Summary:
Southside Middle is a public middle school located in Florence, South Carolina, serving 1,100 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Florence 01 school district, which is ranked 36 out of 77 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.
Southside Middle stands out from the surrounding schools in several key ways. It has a higher percentage of African American students (51.73%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 45.5% to 70.22% African American students. The school's test scores are generally lower than the district and state averages, with proficiency rates in SC READY English Language Arts and Mathematics below the Florence 01 district and state. Additionally, Southside Middle has a very high percentage of students (100%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the surrounding schools. Despite these challenges, the school has a higher spending per student ($13,178) compared to the nearby Ronald E. McNair Junior High, Spaulding Middle, Darlington Middle, John W. Moore Middle, Williams Middle, and Henry L. Sneed Middle schools, which range from $12,348 to $14,815 per student.
The analysis of Southside Middle reveals a school that faces significant challenges in terms of student demographics, academic performance, and resource allocation. The racial disparities, underperformance in academic metrics, and high poverty levels suggest that the school serves a predominantly low-income, African American population, which can present additional challenges in terms of addressing achievement gaps and ensuring equitable educational opportunities. While the school has a lower student-teacher ratio, which may indicate a focus on providing more individualized attention and support to students, the higher spending per student raises questions about the effective allocation and utilization of resources to support student learning. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive and targeted approach to ensure that all students at Southside Middle have access to high-quality educational opportunities and the support they need to succeed.
Detail:
Public 6-8
District:
Florence 01
SchoolDigger Rank:
181st of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools
Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,178
Students who attend Southside Middle usually attend:
Feeder schools for Southside Middle:
Student/teacher ratio: 15.2
Number of students: 1,100
Racial breakdown:
African American:
51.7%
White:
34.4%
Two or more races:
7.4%
more
Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%
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