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Southwestern Middle School

Q: Is Southwestern Middle School a good school?

Southwestern Middle School ranks 749 th of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

749^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,216 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 38% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Southwestern Middle School in Deland, FL, is a mid-sized public school serving 664 students in grades 6-8 within the Volusia County School District, where a significant portion of the student body (61.45%) comes from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

This school presents a fascinating "two schools" story. On one hand, it excels at accelerating select students into advanced math, with an impressive 91% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 97% in Geometry End-of-Course exams—far exceeding district and state averages. On the other hand, the majority of students in standard math classes struggle, with only 38% of 7th graders meeting grade-level expectations on the FAST Math exam, well below the state average of 53%. This pattern suggests that while the advanced track thrives, general education students may not be receiving the same level of support. Additionally, the school spends more per student ($10,441) than nearby schools like Creekside Middle School ($9,370), yet Creekside achieves far better overall results, including a 4-star rating and significantly higher proficiency in both math and reading.

A persistent challenge is chronic absenteeism, which has remained above 34% for four consecutive years, impacting academic performance. Compared to its neighbor, Deland Middle School (just 1.04 miles away), Southwestern shows more volatility in its state ranking, having recently peaked at the 56th percentile before dropping back to the 38th percentile. This volatility hints at untapped potential for improvement. A notable systemic issue across the district is a sharp drop in math proficiency in 7th grade—a "7th-grade cliff" that affects Southwestern and most nearby schools, suggesting a curriculum challenge that may need attention at the district level.

664

Students ?

20.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,441

Per pupil spending ?

61.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

605 W New Hampshire Ave
Deland, FL 32720

(386) 822-6815

District: Volusia

Students who attend Southwestern Middle School usually attend:

High:

Deland High School

Feeder schools for Southwestern Middle School:

Elementary:	Citrus Grove Elementary School
	Edith I. Starke Elementary School
	Woodward Avenue Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.3%

Hispanic:

25.6%

African American:

21.4%

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Compare Southwestern Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 35th percentile in 2016 → 38th in 2026

Worth a look

!English Language Arts scores 11 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school60%

District avg56%

Florida avg61%

749^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 38%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

From bottom 35% (2016) to bottom 38% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 12Middle Schools in the Volusia

34^th of 70Volusia among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	41.7	749 of 1216	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	46.3	652 of 1205	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	54.4	524 of 1196	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	53.0	524 of 1177	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2022	40.9	670 of 1148	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	39.6	691 of 1136	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.2	761 of 1099	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.3	679 of 1035	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	36.0	666 of 1031	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	35.1	648 of 997	35.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.3	633 of 999	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	40.3	590 of 956	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	43.9	522 of 897	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	49.3	494 of 891	44.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	52.0	435 of 839	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	57.0	366 of 780	53.1%	★★★☆☆
2008	50.9	394 of 740	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	43.9	448 of 736	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2006	51.0	347 of 675	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	47.6	348 of 602	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	50.7	313 of 593	47.2%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Geometry97%+41 vs state

Algebra 191%+28 vs state

Civics76%~ state avg

Math58%~ state avg

Science54%~ state avg

English Language Arts50%-11 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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1★1

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What people are saying

by a student
Sunday, April 18, 2021

The teachers let the kids do whatever they want, including dropping offensive and racial slurs. Close Quote

Schools Near Southwestern Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)			FAST Math (2026)			Statewide Science Science (2026)	EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwestern Middle School	Public	6-8	605 W New Hampshire Ave	Deland	32720	Lake County	Volusia	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 822-6815	664	32	20.7	61.4%	301 (45.3%)	142 (21.4%)	170 (25.6%)	21 (3.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	27 (4.1%)	41.7	749^th of 1216 public middle schools	38.4%		46.3	652^nd of 1205 public middle schools	45.9%	97	50.0	52.0	48.0	57.0	38.0	68.0	54.0	91.0	97.0		76.0	$10,441	$972	$9,469
Deland Middle School	Public	6-8	1400 Aquarius Ave	Deland	32724	Volusia County	Volusia	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 822-5678	1,059	53	19.9	53.6%	476 (44.9%)	139 (13.1%)	380 (35.9%)	22 (2.1%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	37 (3.5%)	34.6	851^st of 1216 public middle schools	30.0%		38.6	767^th of 1205 public middle schools	36.3%	84	51.0	47.0	54.0	50.0	23.0	53.0	51.0	82.0	96.0		68.0	$9,813	$821	$8,991
River Springs Middle School	Public	6-8	900 W Ohio Ave	Orange City	32763	Volusia County	Volusia	No	No	No	No	(386) 968-0011	1,218	62	19.6	50.4%	631 (51.8%)	126 (10.3%)	378 (31.0%)	29 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	51 (4.2%)	37.5	812^th of 1216 public middle schools	33.2%		39	761^st of 1205 public middle schools	36.8%	51	55.0	46.0	52.0	56.0	39.0	48.0	53.0	84.0	88.0		75.0	$9,085	$579	$8,506
Galaxy Middle School	Public	6-8	2400 Eustace Ave	Deltona	32725	Volusia County	Volusia	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 575-4144	939	49	19.1	57.4%	306 (32.6%)	141 (15.0%)	433 (46.1%)	13 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	43 (4.6%)	30.2	910^th of 1216 public middle schools	25.2%		38.1	774^th of 1205 public middle schools	35.8%	136	52.0	56.0	40.0	51.0	21.0	44.0	43.0	74.0	88.0		69.0	$9,655	$856	$8,800
Deltona Middle School	Public	6-8	250 Enterprise Rd	Deltona	32725	Volusia County	Volusia	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 575-4150	1,132	62	18.3	55.7%	391 (34.5%)	146 (12.9%)	522 (46.1%)	19 (1.7%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	47 (4.2%)	37.9	810^th of 1216 public middle schools	33.4%		41.1	733^rd of 1205 public middle schools	39.2%	77	57.0	51.0	52.0	43.0	37.0	52.0	54.0	84.0	100.0		68.0	$9,434	$946	$8,488
Heritage Middle School	Public	6-8	1001 Parnell Ct	Deltona	32738	Volusia County	Volusia	No	No	No	Yes	(386) 575-4113	932	50	18.6	54.9%	367 (39.4%)	114 (12.2%)	396 (42.5%)	9 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	42 (4.5%)	36.2	830^th of 1216 public middle schools	31.7%		36.4	798^th of 1205 public middle schools	33.8%	32	51.0	40.0	56.0	42.0	22.0	56.0	60.0	89.0	100.0		58.0	$9,895	$850	$9,045
Sanford Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1700 S French Ave	Sanford	32771	Seminole County	Seminole	No	Yes	No	No	(407) 320-6150	1,385	78	17.7	42.8%	368 (26.6%)	268 (19.4%)	302 (21.8%)	386 (27.9%)	5 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	55 (4.0%)	78.1	213^th of 1216 public middle schools	82.5%		76.5	254^th of 1205 public middle schools	78.9%	41	74.0	75.0	77.0	70.0	82.0	34.0	77.0	92.0	100.0	100.0	83.0	$8,983	$482	$8,501
Millennium Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2330 E Sr 46	Sanford	32771	Seminole County	Seminole	No	Yes	No	Yes	(407) 320-6550	1,323	78	16.9	67.1%	317 (24.0%)	431 (32.6%)	478 (36.1%)	31 (2.3%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	63 (4.8%)	43.1	730^th of 1216 public middle schools	40.0%		33.4	842^nd of 1205 public middle schools	30.1%	112	53.0	57.0	53.0	36.0	69.0	34.0	55.0	89.0	98.0		66.0	$9,498	$855	$8,643
Markham Woods Middle School	Public	6-8	6003 Markham Woods Rd	Lake Mary	32746	Seminole County	Seminole	No	No	No	No	(407) 871-1750	900	49	18.3	49.4%	358 (39.8%)	193 (21.4%)	240 (26.7%)	60 (6.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (5.2%)	62.5	430^th of 1216 public middle schools	64.6%		53	550^th of 1205 public middle schools	54.4%	120	68.0	67.0	62.0	58.0	71.0	37.0	64.0	88.0	98.0		76.0	$9,714	$515	$9,199
Creekside Middle School	Public	6-8	6801 Airport Rd	Port Orange	32128	Volusia County	Volusia	No	No	No	No	(386) 322-6155	1,120	56	19.9	31.6%	848 (75.7%)	54 (4.8%)	104 (9.3%)	49 (4.4%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	61 (5.4%)	70.8	321^st of 1216 public middle schools	73.6%		71.2	315^th of 1205 public middle schools	73.9%	6	69.0	69.0	73.0	70.0	58.0	72.0	71.0	95.0	97.0		85.0	$9,370	$625	$8,746

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwestern Middle School

How many students attend Southwestern Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 664 students attended Southwestern Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Southwestern Middle School attend?

Students who attend Southwestern Middle School usually go on to attend Deland High School

What district is Southwestern Middle School in?

Volusia

Is Southwestern Middle School a good school?

Southwestern Middle School ranks 749^th of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Southwestern Middle School?

Students at Southwestern Middle School are 45% White, 26% Hispanic, 21% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2024–25 attendance dataAug 18, 2026

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

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