Summary:
Port St. Lucie, Florida, is home to two public middle schools serving grades 6-8, Southport Middle School and Southern Oaks Middle School, both part of the St. Lucie school district. While these schools have similar enrollments (around 850 students each) and identical student-to-teacher ratios (19.3:1), their academic performance tells two very different stories. Southport Middle School is the clear standout, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 54th percentile statewide for the 2025-2026 school year, a notable improvement from its 2-star rating just two years prior. In contrast, Southern Oaks Middle School has a 2-star rating and sits in the 34th percentile, showing only slight improvement from a 1-star rating in previous years.
Academically, Southport outperforms Southern Oaks in nearly every subject, with average English Language Arts proficiency at 60.3% (close to the state average of 61.3%) and math proficiency at 58% (matching the state average). Southern Oaks lags significantly, with only 53% proficiency in ELA and 47.3% in math. The most glaring weakness for Southern Oaks is math, where just 39% of 7th graders were proficient in 2025-2026, well below the state average of 58%. Both schools serve a high-poverty population (over 63% free/reduced lunch), but Southport spends $604 more per student ($11,243 vs. $10,639), which correlates with its stronger results.
An interesting paradox emerges with chronic absenteeism: Southport has a higher rate (37.5%) than Southern Oaks (33.0%), yet still achieves better outcomes. Both schools exceed the state average of 31.4%, suggesting attendance is a challenge across the area. Additionally, advanced course performance spikes dramatically at both schools—for instance, Southport sees 85% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 96% in Geometry, compared to just 40% in grade-level 7th-grade math—indicating that only a select group of high-achieving students takes these courses. Overall, Southport Middle School is on an upward trend, while Southern Oaks Middle School remains stagnant, with critical needs in math, civics, and science.
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