Stetson Middle School

Summary:

Stetson Middle School is a public middle school located in West Chester, Pennsylvania, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 843 students. It is part of the West Chester Area School District, which is ranked 60th out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania and is rated 5 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Stetson Middle School has consistently ranked among the top middle schools in Pennsylvania, with a statewide ranking between 18th and 154th over the past 10 years. It has maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past 5 years and performs well across different student subgroups, ranking in the top 150 Pennsylvania middle schools for female, male, African American, and white students. The school's proficiency rates in PSSA exams are generally higher than the state and district averages, with 73.2% proficiency in science, 71.2% in English Language Arts, and 38.5% in math. Stetson Middle School has also maintained relatively low dropout rates, ranging from 0.0% to 1.6% over the past few years.

While Stetson Middle School's performance is generally on par with or slightly better than the other middle schools in the West Chester Area School District, it lags behind some of the top-performing middle schools in the region, such as Springton Lake Middle School, Charles F. Patton Middle School, and Garnet Valley Middle School, which are ranked among the top 30 middle schools in Pennsylvania. However, Stetson Middle School's consistent performance and efficient resource allocation, with a student-teacher ratio of 12.5, contribute to its success and make it a valuable asset to the West Chester community.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1060 Wilmington Pike
       West Chester, PA  19382-7368


(484) 266-2700

District: West Chester Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
146th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,529 Help


Students who attend Stetson Middle School usually attend:

High:    West Chester Bayard Rustin High School

Feeder schools for Stetson Middle School:

Elementary:    Penn Wood Elementary School
    Sarah W Starkweather Elementary School
    Westtown-Thornbury Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  12.5 Help
Number of students:  843

Racial breakdown:

White:
78.9%
Hispanic:
6.3%
African American:
5.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  18.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Stetson Middle School ranks better than 83.6% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks first among 3 ranked middle schools in the West Chester Area School District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.08. (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
Help
Compare Details Stetson Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the West Chester Area School District. Racial makeup is: White (78.9%), Hispanic (6.3%), African American (5.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 18.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the West Chester Area School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Stetson Middle School is 12.5, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the West Chester Area School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Stetson Middle School employs 67 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Stetson Middle School is $17,529. 1 middle schools in the West Chester Area School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Stetson Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Stetson Middle School 146th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Stetson Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


West Chester Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks West Chester Area School District 60th of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Stetson Middle School.

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Rank History for Stetson Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 89.40 41st 643 93.6%
2004 92.78 15th 663 97.7%
2005 92.10 27th 687 96.1%
2006 84.90 57th 736 92.3%
2007 82.05 75th 749 90.0%
2008 81.75 83rd 753 89.0%
2009 86.89 37th 770 95.2%
2010 84.14 67th 805 91.7%
2011 85.37 48th 825 94.2%
2012 85.08 52nd 834 93.8%
2013 84.06 60th 758 92.1%
2014 88.28 18th 728 97.5%
2015 94.46 18th 835 97.8%
2016 91.96 36th 870 95.9%
2017 90.78 44th 877 95.0%
2018 89.60 52nd 861 94.0%
2019 87.47 82nd 891 90.8%
2021 84.10 87th 797 89.1%
2022 83.00 113th 883 87.2%
2023 79.42 154th 893 82.8%
2024 79.08 146th 891 83.6%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 71.31 45th 187 75.9%
2024 71.53 52nd 199 73.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.27 342nd 874 60.9%
2024 45.44 486th 877 44.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 76.31 166th 860 80.7%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 77.08 73rd 660 88.9%
2024 77.48 90th 672 86.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 78.33 146th 870 83.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 73.31 39th 144 72.9%
2024 63.63 61st 145 57.9%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 67.12 95th 421 77.4%
2024 61.77 116th 408 71.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.63 126th 362 65.2%
2024 55.15 139th 362 61.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Stetson Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 72.39 148th 681 78.3%
2024 70.97 150th 673 77.7%
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.

Stetson Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)
50%

0%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a citizen
Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Open Quote Stetson Middle School is a warm, welcoming community of well trained staff and faculty that bend over backwards for their students. Never in my life have I seen a school system that meets as many times as the dedicated administrators, counselors, and teachers of SMS do to make sure they are living up to the school's mission statement. Everyone from the principal to the CSS workers for children in need of academic accommodations have a smile on their face, greet you when you first enter the building and throughout the halls, and are nothing short of super duper amazing! Like any school, they have some things that could use improving, but there is not one person in the building that does not work to make their school a safe, positive, growth promoting environment, especially the 7th grade teachers! If I could give this school more than 5 stars, I would! Your child, no matter what your family's circumstances, will get an exemplary education, learn life skills and accountability, and have the most outstanding support system at Stetson Middle School. Do yourself and, most importantly, your kids a favor and SEND THEM TO STETSON! Close Quote


by a parent
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Open Quote This school needs help...

This is to anyone who is planning to enrole to this school, Don't.
This school has the worst adminstration that you can think of.

A detention happy vice principle

A Self esteem lowering Counselor

And a mess of idiot teachers who expect their students to do whats on the board while they watch youtube.

Not to mention that the school is junk yard with a lousy field and unsanitary building.

Do your children a favor don't enrole. And save your self $3000 a year by not paying their school taxes. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Stetson 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 588 61 10 21 2 n/a n/a 0 682
1989 607 44 9 20 0 n/a n/a 0 680
1990 599 63 7 20 0 n/a n/a 0 689
1991 606 65 9 17 0 n/a n/a 0 697
1992 478 55 9 22 0 n/a n/a 0 564
1993 547 59 17 16 0 n/a n/a 0 639
1994 595 61 17 26 0 n/a n/a 0 699
1995 607 70 21 34 0 n/a n/a 0 732
1996 607 70 21 34 0 n/a n/a 0 732
1997 615 67 17 32 1 n/a n/a 0 732
1998 618 70 13 30 1 n/a n/a 0 732
1999 674 82 15 42 0 n/a n/a 0 813
2000 709 75 22 40 0 n/a n/a 0 846
2001 697 77 24 43 1 n/a n/a 0 842
2002 685 83 29 53 1 n/a n/a 0 851
2003 685 83 29 53 1 n/a n/a 0 851
2004 828 64 33 42 0 n/a n/a 0 967
2005 771 72 33 49 0 n/a n/a 0 925
2006 771 84 44 42 1 n/a n/a 0 942
2007 769 74 49 33 2 n/a n/a 0 927
2008 794 66 46 32 0 n/a n/a 0 938
2009 805 62 53 30 0 n/a n/a 0 950
2010 769 60 55 29 0 n/a n/a 0 913
2011 773 63 64 28 0 0 0 0 928
2012 758 59 61 34 0 0 0 0 912
2013 766 48 59 40 0 1 2 0 916
2014 773 44 54 42 0 2 1 0 916
2015 847 39 51 53 0 2 0 0 992
2016 813 51 55 61 0 3 2 0 985
2017 798 53 60 48 0 3 7 0 969
2018 747 56 55 47 0 4 12 0 921
2019 708 46 52 48 1 1 19 0 875
2020 687 47 47 58 1 1 22 0 863
2021 688 51 44 52 1 0 24 0 860
2022 681 60 43 51 1 1 32 0 869
2023 665 49 38 53 1 0 37 0 843

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 Stetson Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 682 38.0 17.9 n/a
1989 680 51.3 13.2 n/a
1990 689 52.7 13.0 0
1991 697 51.1 13.6 n/a
1992 564 45.7 12.3 n/a
1993 639 37.0 17.3 n/a
1994 699 37.6 18.6 n/a
1995 732 43.8 16.7 n/a
1996 732 43.8 16.7 n/a
1997 732 43.4 16.9 n/a
1998 732 43.4 16.9 n/a
1999 813 48.8 16.7 n/a
2000 846 53.6 15.8 8.2
2001 842 60.0 14.0 10
2002 851 54.4 15.6 13
2003 851 54.4 15.6 13
2004 967 61.8 15.6 9.1
2005 925 58.7 15.8 12
2006 942 64.3 14.7 9.1
2007 927 62.9 14.7 6.4
2008 938 73.5 12.8 7.2
2009 950 71.2 13.3 7.6
2010 913 70.2 13.0 6.1
2011 928 71.0 13.0 5.9
2012 912 70.6 12.9 6.8
2013 916 67.9 13.4 8.7
2014 916 67.0 13.6 10.7
2015 992 69.0 14.3 10.9
2016 985 68.0 14.4 11.7
2017 969 68.0 14.2 11.8
2018 921 67.0 13.7 11.9
2019 875 66.5 13.1 12.7
2020 863 65.3 13.2 15.5
2021 860 64.5 13.3 16.2
2022 869 66.9 12.9 17.4
2023 843 67.0 12.5 18.1

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 Stetson Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 682 38.0 17.9 n/a
1989 680 51.3 13.2 n/a
1990 689 52.7 13.0 0
1991 697 51.1 13.6 n/a
1992 564 45.7 12.3 n/a
1993 639 37.0 17.3 n/a
1994 699 37.6 18.6 n/a
1995 732 43.8 16.7 n/a
1996 732 43.8 16.7 n/a
1997 732 43.4 16.9 n/a
1998 732 43.4 16.9 n/a
1999 813 48.8 16.7 n/a
2000 846 53.6 15.8 8.2
2001 842 60.0 14.0 10
2002 851 54.4 15.6 13
2003 851 54.4 15.6 13
2004 967 61.8 15.6 9.1
2005 925 58.7 15.8 12
2006 942 64.3 14.7 9.1
2007 927 62.9 14.7 6.4
2008 938 73.5 12.8 7.2
2009 950 71.2 13.3 7.6
2010 913 70.2 13.0 6.1
2011 928 71.0 13.0 5.9
2012 912 70.6 12.9 6.8
2013 916 67.9 13.4 8.7
2014 916 67.0 13.6 10.7
2015 992 69.0 14.3 10.9
2016 985 68.0 14.4 11.7
2017 969 68.0 14.2 11.8
2018 921 67.0 13.7 11.9
2019 875 66.5 13.1 12.7
2020 863 65.3 13.2 15.5
2021 860 64.5 13.3 16.2
2022 869 66.9 12.9 17.4
2023 843 67.0 12.5 18.1

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 Stetson Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $136 (0.8%) $16,288 (99.2%) $16,425
2020 $151 (1.0%) $15,744 (99.1%) $15,894
2021 $358 (2.1%) $16,419 (97.9%) $16,777
2022 $279 (1.6%) $17,250 (98.4%) $17,529

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Stetson 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 82nd of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 154th of 893 Middle schools
 8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Stetson Middle School)56.539
 17.5%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Stetson Middle School)82.473.7
 8.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Stetson Middle School)60.940.9
 20%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Stetson Middle School)82.370.6
 11.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Stetson Middle School)45.830.3
 15.5%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Stetson Middle School)79.177
 2.1%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Stetson Middle School)76.175.7
 0.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Stetson Middle School)54.136.6
 17.5%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Stetson Middle School)79.177
 2.1%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Stetson Middle School)80.173.3
 6.8%
   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 Students875843
 3.7%
African American4649
 6.5%
American Indian11
Asian5238
 26.9%
Hispanic4853
 10.4%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White708665
 6.1%
Two or More Races1937
 94.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients12.7%18.1%
 5.5%


Schools Near Stetson Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Stetson Middle School

Students who attend Stetson Middle School usually go on to attend West Chester Bayard Rustin High School

Stetson Middle School ranks 146th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 843 students attended Stetson Middle School.

Students at Stetson Middle School are 79% White, 6% Hispanic, 6% African American, 5% Asian, 4% Two or more races.


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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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