a good school?

Rochester Middle School ranks 579 th of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Rochester Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Rochester Area School District in Pennsylvania, with a relatively small student population of 160 students. The school has seen some demographic changes in recent years, with a decrease in the percentage of White students and an increase in the percentage of African American and students of two or more races.

Despite its small class sizes and higher-than-average spending per student, Rochester Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools, with significantly below-average performance on PSSA tests across all subject areas and grade levels. The school's academic performance has been declining over the years, and it ranks in the bottom half of the state for both White students and low socioeconomic status students. In comparison, nearby Riverside Middle School consistently ranks in the top 20% of Pennsylvania middle schools and outperforms Rochester Middle School on PSSA tests by a significant margin.

The school's extremely high percentage of students (100%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch indicates a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. While the school has maintained a very low dropout rate, the combination of poor academic performance and socioeconomic challenges suggests that there may be opportunities for improvement in the school's educational programs and support services. Comparing Rochester Middle School to nearby high-performing schools can provide valuable insights and potential strategies for addressing these challenges.

Detail:

Public 6-8

540 Reno Street
Rochester, PA 15074

(724) 775-7500

District: Rochester Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
579^th of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $28,509

Student/teacher ratio: 9.9

Number of students: 160

Racial breakdown:

White:

66.3%

African American:

16.9%

Two or more races:

12.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare Rochester Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Rochester Middle School ranks worse than 64.8% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.19. (See more...)

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

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Rochester Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (66.3%), African American (16.9%), two or more races (12.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rochester Middle School is 9.9. (See more...)

Compare Rochester Middle School employs 16 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rochester Middle School is $28,509.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Rochester Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Rochester Middle School 579^th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Rochester Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Rochester Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Rochester Area School District 447^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Rochester Middle School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Rochester Middle School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Rochester Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2015	33.62	570^th	835	31.7%
2016	26.44	640^th	870	26.4%
2017	19.68	684^th	877	22.0%
2018	29.56	613^th	861	28.8%
2019	33.65	601^st	891	32.5%
2021	32.30	563^rd	797	29.4%
2022	40.74	550^th	883	37.7%
2023	37.19	579^th	893	35.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

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

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.74	503^rd	874	42.4%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Rochester Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	47.60	287^th	660	56.5%

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

Rank History for White students at Rochester Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	29.45	511^th	681	25.0%

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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Rochester Middle School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Rochester Middle School, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Rochester Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	127	43	1	0	0	0	0	171
2015	127	49	0	1	0	0	0	177
2016	119	47	0	2	0	0	2	170
2017	116	43	0	0	0	0	3	162
2018	99	38	0	3	0	0	12	152
2019	115	40	1	1	0	0	11	168
2020	113	39	1	1	0	0	11	165
2021	113	32	2	0	0	0	17	164
2022	121	23	1	3	0	0	15	163
2023	106	27	1	4	1	1	20	160

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 Rochester Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	171	10.0	17.1	62.6
2015	177	12.0	14.7	63.3
2016	170	15.0	11.3	71.2
2017	162	13.5	11.9	100
2018	152	14.5	10.4	100
2019	168	15.8	10.6	100
2020	165	14.9	11.0	100
2021	164	15.0	10.9	98.2
2022	163	15.4	10.5	98.2
2023	160	16.0	9.9	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 Rochester Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	171	10.0	17.1	62.6
2015	177	12.0	14.7	63.3
2016	170	15.0	11.3	71.2
2017	162	13.5	11.9	100
2018	152	14.5	10.4	100
2019	168	15.8	10.6	100
2020	165	14.9	11.0	100
2021	164	15.0	10.9	98.2
2022	163	15.4	10.5	98.2
2023	160	16.0	9.9	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 Rochester Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$21 (0.1%)	$20,818 (99.9%)	$20,839
2020	$00 (0.0%)	$15,955 (100.0%)	$15,955
2021	$908 (2.6%)	$33,577 (97.4%)	$34,485
2022	$1,649 (5.8%)	$26,860 (94.2%)	$28,509

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rochester 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 601^st of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 579^th of 893 Middle schools	2.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Rochester Middle School)	17.9	43.2	25.3%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Rochester Middle School)	59	52.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Rochester Middle School)	11.1	19.6	8.5%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Rochester Middle School)	52.8	48.9	3.9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Rochester Middle School)	13.5	0	13.5%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Rochester Middle School)	45.9	32.6	13.3%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Rochester Middle School)	54	41.3	12.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Rochester Middle School)	14.3	20.6	6.3%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Rochester Middle School)	45.9	32.6	13.3%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Rochester Middle School)	55.4	47.4	8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	168	160	4.8%
African American	40	27	32.5%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	1	4	300%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	115	106	7.8%
Two or More Races	11	20	81.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Rochester Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)					PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)					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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	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
Rochester Middle School	Public	6-8	540 Reno Street	Rochester	15074	Beaver County	Rochester Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 775-7500	160	16	9.9	100.0%	106 (66.3%)	27 (16.9%)	4 (2.5%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	20 (12.5%)	37.2	579^th of 893 public middle schools	35.2%		40.7	550^th of 883 public middle schools	37.7%	29		43.2	19.6	0.0	20.6	32.6	32.6		52.1	48.9	41.3	47.4	$28,509	$1,649	$26,860
Central Valley Middle School	Public	6-8	1500 Allen Ave	Monaca	15061	Beaver County	Central Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 775-8200	543	42	13.0	23.4%	465 (85.6%)	39 (7.2%)	15 (2.8%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.5%)	56.4	397^th of 893 public middle schools	55.5%		61.5	328^th of 883 public middle schools	62.9%	69		22.1	28.5	32.7	27.8	66.7	66.7		60.1	42.4	56.2	52.7	$15,799	$740	$15,058
Beaver Area Middle School	Public	7-8	Gypsy Glen Rd	Beaver	15009	Beaver County	Beaver Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 774-0253	307	20	15.0	26.1%	285 (92.8%)	4 (1.3%)	7 (2.3%)	6 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)	84.1	116^th of 893 public middle schools	87.0%		88.1	75^th of 883 public middle schools	91.5%	41			39.5	46.7	42.8	77.4	77.4			65.3	75.0	69.9	$11,729	$235	$11,494
New Brighton Area Middle School	Public	6-8	901 Penn Ave	New Brighton	15066	Beaver County	New Brighton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 846-8100	298	27	11.2	100.0%	214 (71.8%)	22 (7.4%)	6 (2.0%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (17.8%)	43.7	521^st of 893 public middle schools	41.7%		47.4	491^st of 883 public middle schools	44.4%	30		27.7	28.6	11.8	22.6	49.0	49.0		45.5	48.9	52.2	48.9	$17,723	$1,215	$16,508
Freedom Area Middle School	Public	5-8	1702 School Street	Freedom	15042	Beaver County	Freedom Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 775-7641	370	29	12.5	59.7%	335 (90.5%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.8%)	43.7	522^nd of 893 public middle schools	41.5%		40.4	554^th of 883 public middle schools	37.3%	32	44.9	25.2	40.5	20.3	32.1	47.0	47.0	58.5	40.4	48.7	42.4	47.0	$14,554	$551	$14,003
Beaver Falls Middle School	Public	6-8	1601 8th Ave	Beaver Falls	15010	Beaver County	Big Beaver Falls Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 846-5470	384	31	12.3	100.0%	189 (49.2%)	87 (22.7%)	15 (3.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (24.0%)	35.2	594^th of 893 public middle schools	33.5%		29.7	608^th of 883 public middle schools	31.1%	14		21.4	23.7	11.8	18.6	38.0	38.0		48.3	54.6	36.7	46.0	$16,380	$2,069	$14,311
Ambridge Area Middle School	Public	6-8	401 First Street	Freedom	15042	Beaver County	Ambridge Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(724) 266-2833	467	35	13.4	99.4%	326 (69.8%)	79 (16.9%)	23 (4.9%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (7.3%)	30.9	614^th of 893 public middle schools	31.2%		31.5	598^th of 883 public middle schools	32.3%	16		20.9	16.4	10.0	15.6	44.7	44.7		47.3	40.7	37.3	41.6	$11,471	$1,058	$10,413
Highland Middle School	Public	5-8	402 Shenango Rd	Beaver Falls	15010	Beaver County	Blackhawk School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 843-1700	700	47	14.9	35.3%	656 (93.7%)	6 (0.9%)	15 (2.1%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.6%)	56.9	390^th of 893 public middle schools	56.3%		68.8	254^th of 883 public middle schools	71.2%	136	59.4	48.7	43.5	18.4	42.6	58.2	58.2	67.7	48.1	50.6	47.0	53.5	$10,333	$106	$10,226
Haine Middle School	Public	5-6	1516 Haine School Road	Cranberry Twp	16066	Butler County	Seneca Valley School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 776-1325	494	42	11.6	19.8%	387 (78.3%)	22 (4.5%)	24 (4.9%)	29 (5.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.3%)								(n/a)	58.5	61.0			59.7			68.7	72.8			70.6	$16,453	$821	$15,632
Hopewell Junior High School	Public	5-8	2354 Brodhead Rd	Aliquippa	15001	Beaver County	Hopewell Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 375-7765	622	46	13.6	39.4%	537 (86.3%)	25 (4.0%)	21 (3.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (5.8%)	66.6	286^th of 893 public middle schools	68.0%		64.2	309^th of 883 public middle schools	65.0%	23	48.0	50.8	34.3	25.3	39.1	54.3	54.3	54.1	67.7	58.8	59.1	59.6	$18,249	$469	$17,780

Frequently Asked Questions about Rochester Middle School

Is Rochester Middle School a good school?

Rochester Middle School ranks 579^th of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Rochester Middle School?

Students at Rochester Middle School are 66% White, 17% African American, 13% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What district is Rochester Middle School in?

Rochester Area School District

How many students attend Rochester Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 160 students attended Rochester Middle School.

Rate Rochester Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

PAPennsylvania Middle School Rankings

PAPennsylvania District Rankings

Schools in Rochester, PA

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Rochester Middle School!

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.