Sterling Middle

Summary:

Sterling Middle is a public middle school located in Sterling, Virginia, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 1,037 students. The school is part of the Loudoun County Public Schools district, which is ranked 24th out of 130 school districts in Virginia and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The data reveals that Sterling Middle has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (76.08%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 6.04% to 39.23% Hispanic students. Additionally, Sterling Middle consistently ranks in the bottom quartile of Virginia middle schools, with a ranking between 380-394 out of 415-422 schools over the past 5 years. This is significantly lower than the nearby schools, such as Eagle Ridge Middle and Farmwell Station Middle, which rank in the top 25% of Virginia middle schools.

Sterling Middle's performance is particularly low for Hispanic, English Language Learner, and Low Socioeconomic Status student subgroups, ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Virginia middle schools for these subgroups. The school's proficiency rates on SOL (Standards of Learning) tests are significantly lower than the Loudoun County and Virginia averages across all subject areas and grade levels. For example, in 8th grade Mathematics, Sterling Middle's proficiency rate is only 14.51% compared to 48.75% for Loudoun County and 50.1% for Virginia. The school also has an extremely high free/reduced lunch rate, reaching 83.22% in the 2022-2023 school year, indicating a high concentration of students from low-income families.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 201 W Holly Ave
       Sterling, VA  20164


(571) 434-4520

District: Loudoun County Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
394th of 417 Virginia Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,541 Help


Students who attend Sterling Middle usually attend:

High:    Park View High

Feeder schools for Sterling Middle:

Elementary:    Forest Grove Elementary
    Guilford Elementary
    Rolling Ridge Elementary
    Sully Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  10.8 Help
Number of students:  1,037

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
76.1%
Asian:
9.7%
White:
8.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  83.2% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Sterling Middle ranks worse than 94.5% of middle schools in Virginia. It also ranks last among 17 ranked middle schools in the Loudoun County Public Schools District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.61. (See more...)
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Sterling Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Loudoun County Public Schools District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sterling Middle is $15,541, which is the 6th highest among 17 middle schools in the Loudoun County Public Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sterling Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Sterling Middle 394th of 417 Virginia public middle schools. (See Sterling Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Loudoun County Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Loudoun County Public Schools 24th of 130 Virginia school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Sterling Middle.

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Rank History for Sterling Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 37.86 257th 340 24.4%
2006 23.22 353rd 383 7.8%
2007 29.39 338th 387 12.7%
2008 23.82 357th 391 8.7%
2009 20.23 359th 390 7.9%
2010 16.81 391st 408 4.2%
2011 19.38 379th 413 8.2%
2012 15.24 394th 413 4.6%
2013 20.18 365th 416 12.3%
2014 26.82 324th 416 22.1%
2015 27.99 330th 412 19.9%
2016 27.68 330th 409 19.3%
2017 25.17 346th 415 16.6%
2018 29.18 332nd 413 19.6%
2019 9.21 406th 424 4.2%
2021 10.59 394th 419 6.0%
2022 13.05 383rd 415 7.7%
2023 15.09 380th 422 10.0%
2024 9.61 394th 417 5.5%
See the entire list of Virginia Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 22.87 91st 100 9.0%
2024 16.38 120th 122 1.6%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 14.23 371st 402 7.7%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 5.22 2nd 2 0.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 14.50 378th 411 8.0%
2024 9.74 385th 407 5.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 25.64 214th 278 23.0%
2024 12.18 260th 281 7.5%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.48 368th 409 10.0%
2024 9.41 385th 407 5.4%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 26.75 111th 132 15.9%
2024 19.97 115th 128 10.2%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.76 134th 298 55.0%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.33 254th 275 7.6%
2024 10.02 263rd 272 3.3%
See the entire list of Best Virginia Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sterling Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools VA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 48.23 211th 402 47.5%
2024 21.83 348th 396 12.1%
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.

Sterling 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Thursday, September 27, 2018

Open Quote The students are phenomenal. They are respectful and eager to learn. The teachers and other staff work hard at meeting each student where they are and holding high expectations for student success! Close Quote


by a student
Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Open Quote very nice school.
it has been growing. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, April 12, 2012

Open Quote Sterling's Principal, Nerida Gonzales-Sales, has been improving this school for several years. As a parent of two students currently learning at the school, I am happy to say that Mrs. Gonzales-Sales and all of the other teachers I've talked to here have listened attentively and been very responsive to any concerns or insights I've had for the school. I am proud to say that Sterling was just awarded the "Schools to Watch"-- a national commendation recognizing their recent acheivements. They are on the right path. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sterling 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 880 880
1990 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 884 884
1991 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 868 868
1992 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 890 890
1993 800 73 75 30 1 n/a n/a 0 979
1994 771 90 68 44 2 n/a n/a 0 975
1995 798 79 93 73 1 n/a n/a 0 1044
1996 798 79 93 73 1 n/a n/a 0 1044
1997 804 93 104 87 1 n/a n/a 0 1089
1998 802 103 99 95 0 n/a n/a 0 1099
1999 788 107 110 101 2 n/a n/a 0 1108
2000 768 122 116 139 2 n/a n/a -4 1143
2001 740 121 134 171 2 n/a n/a 0 1168
2002 522 110 121 215 0 n/a n/a 0 968
2003 522 110 121 215 0 n/a n/a 0 968
2004 474 107 137 271 1 n/a n/a 0 990
2005 390 106 126 292 2 n/a n/a 0 916
2006 343 98 132 291 6 n/a n/a 6 876
2007 309 92 126 318 7 n/a n/a 4 856
2008 299 91 128 351 4 n/a n/a 7 880
2009 284 88 121 393 6 n/a n/a 10 902
2010 246 75 128 380 3 n/a n/a 19 851
2011 234 67 124 396 10 0 28 0 859
2012 218 80 129 430 8 1 30 0 896
2013 210 62 150 481 7 1 39 0 950
2014 189 73 145 527 10 1 43 0 988
2015 165 74 156 556 9 1 37 0 998
2016 162 72 142 576 8 2 35 0 997
2017 146 66 127 605 10 2 30 0 986
2018 146 53 129 642 12 1 28 0 1011
2019 124 55 119 699 13 2 26 0 1038
2020 126 55 114 762 12 1 29 0 1099
2021 99 66 122 795 12 2 26 0 1122
2022 99 55 107 788 12 1 18 0 1080
2023 83 39 101 789 10 2 13 0 1037

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 Sterling Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 880 59.8 14.7 n/a
1990 884 61.0 14.4 n/a
1991 868 59.7 14.5 n/a
1992 890 60.8 14.6 n/a
1993 979 62.5 15.7 n/a
1994 975 52.2 n/a 6.4
1995 1044 n/a 0.0 5.7
1996 1044 n/a 0.0 5.7
1997 1089 n/a 0.0 6.6
1998 1099 n/a 0.0 6.9
1999 1108 83.5 13.3 13
2000 1143 n/a 0.0 14.3
2001 1168 86.0 13.6 14.7
2002 968 21.0 46.1 21.6
2003 968 21.0 46.1 21.6
2004 990 87.0 11.4 25.9
2005 916 84.0 10.9 29.9
2006 876 79.0 11.1 32.1
2007 856 89.6 9.6 35.1
2008 880 64.4 13.7 39.4
2009 902 63.4 14.2 42.7
2010 851 61.8 13.7 51.6
2011 859 60.5 14.1 56.5
2012 896 72.2 12.3 59
2013 950 66.1 14.3 63.1
2014 988 79.4 12.4 67.4
2015 998 93.0 10.7 64.5
2016 997 90.0 11.0 65.7
2017 986 90.7 10.8 64
2018 1011 92.3 10.9 66.7
2019 1038 102.6 10.1 66.5
2020 1099 114.4 9.6 72.2
2021 1122 120.5 9.3 n/a
2022 1080 103.2 10.4 73.4
2023 1037 96.0 10.8 83.2

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 Sterling Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1989 880 59.8 14.7 n/a
1990 884 61.0 14.4 n/a
1991 868 59.7 14.5 n/a
1992 890 60.8 14.6 n/a
1993 979 62.5 15.7 n/a
1994 975 52.2 n/a 6.4
1995 1044 n/a 0.0 5.7
1996 1044 n/a 0.0 5.7
1997 1089 n/a 0.0 6.6
1998 1099 n/a 0.0 6.9
1999 1108 83.5 13.3 13
2000 1143 n/a 0.0 14.3
2001 1168 86.0 13.6 14.7
2002 968 21.0 46.1 21.6
2003 968 21.0 46.1 21.6
2004 990 87.0 11.4 25.9
2005 916 84.0 10.9 29.9
2006 876 79.0 11.1 32.1
2007 856 89.6 9.6 35.1
2008 880 64.4 13.7 39.4
2009 902 63.4 14.2 42.7
2010 851 61.8 13.7 51.6
2011 859 60.5 14.1 56.5
2012 896 72.2 12.3 59
2013 950 66.1 14.3 63.1
2014 988 79.4 12.4 67.4
2015 998 93.0 10.7 64.5
2016 997 90.0 11.0 65.7
2017 986 90.7 10.8 64
2018 1011 92.3 10.9 66.7
2019 1038 102.6 10.1 66.5
2020 1099 114.4 9.6 72.2
2021 1122 120.5 9.3 n/a
2022 1080 103.2 10.4 73.4
2023 1037 96.0 10.8 83.2

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 Sterling Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $525 (3.7%) $13,737 (96.3%) $14,262
2020 $575 (3.8%) $14,560 (96.2%) $15,135
2021 $694 (4.5%) $14,848 (95.5%) $15,541

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sterling 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 406th of 424 Middle schoolsRanks 380th of 422 Middle schools
 5.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Middle)4714
 33%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Loudoun County Public Schools)7753
 24%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7857.8
 20.2%
6th Grade English Reading (Sterling Middle)6245.7
 16.3%
   6th Grade English Reading (Loudoun County Public Schools)8680.2
 5.8%
   6th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7770.4
 6.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Middle)6117.8
 43.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Loudoun County Public Schools)8747.2
 39.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7851.4
 26.6%
7th Grade English Reading (Sterling Middle)6350
 13%
   7th Grade English Reading (Loudoun County Public Schools)8779
 8.1%
   7th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7970.3
 8.7%
8th Grade Writing (Sterling Middle)5537.5
 17.5%
   8th Grade Writing (Loudoun County Public Schools)8372.6
 10.4%
   8th Grade Writing (Virginia)7055.5
 14.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sterling Middle)2511.1
 13.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Loudoun County Public Schools)6742.8
 24.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Virginia)7748.4
 28.6%
8th Grade Science (Sterling Middle)6852.6
 15.4%
   8th Grade Science (Loudoun County Public Schools)8874.2
 13.8%
   8th Grade Science (Virginia)7860.7
 17.3%
8th Grade English Reading (Sterling Middle)6051.4
 8.6%
   8th Grade English Reading (Loudoun County Public Schools)8478.4
 5.6%
   8th Grade English Reading (Virginia)7670.7
 5.3%
End of Course Geometry (Sterling Middle)10096
 4%
   End of Course Geometry (Loudoun County Public Schools)8885
 3%
   End of Course Geometry (Virginia)8380
 3%
End of Course Algebra I (Sterling Middle)8194
 13%
   End of Course Algebra I (Loudoun County Public Schools)8985
 4%
   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 Students10381037
 0.1%
African American5539
 29.1%
American Indian1310
 23.1%
Asian119101
 15.1%
Hispanic699789
 12.9%
Pacific Islander22
White12483
 33.1%
Two or More Races2613
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients66.5%83.2%
 16.7%


Schools Near Sterling Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Sterling Middle

Students who attend Sterling Middle usually go on to attend Park View High

Sterling Middle ranks in the bottom 5.5% of Virginia middle schools.

Students at Sterling Middle are 76% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 8% White, 4% African American, 1% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,037 students attended Sterling Middle.


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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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