Swanson Middle

Summary:

Swanson Middle is a public middle school located in Arlington, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 936 students. It is part of the Arlington County Public Schools district, which is ranked 26th out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Swanson Middle consistently performs well on state assessments, with high proficiency rates across various subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Swanson Middle had 93.88% of 8th graders proficient or better in Geometry, compared to the Arlington County and Virginia averages of 98.21% and 96.66%, respectively. The school also has a more diverse student population compared to some nearby schools, with a racial makeup of 53.53% White, 6.52% African American, 21.26% Hispanic, 7.69% Asian, and 10.68% two or more races. However, Swanson Middle's performance on state assessments varies across different student subgroups, with lower rankings for African American, Hispanic, and English Language Learner students.

Swanson Middle generally outperforms the nearby Gunston Middle and Kenmore Middle schools on state assessments, but lags behind the highly-ranked Williamsburg Middle and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle schools in the region. Additionally, Swanson Middle's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 36th out of 413 Virginia middle schools in 2016-2017 to 97th out of 417 in 2023-2024, suggesting that the school may be facing some challenges in maintaining its high academic performance.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 5800 Washington Blvd
       Arlington, VA  22205


(703) 228-5500

District: Arlington County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
97th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,456 Help


Feeder schools for Swanson Middle:

Elementary:    Cardinal Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  13.6 Help
Number of students:  936

Racial breakdown:

White:
53.5%
Hispanic:
21.3%
Two or more races:
10.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  19.3% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Swanson Middle ranks better than 76.7% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 3rd among 6 ranked middle schools in the Arlington County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.53. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Swanson Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Arlington County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Swanson Middle is $11,456, which is the 3rd highest among 6 middle schools in the Arlington County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Swanson Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Swanson Middle 97th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Swanson Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Arlington County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Arlington County Public Schools 26th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Swanson Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 70.39 91st 340 73.2%
2006 67.40 79th 383 79.4%
2007 69.67 69th 387 82.2%
2008 71.45 65th 391 83.4%
2009 68.94 70th 390 82.1%
2010 65.99 89th 408 78.2%
2011 75.51 43rd 413 89.6%
2012 77.36 30th 413 92.7%
2013 80.89 33rd 416 92.1%
2014 82.45 28th 416 93.3%
2015 83.04 25th 412 93.9%
2016 79.50 42nd 409 89.7%
2017 83.35 23rd 415 94.5%
2018 78.52 36th 413 91.3%
2019 78.83 40th 424 90.6%
2021 76.40 47th 419 88.8%
2022 75.56 61st 415 85.3%
2023 75.13 96th 422 77.3%
2024 72.53 97th 417 76.7%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 84.62 16th 231 93.1%
2024 85.12 11th 237 95.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.56 42nd 100 58.0%
2024 33.85 72nd 122 41.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 38.93 265th 402 34.1%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 74.69 89th 411 78.3%
2024 69.80 109th 407 73.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.09 80th 278 71.2%
2024 69.52 64th 281 77.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 72.46 21st 114 81.6%
2024 79.12 9th 123 92.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 75.07 91st 409 77.8%
2024 74.10 86th 407 78.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.25 66th 132 50.0%
2024 63.26 49th 128 61.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.74 153rd 298 48.7%
2024 57.27 132nd 299 55.9%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.59 190th 275 30.9%
2024 35.80 184th 272 32.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Swanson Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 85.80 10th 402 97.5%
2024 83.15 17th 396 95.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Virginia Department 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.

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





Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, December 24, 2021

Open Quote Swanson has a very toxic school culture violence has become all too common. Administrators refuse to honestly communicate with families. Meanwhile, real education has taken a backseat to ideological fads. Avoid this school if you can! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Swanson Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1989 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 428 428
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 469 469
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 634 634
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 651 651
1993 430 87 49 114 1 n/a n/a 0 681
1994 437 89 58 109 0 n/a n/a 0 693
1995 431 49 58 173 0 n/a n/a 0 711
1996 431 49 58 173 0 n/a n/a 0 711
1997 450 41 62 165 0 n/a n/a 0 718
1998 455 46 52 150 0 n/a n/a 0 703
1999 497 45 60 146 0 n/a n/a 0 748
2000 542 39 70 155 1 n/a n/a -4 803
2001 541 41 75 160 0 n/a n/a 0 817
2002 518 38 66 149 1 n/a n/a 0 772
2003 518 38 66 149 1 n/a n/a 0 772
2004 528 39 54 155 1 n/a n/a 0 777
2005 504 44 56 132 1 n/a n/a 1 738
2006 538 55 79 119 4 n/a n/a 2 797
2007 551 52 88 112 3 n/a n/a 2 808
2008 541 58 82 112 2 n/a n/a 6 801
2009 581 60 93 121 0 n/a n/a 6 861
2010 605 58 88 124 0 n/a n/a 4 879
2011 619 44 69 158 2 2 60 0 954
2012 601 38 77 160 2 1 54 0 933
2013 660 40 85 181 4 1 62 0 1033
2014 672 41 90 186 4 1 63 0 1057
2015 686 45 77 171 3 0 66 0 1048
2016 733 58 80 173 2 0 77 0 1123
2017 846 46 100 176 2 0 87 0 1257
2018 860 52 104 191 2 0 96 0 1305
2019 887 51 105 193 1 0 91 0 1328
2020 589 54 75 219 0 0 77 0 1014
2021 573 52 85 221 1 0 86 0 1018
2022 521 58 87 196 2 0 98 0 962
2023 501 61 72 199 3 0 100 0 936

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 Swanson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 428 28.4 15.0 n/a
1990 469 31.2 15.0 n/a
1991 634 39.2 16.1 n/a
1992 651 39.9 16.3 n/a
1993 681 52.5 13.0 n/a
1994 693 50.6 n/a 17.5
1995 711 n/a 0.0 24.3
1996 711 n/a 0.0 24.3
1997 718 n/a 0.0 24.2
1998 703 n/a 0.0 19.3
1999 748 58.0 12.9 24.6
2000 803 n/a 0.0 21.3
2001 817 60.0 13.6 22.2
2002 772 81.0 9.5 20.6
2003 772 81.0 9.5 20.6
2004 777 61.2 12.7 17.6
2005 738 59.2 12.5 19.8
2006 797 60.0 13.3 20.3
2007 808 63.7 12.7 15.6
2008 801 52.6 15.2 14.6
2009 861 52.2 16.5 15.2
2010 879 55.5 15.8 14.6
2011 954 41.5 22.9 14.4
2012 933 73.2 12.7 14.7
2013 1033 73.5 14.0 14.4
2014 1057 79.1 13.3 13.4
2015 1048 82.0 12.7 13.3
2016 1123 80.0 14.0 13.2
2017 1257 93.4 13.4 12.5
2018 1305 95.9 13.6 12.8
2019 1328 94.0 14.1 11.5
2020 1014 79.1 12.8 19.2
2021 1018 75.5 13.4 n/a
2022 962 71.9 13.3 20.3
2023 936 68.5 13.6 19.3

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 Swanson Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 428 28.4 15.0 n/a
1990 469 31.2 15.0 n/a
1991 634 39.2 16.1 n/a
1992 651 39.9 16.3 n/a
1993 681 52.5 13.0 n/a
1994 693 50.6 n/a 17.5
1995 711 n/a 0.0 24.3
1996 711 n/a 0.0 24.3
1997 718 n/a 0.0 24.2
1998 703 n/a 0.0 19.3
1999 748 58.0 12.9 24.6
2000 803 n/a 0.0 21.3
2001 817 60.0 13.6 22.2
2002 772 81.0 9.5 20.6
2003 772 81.0 9.5 20.6
2004 777 61.2 12.7 17.6
2005 738 59.2 12.5 19.8
2006 797 60.0 13.3 20.3
2007 808 63.7 12.7 15.6
2008 801 52.6 15.2 14.6
2009 861 52.2 16.5 15.2
2010 879 55.5 15.8 14.6
2011 954 41.5 22.9 14.4
2012 933 73.2 12.7 14.7
2013 1033 73.5 14.0 14.4
2014 1057 79.1 13.3 13.4
2015 1048 82.0 12.7 13.3
2016 1123 80.0 14.0 13.2
2017 1257 93.4 13.4 12.5
2018 1305 95.9 13.6 12.8
2019 1328 94.0 14.1 11.5
2020 1014 79.1 12.8 19.2
2021 1018 75.5 13.4 n/a
2022 962 71.9 13.3 20.3
2023 936 68.5 13.6 19.3

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 Swanson Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $00 (0.0%) $10,284 (100.0%) $10,284
2020 $00 (0.0%) $11,453 (100.0%) $11,453
2021 $00 (0.0%) $11,456 (100.0%) $11,456

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Swanson Middle

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 40th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 96th of 422 Middle schools
 13.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Swanson Middle)9777.7
 19.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Arlington County Public Schools)8470.1
 13.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Swanson Middle)9282.1
 9.9%
   6th Grade English Reading (Arlington County Public Schools)8478.7
 5.3%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Swanson Middle)7337.7
 35.4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Arlington County Public Schools)7545.3
 29.7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Swanson Middle)9181.9
 9.2%
   7th Grade English Reading (Arlington County Public Schools)8578
 7%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Swanson Middle)8977.5
 11.5%
   8th Grade Writing (Arlington County Public Schools)8674.5
 11.5%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Swanson Middle)9037
 53%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Arlington County Public Schools)8652.6
 33.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (Swanson Middle)8980.2
 8.8%
   8th Grade Science (Arlington County Public Schools)8571.8
 13.2%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Swanson Middle)8781.9
 5.1%
   8th Grade English Reading (Arlington County Public Schools)8479.9
 4.1%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Geometry (Swanson Middle)98100
 2%
   End of Course Geometry (Arlington County Public Schools)8890
 2%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Swanson Middle)9898
   End of Course Algebra I (Arlington County Public Schools)9287
 5%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%
End of Course Geography (Swanson Middle)9485
 9%
   End of Course Geography (Arlington County Public Schools)8676
 10%
   End of Course Geography (Virginia)8066
 14%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1328936
 29.5%
African American5161
 19.6%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian10572
 31.4%
Hispanic193199
 3.1%
Pacific Islander00
White887501
 43.5%
Two or More Races91100
 9.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients11.5%19.3%
 7.8%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Swanson Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 936 students attended Swanson Middle.

Swanson Middle ranks 97th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Swanson Middle are 54% White, 21% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races, 8% Asian, 7% African American.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Virginia 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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