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:
58th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,709 Help


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...

Student/teacher ratio:  16.0 Help
Number of students:  951

Racial breakdown:

White:
36.8%
African American:
21.0%
Asian:
18.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  22.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details South County Middle ranks better than 86.1% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks 7th among 23 ranked middle schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 80.23. (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 South County Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Fairfax County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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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 58th 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 41st of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for South County Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at South County Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 76.55 49th 412 88.1%
2016 73.54 65th 409 84.1%
2017 74.51 59th 415 85.8%
2018 72.53 73rd 413 82.3%
2019 76.05 55th 424 87.0%
2021 73.36 65th 419 84.5%
2022 79.80 42nd 415 89.9%
2023 74.08 104th 422 75.4%
2024 80.23 58th 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 48th 231 79.2%
2024 88.38 4th 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 18th 100 82.0%
2024 62.70 30th 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 113th 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 110th 411 73.2%
2024 77.01 65th 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 79th 278 71.6%
2024 78.03 44th 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 41st 114 64.0%
2024 71.76 19th 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 86th 409 79.0%
2024 82.03 39th 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 73rd 132 44.7%
2024 59.96 54th 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 49th 298 83.6%
2024 83.98 29th 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 115th 275 58.2%
2024 65.95 80th 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 47th 402 88.3%
2024 82.24 23rd 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.

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




Data source: Virginia Department of Education

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Enrollment information for South County Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 505 185 193 116 3 2 50 0 1054
2014 503 194 224 121 2 3 57 0 1104
2015 449 199 220 134 3 2 56 0 1063
2016 431 203 198 149 1 5 57 0 1044
2017 454 198 180 167 1 4 58 0 1062
2018 424 218 199 167 0 2 62 0 1072
2019 406 230 209 171 2 4 68 0 1090
2020 379 223 203 171 1 3 75 0 1055
2021 395 226 197 165 1 0 68 0 1052
2022 373 208 173 147 3 3 67 0 974
2023 350 200 173 145 4 2 77 0 951

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

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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

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

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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

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

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal 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 55th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 104th 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)8263.9
 18.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Fairfax County Public Schools)8654.7
 31.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (South County Middle)8882.8
 5.2%
   7th Grade English Reading (Fairfax County Public Schools)8478.7
 5.3%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Mathematics (South County Middle)9054.7
 35.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Fairfax County Public Schools)8339.8
 43.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (South County Middle)8870
 18%
   8th Grade Science (Fairfax County Public Schools)8370.4
 12.6%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (South County Middle)8579.8
 5.2%
   8th Grade English Reading (Fairfax County Public Schools)8277.4
 4.7%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Geometry (South County Middle)100100
   End of Course Geometry (Fairfax County Public Schools)8690
 4%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (South County Middle)9999
   End of Course Algebra I (Fairfax County Public Schools)8986
 3%
   End of Course Algebra I (Virginia)8680
 6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students1090951
 12.8%
African American230200
 13%
American Indian24
 100%
Asian209173
 17.2%
Hispanic171145
 15.2%
Pacific Islander42
 50%
White406350
 13.8%
Two or More Races6877
 13.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients20.3%22.9%
 2.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about South County Middle

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

In the 2022-23 school year, 951 students attended South County Middle.

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

Students at South County Middle are 37% White, 21% African American, 18% Asian, 15% Hispanic, 8% 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 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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