Tamaqua Area Middle School

Summary:

Tamaqua Area Middle School is a public middle school serving grades 6-8 in the Tamaqua Area School District, located in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. With 433 students, the school faces significant challenges in student achievement, particularly for certain subgroups, and lags behind many of its neighboring schools in key metrics.

The school consistently underperforms the state average in PSSA Math, Science, and English Language Arts proficiency across all grades. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's overall Math proficiency was 30.4% compared to the state average of 40.4%. Additionally, the school has significant achievement gaps between student subgroups, with Hispanic students performing relatively well, but White students and students of low socioeconomic status performing much worse. The school also has higher dropout rates compared to the state average, ranging from 1.6% to 2.1% over the past few years, and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing Tamaqua Area Middle School to nearby middle schools, such as Blue Mountain Middle School, which is ranked 296 out of 891 PA middle schools, Tamaqua Area Middle School performs worse in terms of test scores and other key metrics. Despite spending more per student ($16,179 in 2021-2022) compared to the state average, the school's academic outcomes have not improved, suggesting the need to re-evaluate how resources are being allocated and utilized to support student learning. The school's relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 12.4 to 14.0 over the past few years, indicates the potential for more individualized attention, but this has not yet resulted in better academic performance.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 502 Penn Street
       Tamaqua, PA  18252


(570) 668-1210

District: Tamaqua Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
470th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,179 Help


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 Help
Number of students:  433

Racial breakdown:

White:
83.1%
Hispanic:
12.7%
African American:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  61.4% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Tamaqua Area Middle School ranks worse than 52.7% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.16. (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: White (83.1%), Hispanic (12.7%), African American (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 61.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tamaqua Area Middle School is 13.4. (See more...)
Help
Compare Tamaqua Area Middle School employs 32.2 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tamaqua Area Middle School is $16,179.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Tamaqua Area Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Tamaqua Area Middle School 470th of 891 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:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Tamaqua Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Tamaqua Area School District 345th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Tamaqua Area Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 58.20 317th 643 50.7%
2004 77.75 141st 663 78.7%
2005 42.66 474th 687 31.0%
2006 52.85 425th 736 42.3%
2007 64.75 290th 749 61.3%
2008 69.71 228th 753 69.7%
2009 65.93 282nd 770 63.4%
2010 65.15 313th 805 61.1%
2011 64.18 352nd 825 57.3%
2012 68.45 306th 834 63.3%
2013 68.23 271st 758 64.2%
2014 59.46 343rd 728 52.9%
2015 57.73 367th 835 56.0%
2016 55.92 420th 870 51.7%
2017 54.86 423rd 877 51.8%
2018 50.06 476th 861 44.7%
2019 56.18 432nd 891 51.5%
2021 49.25 421st 797 47.2%
2022 48.95 479th 883 45.8%
2023 40.96 543rd 893 39.2%
2024 49.16 470th 891 47.3%
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 444th 874 49.2%
2024 53.83 389th 877 55.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.62 539th 860 37.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female 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 343rd 660 48.0%
2024 53.88 229th 672 65.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Tamaqua Area Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 54.98 392nd 870 54.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male 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 160th 362 55.8%
2024 50.92 160th 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 561st 681 17.6%
2024 32.44 475th 673 29.4%
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.

Tamaqua Area 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 Tamaqua Area Middle School

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Compare
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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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 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

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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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 432nd of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 543rd 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)45.829.2
 16.6%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)66.938
 28.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)35.432.1
 3.3%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)53.655.1
 1.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)26.512.2
 14.3%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Tamaqua Area Middle School)6053.5
 6.5%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)53.737.1
 16.6%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Tamaqua Area Middle School)35.924.1
 11.8%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Tamaqua Area Middle School)6053.5
 6.5%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Tamaqua Area Middle School)57.942.5
 15.4%
   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 Students535433
 19.1%
African American715
 114.3%
American Indian00
Asian21
 50%
Hispanic3855
 44.7%
Pacific Islander00
White471360
 23.6%
Two or More Races172
 88.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54%61.4%
 7.4%


Schools Near Tamaqua Area Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Tamaqua Area Middle School

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

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

Tamaqua Area Middle School ranks 470th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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