Summary:
Hanover, Indiana has just one middle school: Southwestern Middle School, which serves grades 6–8 and about 280 students as part of the Southwestern-Jefferson County Con district. Because it is the only middle school in the city, there are no local peers to compare it against, so the most useful benchmarks are its own district and the state. About 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, the student-teacher ratio is 13:1, and spending was $9,715 per student in 2023–2024.
The school is trending in the right direction. Its state rank climbed from the 32nd percentile in 2023–2024 to the 41st percentile in 2025–2026, though it still holds a 2-star rating. Chronic absenteeism is 11.5% — well below the state's 16.7%, though slightly above the district's 10.7%. Science is the strongest subject: 38.89% of students were proficient in 2025–2026, essentially matching the district (38.71%) and up 4.27 points from the prior year while the district declined. All-grade math also improved, rising from 21.56% to 26.72%.
Still, results remain below state norms, and 8th grade is the clear trouble spot. Math 8 proficiency is 15.84% against 34.2% statewide, and ELA 8 is 26.73% against 44%, with ELA declining overall from 33.70% to 31.71%. By contrast, 7th-grade math (34.72%) is only 1.18 points below the state. Overall, the school matches its district at the 41st percentile but trails it in ELA and math, while science and attendance are relative strengths — suggesting that targeted 8th-grade math and reading support would matter most for continued improvement.
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