Tamaqua Area Middle School

Q: Is Tamaqua Area Middle School a good school?

Tamaqua Area Middle School ranks 543 rd of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Tamaqua Area Middle School is a public middle school serving 433 students in grades 6-8 in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, which is part of the Tamaqua Area School District. The school faces several challenges, including declining academic performance, achievement gaps among student subgroups, and a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

Tamaqua Area Middle School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (83.14%) compared to the state average, but lower percentages of African American (3.46%) and Asian (0.23%) students. Academically, the school's proficiency rates on PSSA tests are generally below the state average, with only 24.1% of students proficient in Math and 42.5% proficient in English Language Arts in 2022-2023. The school's performance varies significantly by student subgroup, with Hispanic students performing relatively well but white students and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds struggling. Notably, the school has maintained a 0% dropout rate for several years.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Northwestern Lehigh Middle School, Tamaqua Area Middle School generally performs worse academically. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, which has increased from 47.36% in 2020-2021 to 61.43% in 2022-2023, suggests that socioeconomic factors may be playing a significant role in the school's academic challenges. To address these issues, the school could focus on targeted interventions and support for underperforming subgroups, as well as leverage its strengths, such as the relatively strong performance of Hispanic students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

502 Penn Street
Tamaqua, PA 18252

(570) 668-1210

District: Tamaqua Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
543^rd of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,179

Students who attend Tamaqua Area Middle School usually attend:

High:

Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Feeder schools for Tamaqua Area Middle School:

Elementary:	Tamaqua Elementary School
	West Penn Township Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.4

Number of students: 433

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.1%

Hispanic:

12.7%

African American:

3.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 61.4%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare Tamaqua Area Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Tamaqua Area Middle School ranks worse than 60.8% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 40.96. (See more...)

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

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (83.1%), Hispanic (12.7%), African American (3.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 61.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tamaqua Area Middle School is 13.4. (See more...)

Compare Tamaqua Area Middle School employs 32.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tamaqua Area Middle School is $16,179.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Tamaqua Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Tamaqua Area Middle School 543^rd of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Tamaqua Area Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Tamaqua Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tamaqua Area School District 416^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Tamaqua Area Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	58.20	317^th	643	50.7%
2004	77.75	141^st	663	78.7%
2005	42.66	474^th	687	31.0%
2006	52.85	425^th	736	42.3%
2007	64.75	290^th	749	61.3%
2008	69.71	228^th	753	69.7%
2009	65.93	282^nd	770	63.4%
2010	65.15	313^th	805	61.1%
2011	64.18	352^nd	825	57.3%
2012	68.45	306^th	834	63.3%
2013	68.23	271^st	758	64.2%
2014	59.46	343^rd	728	52.9%
2015	57.73	367^th	835	56.0%
2016	55.92	420^th	870	51.7%
2017	54.86	423^rd	877	51.8%
2018	50.06	476^th	861	44.7%
2019	56.18	432^nd	891	51.5%
2021	49.25	421^st	797	47.2%
2022	48.95	479^th	883	45.8%
2023	40.96	543^rd	893	39.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	49.88	444^th	874	49.2%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	41.90	343^rd	660	48.0%

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

Rank History for Hispanic students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.62	160^th	362	55.8%

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

Rank History for White students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.50	561^st	681	17.6%

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 Tamaqua Area Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2001	561	0	0	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	570
2002	590	6	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
2003	590	6	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
2004	542	8	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	558
2005	530	6	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	540
2006	533	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	535
2007	497	6	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	510
2008	472	4	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	4	488
2009	456	5	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	7	475
2010	464	3	1	10	0	n/a	n/a	3	481
2011	461	3	0	8	0	0	2	0	474
2012	472	3	0	10	0	0	1	0	486
2013	449	5	0	9	0	0	1	0	464
2014	454	8	0	9	0	0	4	0	475
2015	454	10	3	13	0	0	2	0	482
2016	473	7	4	23	0	0	6	0	513
2017	488	6	4	28	0	0	9	0	535
2018	476	6	2	31	0	0	12	0	527
2019	471	7	2	38	0	0	17	0	535
2020	468	9	3	43	0	1	19	0	543
2021	425	12	2	44	1	1	7	0	492
2022	376	13	2	49	0	1	4	0	445
2023	360	15	1	55	0	0	2	0	433

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 Tamaqua Area Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	570	30.3	18.8	0
2002	599	32.0	18.7	27.9
2003	599	32.0	18.7	27.9
2004	558	32.7	17.1	0
2005	540	33.6	16.1	30.9
2006	535	37.5	14.3	28.4
2007	510	39.1	13.0	28
2008	488	26.9	18.1	29.1
2009	475	29.5	16.1	29.3
2010	481	27.0	17.8	33.1
2011	474	26.9	17.6	31.2
2012	486	n/a	n/a	36.2
2013	464	34.6	13.4	37.9
2014	475	37.2	12.7	40.2
2015	482	36.0	13.3	35.7
2016	513	34.0	15.0	42.3
2017	535	34.0	15.7	42.8
2018	527	33.8	15.5	51
2019	535	34.7	15.3	54
2020	543	33.7	16.0	24.7
2021	492	35.0	14.0	47.4
2022	445	35.7	12.4	56.9
2023	433	32.2	13.4	61.4

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 Tamaqua Area Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	570	30.3	18.8	0
2002	599	32.0	18.7	27.9
2003	599	32.0	18.7	27.9
2004	558	32.7	17.1	0
2005	540	33.6	16.1	30.9
2006	535	37.5	14.3	28.4
2007	510	39.1	13.0	28
2008	488	26.9	18.1	29.1
2009	475	29.5	16.1	29.3
2010	481	27.0	17.8	33.1
2011	474	26.9	17.6	31.2
2012	486	n/a	n/a	36.2
2013	464	34.6	13.4	37.9
2014	475	37.2	12.7	40.2
2015	482	36.0	13.3	35.7
2016	513	34.0	15.0	42.3
2017	535	34.0	15.7	42.8
2018	527	33.8	15.5	51
2019	535	34.7	15.3	54
2020	543	33.7	16.0	24.7
2021	492	35.0	14.0	47.4
2022	445	35.7	12.4	56.9
2023	433	32.2	13.4	61.4

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 Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$417 (3.1%)	$12,874 (96.9%)	$13,292
2020	$402 (3.1%)	$12,411 (96.9%)	$12,813
2021	$440 (3.1%)	$13,600 (96.9%)	$14,040
2022	$515 (3.2%)	$15,664 (96.8%)	$16,179

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tamaqua Area 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 432^nd of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 543^rd of 893 Middle schools	12.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	45.8	29.2	16.6%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	66.9	38	28.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	35.4	32.1	3.3%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	53.6	55.1	1.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	26.5	12.2	14.3%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	60	53.5	6.5%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	53.7	37.1	16.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	35.9	24.1	11.8%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	60	53.5	6.5%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)	57.9	42.5	15.4%
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	535	433	19.1%
African American	7	15	114.3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	38	55	44.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	471	360	23.6%
Two or More Races	17	2	88.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54%	61.4%	7.4%

Schools Near Tamaqua Area 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 3rd Grade	PSSA Math 4th Grade	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 4th Grade	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 3rd Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 4th Grade	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
Tamaqua Area Middle School	Public	6-8	502 Penn Street	Tamaqua	18252	Schuylkill County	Tamaqua Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 668-1210	433	32	13.4	61.4%	360 (83.1%)	15 (3.5%)	55 (12.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	41	543^rd of 893 public middle schools	39.2%		48.9	479^th of 883 public middle schools	45.8%	64				29.2	32.1	12.2	24.1		53.5	53.5				38.0	55.1	37.1	42.5	$16,179	$515	$15,664
Panther Valley Intermediate School	Public	4-6	678 Panther Pride Drive	Lansford	18232	Carbon County	Panther Valley School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 645-2175	417	24	17.3	100.0%	288 (69.1%)	34 (8.2%)	61 (14.6%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.0%)								(n/a)		24.8	24.8	21.9			23.9	69.0		69.0		23.2	41.6	45.4			36.6	$16,033	$6,401	$9,632
Blue Mountain Middle School	Public	6-8	685 Red Dale Rd	Orwigsburg	17961	Schuylkill County	Blue Mountain School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 366-0546	575	45	12.6	34.1%	524 (91.1%)	3 (0.5%)	28 (4.9%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.4%)	57.4	380^th of 893 public middle schools	57.4%		66.4	282^nd of 883 public middle schools	68.1%	98				22.9	29.9	22.1	25.1		67.0	67.0				55.3	60.4	54.4	56.8	$14,832	$194	$14,638
Hazleton El/Middle School	Public	3-8	700 North Wyoming St	Hazleton	18201	Luzerne County	Hazleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 459-3111	879	51	17.0	100.0%	71 (8.1%)	13 (1.5%)	781 (88.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	10 (1.1%)	13.5	748^th of 893 public middle schools	16.2%		17.1	709^th of 883 public middle schools	19.7%	39	12.4	4.5	5.4	3.3	2.3	5.2	5.6	35.3	28.4	32.1	25.0	18.4	21.8	35.7	31.3	23.3	25.9	$11,142	$1,102	$10,040
Maple Manor El/Middle School	Public	3-8	1700 W 22nd Street	Hazle Township	18202	Luzerne County	Hazleton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 459-3221	999	47	21.1	100.0%	98 (9.8%)	19 (1.9%)	862 (86.3%)	7 (0.7%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (0.9%)	18.8	695^th of 893 public middle schools	22.2%		16	717^th of 883 public middle schools	18.8%	22	9.6	3.1	6.4	10.1	8.5	11.3	8.1	47.5	31.3	39.7	27.1	17.3	28.6	38.0	28.6	32.9	28.4	$9,642	$1,145	$8,497
Weatherly Area Middle School	Public	6-8	602 6th St	Weatherly	18255	Carbon County	Weatherly Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 427-8689	126	9	14.5	61.9%	108 (85.7%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (11.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.2%)	45.5	510^th of 893 public middle schools	42.9%		45.7	500^th of 883 public middle schools	43.4%	10				21.7	22.6	15.1	20.0		60.6	60.6				41.3	54.8	60.6	50.9	$16,380	$1,310	$15,070
Lehighton Area Middle School	Public	6-8	301 Beaver Run Rd	Lehighton	18235	Carbon County	Lehighton Area School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 377-6535	513	50	10.2	52.2%	439 (85.6%)	10 (1.9%)	46 (9.0%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	12 (2.3%)	47.8	496^th of 893 public middle schools	44.5%		51	454^th of 883 public middle schools	48.6%	42				31.2	27.4	22.3	27.0		61.1	61.1				49.7	43.0	44.8	45.7	$15,612	$1,451	$14,160
Lengel Middle School	Public	5-8	1541 Laurel Blvd	Pottsville	17901	Schuylkill County	Pottsville Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 621-2923	699	52	13.4	66.0%	521 (74.5%)	50 (7.2%)	88 (12.6%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	32 (4.6%)	49.9	470^th of 893 public middle schools	47.4%		54	419^th of 883 public middle schools	52.5%	51			43.6	26.0	27.9	25.2	30.7		59.9	59.9			48.4	42.5	50.0	50.9	48.1	$13,034	$1,007	$12,027
Schuylkill Haven Middle School	Public	5-7	120 Haven Street	Schuylkill Haven	17972	Schuylkill County	Schuylkill Haven Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 385-6708	260	20	13.3	50.4%	229 (88.1%)	3 (1.2%)	21 (8.1%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.9%)	47.3	501^st of 893 public middle schools	43.9%		51.9	444^th of 883 public middle schools	49.7%	57			39.4	34.1	30.0		34.5						40.0	52.3	40.0		44.4	$16,904	$1,358	$15,546
Northwestern Lehigh Middle School	Public	6-8	6636 Northwest Rd	New Tripoli	18066	Lehigh County	Northwestern Lehigh School District	No	No	No	No	(610) 298-8661	465	37	12.4	25.4%	418 (89.9%)	10 (2.2%)	21 (4.5%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.8%)	80.7	141^st of 893 public middle schools	84.2%		78.2	155^th of 883 public middle schools	82.4%	14				45.9	36.1	37.6	39.8		79.4	79.4				67.8	74.3	68.5	70.1	$18,615	$722	$17,893

Frequently Asked Questions about Tamaqua Area Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Tamaqua Area Middle School?

Students at Tamaqua Area Middle School are 83% White, 13% Hispanic, 3% African American.

Is Tamaqua Area Middle School a good school?

Tamaqua Area Middle School ranks 543^rd of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Tamaqua Area Middle School in?

Tamaqua Area School District

How many students attend Tamaqua Area Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 433 students attended Tamaqua Area Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Tamaqua Area Middle School attend?

Students who attend Tamaqua Area Middle School usually go on to attend Tamaqua Area Senior High School

Rate Tamaqua Area 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.