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Swatara Middle School

Summary:

Swatara Middle School is a public middle school located in Steelton, Pennsylvania, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 539 students. It is part of the Central Dauphin School District, which is ranked 372 out of 610 school districts in Pennsylvania and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Swatara Middle School consistently performs below the state and district averages on PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) tests in Math, Science, and English Language Arts across all grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 14.6% of Swatara students were proficient or better in PSSA Math, compared to 35.6% in the Central Dauphin School District and 40.4% statewide. The school also struggles to serve certain student subgroups effectively, ranking in the bottom 25% of Pennsylvania middle schools for Asian, White, and Disabled student performance. However, the school performs better for African American and English Language Learner students, ranking in the top 50% of Pennsylvania middle schools for these subgroups. Additionally, Swatara Middle School has seen a steady increase in its dropout rate, rising from 0.0% in 2020-2021 to 1.6% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average.

When comparing Swatara Middle School to other nearby middle schools in the Central Dauphin School District and surrounding districts, it becomes clear that Swatara is an outlier in terms of academic performance. For example, Central Dauphin Middle School and Crossroads Middle School, which are both within a 5-mile radius, significantly outperform Swatara on PSSA tests, with proficiency rates that are 20-30 percentage points higher. Despite the relatively high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratio at Swatara Middle School, these resources do not seem to translate into improved academic outcomes, suggesting that the school may need to re-evaluate how it allocates its resources.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1101 Highland St
       Steelton, PA  17113-1506

(717) 939-9363

District: Central Dauphin School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
639th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,598 Help


Students who attend Swatara Middle School usually attend:

High:    Central Dauphin East Senior High School

Feeder schools for Swatara Middle School:

Elementary:    Chambers Hill Elementary School
    Lawnton Elementary School
    Paxtang Elementary School
    Tri-Community Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.2 Help
Number of students:  644

Racial breakdown:

African American:
30.4%
Hispanic:
22.8%
White:
20.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Swatara Middle School ranks worse than 71.7% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. It also ranks last among 4 ranked middle schools in the Central Dauphin School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.73. (See more...)
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The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Swatara Middle School has the smallest middle school student body size in the Central Dauphin School District. Student population at Swatara Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (30.4%), Hispanic (22.8%), White (20.7%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Swatara Middle School is 13.2, which is the 2nd best among 4 middle schools in the Central Dauphin School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Swatara Middle School employs 48.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Swatara Middle School is $14,598, which is the 2nd highest among 4 middle schools in the Central Dauphin School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Swatara Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Swatara Middle School 639th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Swatara Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Central Dauphin School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Central Dauphin School District 372nd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Swatara Middle School.

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Your rating for Swatara Middle School?

Rank History for Swatara Middle School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 47.37 421st 643 34.5%
2004 34.26 505th 663 23.8%
2005 55.10 375th 687 45.4%
2006 46.54 470th 736 36.1%
2007 39.56 529th 749 29.4%
2008 38.77 541st 753 28.2%
2009 34.87 587th 770 23.8%
2010 40.92 582nd 805 27.7%
2011 27.33 672nd 825 18.5%
2012 32.78 639th 834 23.4%
2013 27.62 594th 758 21.6%
2014 22.06 594th 728 18.4%
2015 34.00 567th 835 32.1%
2016 38.84 567th 870 34.8%
2017 27.37 630th 877 28.2%
2018 29.58 612th 861 28.9%
2019 32.89 605th 891 32.1%
2021 25.48 594th 797 25.5%
2022 26.43 631st 883 28.5%
2023 25.70 649th 893 27.3%
2024 26.73 639th 891 28.3%
See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.23 156th 187 16.6%
2024 26.96 147th 199 26.1%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 44.40 63rd 143 55.9%
2024 49.56 58th 150 61.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 32.59 601st 874 31.2%
2024 32.46 611th 877 30.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 25.79 632nd 860 26.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.34 566th 660 14.2%
2024 22.12 568th 672 15.5%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 27.00 630th 870 27.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 4.84 136th 144 5.6%
2024 7.44 134th 145 7.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 46.85 185th 421 56.1%
2024 37.60 234th 408 42.6%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.83 236th 362 34.8%
2024 33.56 238th 362 34.3%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Swatara Middle School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools PA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.32 578th 681 15.1%
2024 31.84 483rd 673 28.2%
See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Swatara Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.8)
33%

17%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, June 8, 2023

Open Quote They help the children and support them! Swatara has an amazing staff! Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, May 31, 2012

Open Quote While there are many challenges involved with sending my children to Swatara, the dedication and professionalism of the teachers is not one of them. The major impediment to quality education at this school is the discipline, or lack there of, of a faction of the student population. My children have reported abhorrent behavior from students in their classes with no perceivable consequence. I have been involved at Swatara for a number of years and have grown to know many of the teachers personally. The number one complaint that I hear from these teachers is the total disrespect that they receive from some students and the lack of consequences associated with these behaviors. In my opinion this is an outstanding staff that would excel at another school, but are behind the 8 ball here. I have considered alternative schools for my kids, particularly 1, but have not liked my choices. Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Open Quote The Principal(Mr. Valentin)and Assistant Principal(Mr. Termin) just do not care about the education of kids in this school. They do not want to communicate with the parents nor do they want to listen to the parents point of view. Instead Mr. Termin tells the parents how to raise their kids. And he's only been at the school a couple of weeks. When talking to him it's like talking in circles. He just doesn't want to listen. He tells you he's been in the district for 25 years and it's his way or no way. Oh, don't just try and go to the school to talk to either one. The secretaries won't let you in the building and they tell you they are not available to see you. They also need to learn how to handle the stress. There have been occasions when they've left me in the office and Nichole (secretary) is crying. If you want a good education and people who care about your kids don't send them to Swatara Middle School. This is not only my opinion. I've talked with several parents and administration at other schools in the district and they all have the same opinion. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Swatara Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 462 60 10 16 0 n/a n/a 0 548
1989 440 54 13 14 0 n/a n/a 0 521
1990 443 64 9 17 0 n/a n/a 0 533
1991 458 67 10 18 0 n/a n/a 0 553
1992 465 85 10 8 0 n/a n/a 0 568
1993 490 86 7 12 0 n/a n/a 0 595
1994 359 57 6 5 0 n/a n/a 0 427
1995 369 79 10 20 1 n/a n/a 0 479
1996 369 79 10 20 1 n/a n/a 0 479
1997 359 67 12 15 0 n/a n/a 0 453
1998 336 87 9 14 0 n/a n/a 0 446
1999 350 106 9 21 0 n/a n/a 0 486
2000 365 110 8 32 0 n/a n/a 0 515
2001 370 138 10 30 0 n/a n/a 0 548
2002 329 169 15 38 0 n/a n/a 0 551
2003 329 169 15 38 0 n/a n/a 0 551
2004 313 195 18 37 0 n/a n/a 0 563
2005 329 227 14 40 1 n/a n/a 0 611
2006 301 185 15 45 1 n/a n/a 0 547
2007 187 137 16 45 0 n/a n/a 0 385
2008 274 178 35 61 0 n/a n/a 0 548
2009 231 136 28 64 2 n/a n/a 28 489
2010 226 149 32 75 2 n/a n/a 15 499
2011 228 139 32 87 2 0 31 0 519
2012 223 149 33 91 1 0 49 0 546
2013 204 147 35 111 1 0 39 0 537
2014 210 143 39 120 0 0 54 0 566
2015 190 151 46 122 2 0 54 0 565
2016 162 150 44 103 3 0 63 0 525
2017 149 151 42 107 4 1 63 0 517
2018 151 147 53 120 3 2 67 0 543
2019 153 143 65 120 2 2 69 0 554
2020 156 157 78 131 2 1 60 0 585
2021 132 174 78 138 2 1 69 0 594
2022 136 177 83 143 2 1 69 0 611
2023 115 167 71 117 2 0 67 0 539
2024 133 196 89 147 2 1 76 0 644

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 Swatara Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 548 38.0 14.4 n/a
1989 521 39.8 13.0 n/a
1990 533 42.7 12.4 0
1991 553 43.8 12.6 n/a
1992 568 44.1 12.8 n/a
1993 595 46.0 12.9 n/a
1994 427 36.0 11.9 n/a
1995 479 37.0 12.9 n/a
1996 479 37.0 12.9 n/a
1997 453 39.5 11.5 n/a
1998 446 39.0 11.4 n/a
1999 486 39.6 12.3 n/a
2000 515 39.0 13.2 20.6
2001 548 43.5 12.6 26.1
2002 551 46.3 11.9 41.9
2003 551 46.3 11.9 41.9
2004 563 52.5 10.7 27.7
2005 611 47.6 12.8 37.8
2006 547 48.9 11.2 45
2007 385 34.1 11.3 36.1
2008 548 53.4 10.3 45.8
2009 489 47.2 10.4 47.5
2010 499 49.1 10.1 47.3
2011 519 45.3 11.4 46.8
2012 546 44.7 12.2 49.5
2013 537 42.8 12.5 56.4
2014 566 42.5 13.3 60.1
2015 565 45.0 12.5 63
2016 525 45.0 11.6 63.4
2017 517 46.3 11.1 67.1
2018 543 45.3 11.9 100
2019 554 47.3 11.7 100
2020 585 46.0 12.7 100
2021 594 46.8 12.6 100
2022 611 48.3 12.6 99.5
2023 539 43.6 12.3 98.7
2024 644 48.7 13.2 100

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 Swatara Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 548 38.0 14.4 n/a
1989 521 39.8 13.0 n/a
1990 533 42.7 12.4 0
1991 553 43.8 12.6 n/a
1992 568 44.1 12.8 n/a
1993 595 46.0 12.9 n/a
1994 427 36.0 11.9 n/a
1995 479 37.0 12.9 n/a
1996 479 37.0 12.9 n/a
1997 453 39.5 11.5 n/a
1998 446 39.0 11.4 n/a
1999 486 39.6 12.3 n/a
2000 515 39.0 13.2 20.6
2001 548 43.5 12.6 26.1
2002 551 46.3 11.9 41.9
2003 551 46.3 11.9 41.9
2004 563 52.5 10.7 27.7
2005 611 47.6 12.8 37.8
2006 547 48.9 11.2 45
2007 385 34.1 11.3 36.1
2008 548 53.4 10.3 45.8
2009 489 47.2 10.4 47.5
2010 499 49.1 10.1 47.3
2011 519 45.3 11.4 46.8
2012 546 44.7 12.2 49.5
2013 537 42.8 12.5 56.4
2014 566 42.5 13.3 60.1
2015 565 45.0 12.5 63
2016 525 45.0 11.6 63.4
2017 517 46.3 11.1 67.1
2018 543 45.3 11.9 100
2019 554 47.3 11.7 100
2020 585 46.0 12.7 100
2021 594 46.8 12.6 100
2022 611 48.3 12.6 99.5
2023 539 43.6 12.3 98.7
2024 644 48.7 13.2 100

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 Swatara Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $130 (0.8%) $15,453 (99.2%) $15,584
2020 $111 (0.7%) $14,712 (99.3%) $14,823
2021 $128 (0.9%) $14,401 (99.1%) $14,530
2022 $557 (3.8%) $14,041 (96.2%) $14,598

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Swatara 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 605th of 891 Middle schoolsRanks 649th of 893 Middle schools
 4.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Swatara Middle School)2514.9
 10.1%
   6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)3936.4
 2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Swatara Middle School)51.743.3
 8.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)6355.6
 7.4%
7th Grade Math (Swatara Middle School)30.210.5
 19.7%
   7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)38.233.2
 5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Swatara Middle School)40.825
 15.8%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.554.5
 6%
8th Grade Math (Swatara Middle School)22.312.6
 9.7%
   8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)32.226
 6.2%
8th Grade Science (Swatara Middle School)37.239.5
 2.3%
   8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)58.257
 1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Swatara Middle School)44.444
 0.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)57.952.8
 5.1%
All Grades Math (Swatara Middle School)25.712.7
 13%
   All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)42.439.3
 3.1%
All Grades Science (Swatara Middle School)37.239.5
 2.3%
   All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)6865.6
 2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Swatara Middle School)45.937.4
 8.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)60.953.8
 7.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students554539
 2.7%
African American143167
 16.8%
American Indian22
Asian6571
 9.2%
Hispanic120117
 2.5%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White153115
 24.8%
Two or More Races6967
 2.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%98.7%
 1.3%

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Frequently Asked Questions about Swatara Middle School

Swatara Middle School ranks 639th of 891 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Students who attend Swatara Middle School usually go on to attend Central Dauphin East Senior High School

In the 2023-24 school year, 644 students attended Swatara Middle School.

Students at Swatara Middle School are 30% African American, 23% Hispanic, 21% White, 14% Asian, 12% Two or more races.


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




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