Is South County Middle a good school?

South County Middle ranks 58 th of 417 Virginia middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend South County Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 967 students attended South County Middle.

What is the racial makeup of South County Middle?

Students at South County Middle are 40% White, 20% African American, 17% Asian, 16% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of South County Middle attend?

Students who attend South County Middle usually go on to attend South County High

South County Middle

Summary:

South County Middle is a public middle school in Lorton, Virginia, serving 951 students in grades 7-8. It is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools district, which is ranked 41 out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger. Over the past several years, South County Middle has consistently ranked in the top 15% of Virginia middle schools, with a current ranking of 58 out of 417 schools and a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

South County Middle stands out for its strong academic performance, with students consistently outperforming the Fairfax County and Virginia state averages on SOL (Standards of Learning) assessments across multiple subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 100% of 8th-grade students were proficient or better in Geometry and Algebra I, compared to 98.54% and 92.08% for Fairfax County and Virginia, respectively. The school also has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup that is more representative than many of the nearby schools, such as Holmes Middle and Rippon Middle.

South County Middle's strong performance extends to various student subgroups, with the school ranking 29th out of 299 Virginia middle schools for African American students and 23rd out of 396 for White students, both with 5-star ratings. Additionally, the school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.5 to 16 students per teacher over the past few years, which is lower than the nearby schools like Lake Ridge Middle and Irving Middle. These factors, combined with the school's consistent high performance and diverse student population, make South County Middle a standout option for families in the Lorton area.

Detail:

Public 7-8

8700 Laurel Crest Dr.
Lorton, VA 22079

(703) 690-5500

District: Fairfax County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
58^th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,709

Students who attend South County Middle usually attend:

High:

South County High

Feeder schools for South County Middle:

Elementary:	Gunston Elementary
	Halley Elementary
	Laurel Hill Elementary
	Newington Forest Elementary
	More...
	Silverbrook Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 13.3

Number of students: 967

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.5%

African American:

19.5%

Asian:

16.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 24.6%

See top rated Virginia middle schools

Compare South County Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South County Middle ranks better than 86.1% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 7^th among 23 ranked middle schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.23. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a 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

Compare Details Student population at South County Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.5%), African American (19.5%), Asian (16.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 24.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South County Middle is 13.3. 14 middle schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare South County Middle employs 72.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South County Middle is $9,709. 18 middle schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South County Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks South County Middle 58^th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See South County 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:

Fairfax County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Fairfax County Public Schools 41^st of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South County Middle

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Rank History for all students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile
2015	76.55	49^th	412	88.1%
2016	73.54	65^th	409	84.1%
2017	74.51	59^th	415	85.8%
2018	72.53	73^rd	413	82.3%
2019	76.05	55^th	424	87.0%
2021	73.36	65^th	419	84.5%
2022	79.80	42^nd	415	89.9%
2023	74.08	104^th	422	75.4%
2024	80.23	58^th	417	86.1%

See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	74.43	48^th	231	79.2%
2024	88.38	4^th	237	98.3%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	68.41	18^th	100	82.0%
2024	62.70	30^th	122	75.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	67.64	113^th	402	71.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	71.51	110^th	411	73.2%
2024	77.01	65^th	407	84.0%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.54	79^th	278	71.6%
2024	78.03	44^th	281	84.3%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	62.04	41^st	114	64.0%
2024	71.76	19^th	123	84.6%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	75.77	86^th	409	79.0%
2024	82.03	39^th	407	90.4%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	51.27	73^rd	132	44.7%
2024	59.96	54^th	128	57.8%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.52	49^th	298	83.6%
2024	83.98	29^th	299	90.3%

See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	55.94	115^th	275	58.2%
2024	65.95	80^th	272	70.6%

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

Rank History for White students at South County Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	VA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	77.98	47^th	402	88.3%
2024	82.24	23^rd	396	94.2%

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.

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for South County Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	505	185	193	116	3	2	50	1054
2014	503	194	224	121	2	3	57	1104
2015	449	199	220	134	3	2	56	1063
2016	431	203	198	149	1	5	57	1044
2017	454	198	180	167	1	4	58	1062
2018	424	218	199	167	0	2	62	1072
2019	406	230	209	171	2	4	68	1090
2020	379	223	203	171	1	3	75	1055
2021	395	226	197	165	1	0	68	1052
2022	373	208	173	147	3	3	67	974
2023	350	200	173	145	4	2	77	951
2024	382	189	160	159	3	1	73	967

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 South County Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	1054	70.2	15.0	18.7
2014	1104	74.1	14.8	18.8
2015	1063	77.0	13.8	20.2
2016	1044	71.0	14.7	17.7
2017	1062	74.1	14.3	17.9
2018	1072	73.3	14.6	20.8
2019	1090	78.8	13.8	20.3
2020	1055	77.0	13.6	22.8
2021	1052	67.1	15.6	n/a
2022	974	71.7	13.5	24.7
2023	951	59.2	16.0	22.9
2024	967	72.2	13.3	24.6

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 South County Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	1054	70.2	15.0	18.7
2014	1104	74.1	14.8	18.8
2015	1063	77.0	13.8	20.2
2016	1044	71.0	14.7	17.7
2017	1062	74.1	14.3	17.9
2018	1072	73.3	14.6	20.8
2019	1090	78.8	13.8	20.3
2020	1055	77.0	13.6	22.8
2021	1052	67.1	15.6	n/a
2022	974	71.7	13.5	24.7
2023	951	59.2	16.0	22.9
2024	967	72.2	13.3	24.6

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 South County Middle

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$144 (1.4%)	$9,865 (98.6%)	$10,008
2020	$179 (1.7%)	$10,190 (98.3%)	$10,369
2021	$163 (1.7%)	$9,547 (98.3%)	$9,709

Data source: Virginia Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South County 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 55^th of 424 Middle schools	Ranks 104^th of 422 Middle schools	11.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade Mathematics (South County Middle)	82	63.9	18.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Fairfax County Public Schools)	86	54.7	31.3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	78	51.4	26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (South County Middle)	88	82.8	5.2%
7th Grade English Reading (Fairfax County Public Schools)	84	78.7	5.3%
7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	79	70.3	8.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (South County Middle)	90	54.7	35.3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Fairfax County Public Schools)	83	39.8	43.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)	77	48.4	28.6%
8th Grade Science (South County Middle)	88	70	18%
8th Grade Science (Fairfax County Public Schools)	83	70.4	12.6%
8th Grade Science (Virginia)	78	60.7	17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (South County Middle)	85	79.8	5.2%
8th Grade English Reading (Fairfax County Public Schools)	82	77.4	4.7%
8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)	76	70.7	5.3%
End of Course Geometry (South County Middle)	100	100
End of Course Geometry (Fairfax County Public Schools)	86	90	4%
End of Course Geometry (Virginia)	83	80	3%
End of Course Algebra I (South County Middle)	99	99
End of Course Algebra I (Fairfax County Public Schools)	89	86	3%
End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)	86	80	6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1090	951	12.8%
African American	230	200	13%
American Indian	2	4	100%
Asian	209	173	17.2%
Hispanic	171	145	15.2%
Pacific Islander	4	2	50%
White	406	350	13.8%
Two or More Races	68	77	13.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	20.3%	22.9%	2.6%

Schools Near South County Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SOL Geometry (2024)	SOL Algebra I (2024)		SOL Mathematics (2024)					SOL Science (2024)		SOL English Reading (2024)					SOL Civics and Economics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2021)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SOL Geometry 8th Grade	SOL Algebra I 7th Grade	SOL Algebra I 8th Grade	SOL Mathematics 4th Grade	SOL Mathematics 5th Grade	SOL Mathematics 6th Grade	SOL Mathematics 7th Grade	SOL Mathematics 8th Grade	SOL Science 5th Grade	SOL Science 8th Grade	SOL English Reading 4th Grade	SOL English Reading 5th Grade	SOL English Reading 6th Grade	SOL English Reading 7th Grade	SOL English Reading 8th Grade	SOL Civics and Economics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South County Middle	Public	7-8	8700 Laurel Crest Dr.	Lorton	22079	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 690-5500	967	72	13.3	24.6%	382 (39.5%)	189 (19.5%)	159 (16.4%)	160 (16.5%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	73 (7.5%)	80.2	58^th of 417 public middle schools	86.1%		74.1	104^th of 422 public middle schools	75.4%	46	100.0	100.0	100.0				72.7	59.9		76.0				86.2	85.9		$9,709	$163	$9,547
Lake Ridge Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	12350 Mohican Rd	Woodbridge	22192	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 494-5154	1,404	87	16.1	43.7%	429 (30.6%)	303 (21.6%)	428 (30.5%)	128 (9.1%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	113 (8.0%)	68.2	127^th of 417 public middle schools	69.5%		71.9	115^th of 422 public middle schools	72.7%	12			97.9			69.1	54.6	51.8		75.5			81.2	78.3	76.2	86.4	$7,087	$67	$7,020
Irving Middle	Public, Magnet	7-8	8100 Old Keene Mill Rd	Springfield	22152	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 912-4500	1,215	83	14.5	15.8%	604 (49.7%)	133 (10.9%)	195 (16.0%)	161 (13.3%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	116 (9.5%)	77	75^th of 417 public middle schools	82.0%		73.6	107^th of 422 public middle schools	74.6%	32	100.0	100.0	96.3				65.2	51.9		81.8				82.6	86.9		$8,995	$131	$8,864
Fred M. Lynn Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	1650 Prince William Parkway	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 494-5157	968	75	12.9	86.7%	75 (7.7%)	206 (21.3%)	575 (59.4%)	77 (8.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	31 (3.2%)	27	330^th of 417 public middle schools	20.9%		25.3	344^th of 422 public middle schools	18.5%	14			100.0			49.7	40.4	40.4		48.2			58.6	60.3	55.0	74.0	$8,085	$540	$7,544
Woodbridge Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2201 York Dr	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 494-3181	896	69	12.9	66.0%	147 (16.4%)	194 (21.7%)	390 (43.5%)	119 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	43 (4.8%)	44	256^th of 417 public middle schools	38.6%		52.6	206^th of 422 public middle schools	51.2%	50			100.0			56.3	37.2	51.2		62.8			62.5	69.3	68.5	73.6	$7,581	$121	$7,460
Kings Glen Elementary	Public	4-6	5401 Danbury Forest Dr	Springfield	22151	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 239-4000	465	29	15.9	26.0%	203 (43.7%)	18 (3.9%)	140 (30.1%)	63 (13.5%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	36 (7.7%)								(n/a)				85.3	82.4	80.7			67.9		80.3	83.6	83.8				$12,022	$311	$11,711
Key Middle	Public	7-8	6402 Franconia Rd	Springfield	22150	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(703) 313-3900	688	64	10.7	74.0%	93 (13.5%)	54 (7.8%)	397 (57.7%)	123 (17.9%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	16 (2.3%)	16.2	379^th of 417 public middle schools	9.1%		16.9	378^th of 422 public middle schools	10.4%	1			91.0				12.9	10.4		47.8				55.9	56.7		$12,020	$312	$11,708
Rippon Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	15101 Blackburn Rd	Woodbridge	22191	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 491-2171	1,174	77	15.1	71.8%	91 (7.8%)	351 (29.9%)	567 (48.3%)	110 (9.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	52 (4.4%)	37.6	285^th of 417 public middle schools	31.7%		35.8	292^nd of 422 public middle schools	30.8%	7	100.0	100.0	97.2			56.2	40.8	47.0		56.8			65.9	64.2	67.1	68.5	$7,559	$145	$7,414
Stuart M. Beville Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	4901 Dale Blvd	Woodbridge	22193	Prince William County	Prince William County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(703) 878-2593	1,124	88	12.7	74.8%	117 (10.4%)	204 (18.1%)	632 (56.2%)	123 (10.9%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	43 (3.8%)	30.7	315^th of 417 public middle schools	24.5%		29.6	320^th of 422 public middle schools	24.2%	5			98.3			57.0	41.8	40.4		53.9			61.8	56.2	57.8	74.1	$8,744	$119	$8,624
Poe Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	7000 Cindy Ln	Annandale	22003	Fairfax County	Fairfax County Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(703) 813-3800	895	76	11.8	76.9%	112 (12.5%)	59 (6.6%)	593 (66.3%)	112 (12.5%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (1.7%)	10.7	391^st of 417 public middle schools	6.2%		12	391^st of 422 public middle schools	7.3%				80.9			33.1	21.0	20.2		51.0			46.7	50.2	53.8		$12,866	$649	$12,216

South County Middle

South County Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Fairfax County Public Schools:

What do you think?

Rank History for South County Middle

Rank History for all students at South County Middle

Rank History for Multi-racial students at South County Middle

Rank History for English Language Learner students at South County Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South County Middle

Rank History for Female students at South County Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at South County Middle

Rank History for Military Connected students at South County Middle

Rank History for Male students at South County Middle

Rank History for Asian students at South County Middle

Rank History for African American students at South County Middle

Rank History for Hispanic students at South County Middle

Rank History for White students at South County Middle

Enrollment information for South County Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South County Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio South County Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for South County Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on South County Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South County Middle

Frequently Asked Questions about South County Middle

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