Southside Middle School

Summary:

Southside Middle School is a public middle school located in Batesville, Arkansas, serving grades 4-6 with a total enrollment of 453 students. It is part of the Southside School District, which is ranked 66 out of 252 school districts in Arkansas and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southside Middle School consistently outperforms the state average in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates in ATLAS/Mathematics (51.6%) and ATLAS/Science (40%) are significantly higher than the state averages of 36.4% and 35.6%, respectively. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 15.6 to 17.6 over the past three school years, and spends $7,738 per student, which is higher than the state average. However, Southside Middle School has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 57.4% to 69.27% over the past three school years, indicating a higher proportion of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

When compared to nearby schools, Southside Junior High School, which is in the same district, generally performs worse than Southside Middle School, while Cave City Middle School Career And Collegiate Preparatory, which is in a different district, outperforms Southside Middle School. This suggests that Southside Middle School is a strong-performing school within its district, but there may be opportunities for improvement, particularly in areas where the school's proficiency rates are closer to or below the state average, such as English Language Arts and Reading.

Detail:

Public 4-6

70 Scott Dr
Batesville, AR 72501

(870) 251-2332

District: Southside School District (Independence)

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,738

Students who attend Southside Middle School usually attend:

High:

Southside Charter High School

Feeder schools for Southside Middle School:

Elementary:

Southside Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.6

Number of students: 463

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.8%

Hispanic:

5.2%

African American:

1.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 53.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Southside Middle School ranks better than 69.8% of elementary schools in Arkansas. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.85. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (91.8%), Hispanic (5.2%), African American (1.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 53.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southside Middle School is 18.6. (See more...)

Compare Southside Middle School employs 24.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southside Middle School is $7,738.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Southside Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Southside School District (Independence):

SchoolDigger ranks Southside School District (Independence) 66^th of 252 Arkansas school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Southside Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	AR State Percentile
2005	44.68	261^st	411	36.5%
2006	52.73	224^th	402	44.3%
2007	50.17	257^th	440	41.6%
2008	39.23	314^th	439	28.5%
2009	67.78	147^th	445	67.0%
2010	58.48	216^th	457	52.7%
2011	57.59	236^th	471	49.9%
2012	73.85	92^nd	468	80.3%
2013	67.98	146^th	476	69.3%
2014	52.40	257^th	471	45.4%
2015	45.75	248^th	466	46.8%
2016	61.71	169^th	494	65.8%
2017	57.36	202^nd	485	58.4%
2018	62.16	183^rd	480	61.9%
2019	64.99	175^th	488	64.1%
2021	59.62	209^th	496	57.9%
2022	59.23	214^th	487	56.1%
2023	59.16	214^th	492	56.5%
2024	67.85	150^th	497	69.8%

See the entire list of Arkansas Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Southside Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1995	422	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	427
1996	422	2	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	427
1997	425	4	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	430
1998	426	2	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	430
1999	462	2	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	469
2000	432	3	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	440
2001	422	5	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	434
2002	419	1	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	426
2003	419	1	5	1	0	n/a	n/a	426
2004	415	0	6	3	0	n/a	n/a	424
2005	424	1	7	3	1	n/a	n/a	436
2006	402	2	6	7	0	n/a	n/a	417
2007	436	4	6	8	1	n/a	n/a	455
2008	443	2	4	9	2	n/a	n/a	460
2009	431	3	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	444
2010	459	0	2	16	0	2	13	492
2011	456	1	1	13	0	0	9	480
2012	199	2	1	6	0	0	0	208
2013	229	2	2	11	0	0	1	245
2014	233	0	2	13	0	0	3	251
2015	353	4	1	18	0	0	5	381
2016	374	5	1	18	0	0	7	405
2017	392	4	1	27	1	1	6	432
2018	386	5	2	32	1	0	7	433
2019	433	7	0	37	0	0	8	485
2020	431	8	3	32	0	0	10	484
2021	416	12	3	26	0	0	7	464
2022	400	4	5	22	0	0	5	436
2023	419	7	3	19	3	0	2	453
2024	425	7	0	24	4	0	3	463

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 Southside Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	427	22.8	18.7	26.9
1996	427	22.8	18.7	26.9
1997	430	22.4	19.2	28.4
1998	430	22.4	19.2	28.8
1999	469	19.2	24.4	41.6
2000	440	28.0	15.7	50.2
2001	434	27.0	16.1	51.6
2002	426	22.0	19.4	57.7
2003	426	22.0	19.4	57.7
2004	424	28.0	15.1	51.9
2005	436	25.0	17.4	53.2
2006	417	38.0	11.0	54.7
2007	455	43.0	10.6	57.8
2008	460	40.0	11.5	57.2
2009	444	38.0	11.7	55.9
2010	492	43.0	11.1	63.4
2011	480	32.0	14.9	60.8
2012	208	14.2	14.6	63.5
2013	245	20.6	11.8	54.3
2014	251	20.5	12.2	66.1
2015	381	28.0	13.6	61.4
2016	405	32.0	12.6	67.9
2017	432	31.0	13.9	38.2
2018	433	30.4	14.2	37.2
2019	485	28.2	17.1	63.3
2020	484	28.6	16.9	66.7
2021	464	26.2	17.6	68.1
2022	436	25.8	16.8	69.3
2023	453	29.0	15.6	57.4
2024	463	24.8	18.6	53.3

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 Southside Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1995	427	22.8	18.7	26.9
1996	427	22.8	18.7	26.9
1997	430	22.4	19.2	28.4
1998	430	22.4	19.2	28.8
1999	469	19.2	24.4	41.6
2000	440	28.0	15.7	50.2
2001	434	27.0	16.1	51.6
2002	426	22.0	19.4	57.7
2003	426	22.0	19.4	57.7
2004	424	28.0	15.1	51.9
2005	436	25.0	17.4	53.2
2006	417	38.0	11.0	54.7
2007	455	43.0	10.6	57.8
2008	460	40.0	11.5	57.2
2009	444	38.0	11.7	55.9
2010	492	43.0	11.1	63.4
2011	480	32.0	14.9	60.8
2012	208	14.2	14.6	63.5
2013	245	20.6	11.8	54.3
2014	251	20.5	12.2	66.1
2015	381	28.0	13.6	61.4
2016	405	32.0	12.6	67.9
2017	432	31.0	13.9	38.2
2018	433	30.4	14.2	37.2
2019	485	28.2	17.1	63.3
2020	484	28.6	16.9	66.7
2021	464	26.2	17.6	68.1
2022	436	25.8	16.8	69.3
2023	453	29.0	15.6	57.4
2024	463	24.8	18.6	53.3

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 Southside Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,392 (18.0%)	$6,346 (82.0%)	$7,738

Data source: Arkansas Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southside Middle School

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 175^th of 488 Elementary schools	Ranks 214^th of 492 Elementary schools	7.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
4th Grade English (Southside Middle School)	68	63	5%
4th Grade English (Southside School District (Independence))	68	63	5%
4th Grade English (Arkansas)	69.6	63.3	6.3%
4th Grade Math (Southside Middle School)	66.3	54.9	11.4%
4th Grade Math (Southside School District (Independence))	66.3	54.9	11.4%
4th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.8	48.6	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Southside Middle School)	49.7	41.6	8.1%
4th Grade Science (Southside School District (Independence))	49.7	41.6	8.1%
4th Grade Science (Arkansas)	42.3	38.5	3.8%
4th Grade Reading (Southside Middle School)	48	35.4	12.6%
4th Grade Reading (Southside School District (Independence))	48	35.4	12.6%
4th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	45.3	42	3.3%
5th Grade English (Southside Middle School)	72	66.8	5.2%
5th Grade English (Southside School District (Independence))	72	66.8	5.2%
5th Grade English (Arkansas)	73.3	70.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Southside Middle School)	68.7	52.3	16.4%
5th Grade Math (Southside School District (Independence))	68.7	52.3	16.4%
5th Grade Math (Arkansas)	49.2	40.7	8.5%
5th Grade Science (Southside Middle School)	44	35.1	8.9%
5th Grade Science (Southside School District (Independence))	44	35.1	8.9%
5th Grade Science (Arkansas)	40.7	34.6	6.1%
5th Grade Reading (Southside Middle School)	44	30.5	13.5%
5th Grade Reading (Southside School District (Independence))	44	30.5	13.5%
5th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	41	36.8	4.2%
6th Grade English (Southside Middle School)	70.5	67.4	3.1%
6th Grade English (Southside School District (Independence))	70.5	67.4	3.1%
6th Grade English (Arkansas)	72.8	67.6	5.2%
6th Grade Math (Southside Middle School)	65.4	72	6.6%
6th Grade Math (Southside School District (Independence))	65.4	72	6.6%
6th Grade Math (Arkansas)	53.7	47	6.7%
6th Grade Science (Southside Middle School)	55.7	44.7	11%
6th Grade Science (Southside School District (Independence))	55.7	44.7	11%
6th Grade Science (Arkansas)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
6th Grade Reading (Southside Middle School)	46.1	40.1	6%
6th Grade Reading (Southside School District (Independence))	46.1	40.1	6%
6th Grade Reading (Arkansas)	43.1	39	4.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	485	453	6.6%
African American	7	7
American Indian	0	3
Asian	0	3
Hispanic	37	19	48.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	433	419	3.2%
Two or More Races	8	2	75%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	63.3%	57.4%	5.9%

Schools Near Southside Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ATLAS English Language Arts (2024)							ATLAS Reading (2024)							ATLAS Mathematics (2024)						ATLAS Algebra (2024)			ATLAS Geometry (2024)		ATLAS Science (2024)						ATLAS Biology (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ATLAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts 9th Grade	ATLAS English Language Arts All Grades	ATLAS Reading 4th Grade	ATLAS Reading 5th Grade	ATLAS Reading 6th Grade	ATLAS Reading 7th Grade	ATLAS Reading 8th Grade	ATLAS Reading 9th Grade	ATLAS Reading All Grades	ATLAS Mathematics 4th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 5th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 6th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 7th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics 8th Grade	ATLAS Mathematics All Grades	ATLAS Algebra 8th Grade	ATLAS Algebra 9th Grade	ATLAS Algebra All Grades	ATLAS Geometry 9th Grade	ATLAS Geometry All Grades	ATLAS Science 4th Grade	ATLAS Science 5th Grade	ATLAS Science 6th Grade	ATLAS Science 7th Grade	ATLAS Science 8th Grade	ATLAS Science All Grades	ATLAS Biology 9th Grade	ATLAS Biology All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southside Middle School	Public	4-6	70 Scott Dr	Batesville	72501	Independence County	Southside School District (Independence)	No	No	No	Yes	(870) 251-2332	463	25	18.6	53.3%	425 (91.8%)	7 (1.5%)	24 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)								(n/a)	42.2	34.0	34.1				36.7	43.6	38.0	37.0				39.5	54.4	55.6	44.2			51.6						45.6	33.4	41.3			40.0			$7,738	$1,392	$6,346
Southside Junior High School	Public, Charter	7-9	70 Scott Drive	Batesville	72501	Independence County	Southside School District (Independence)	Yes	No	No	Yes	(870) 251-4003	437	40	11.0	54.9%	395 (90.4%)	7 (1.6%)	26 (5.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.4%)	52.1	143^rd of 335 public middle schools	57.3%		47.3	188^th of 330 public middle schools	43.0%	45				28.3	31.0	42.1	34.3				28.1	33.9	42.0	35.1				47.7	20.4	35.2	70.9	14.8	26.7	53.8	53.8				37.5	28.0	32.5	33.3	33.3
Batesville Junior High School Charter	Public, Charter	6-8	#2 Pioneer Drive	Batesville	72501	Independence County	Batesville School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(870) 793-7533	742	51	14.5	56.6%	439 (59.2%)	42 (5.7%)	222 (29.9%)	10 (1.3%)	2 (0.3%)	8 (1.1%)	19 (2.6%)	49.9	156^th of 335 public middle schools	53.4%					(n/a)			31.6	26.2	27.0		28.3			32.4	28.7	28.1		29.8			42.7	35.1	22.5	34.2	60.5		60.5					37.2	34.1	34.9	35.4			$8,394	$1,373	$7,021
Cave City Middle School Career And Collegiate Preparatory	Public, Charter	6-8	711 N Main St	Cave City	72521	Sharp County	Cave City School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(870) 283-5392	279	21	13.1	80.6%	253 (90.7%)	7 (2.5%)	13 (4.7%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	78	47^th of 335 public middle schools	86.0%		74.5	66^th of 330 public middle schools	80.0%	19			41.2	40.0	42.2		41.1			40.0	39.6	42.3		40.6			47.1	52.8	59.6	53.2								40.0	44.4	43.3	42.7			$10,172	$1,622	$8,550

Frequently Asked Questions about Southside Middle School

What district is Southside Middle School in?

Southside School District (Independence)

What high school do graduates of Southside Middle School attend?

Students who attend Southside Middle School usually go on to attend Southside Charter High School

What is the racial makeup of Southside Middle School?

Students at Southside Middle School are 92% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% African American.

How many students attend Southside Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 463 students attended Southside Middle School.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary 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.