Is Southern Columbia Middle School a good school?

Yes. Southern Columbia Middle School ranks in the top 9.5% of Pennsylvania middle schools.

How many students attend Southern Columbia Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 382 students attended Southern Columbia Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Southern Columbia Middle School?

Students at Southern Columbia Middle School are 93% White, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Southern Columbia Middle School attend?

Students who attend Southern Columbia Middle School usually go on to attend Southern Columbia High School

Southern Columbia Middle School

Summary:

Southern Columbia Middle School is a high-performing public middle school located in Catawissa, Pennsylvania, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 401 students. The school is part of the Southern Columbia Area School District, which is ranked 163 out of 610 school districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southern Columbia Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Pennsylvania, with a statewide ranking of 85 out of 891 schools for the 2023-2024 school year and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance on PSSA tests is impressive, with significantly higher proficiency rates compared to the state average across all subjects and grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates in Math (52.4%), Science (73.5%), and English Language Arts (74.1%) were all well above the state averages. The school's performance is particularly strong in certain student subgroups, such as female students (ranked 86 out of 860 PA middle schools) and low socioeconomic status students (ranked 54 out of 877 PA middle schools). Additionally, the school has maintained very low dropout rates, with a 0.0% dropout rate in 2022-2023 and a 0.3% dropout rate in 2021-2022, significantly lower than the state average.

When compared to nearby middle schools, Milton Area Middle School, Berwick Area Middle School, and Shamokin Area Middle School, Southern Columbia Middle School outperforms them in academic performance, particularly in Math and English Language Arts proficiency rates. However, the school's performance is not as dominant when compared to the higher-ranked Central Columbia Middle School. The school's success may be partially influenced by its relatively more advantaged student population in terms of socioeconomic status, with a lower percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients compared to many of the nearby schools.

Detail:

Public 5-8

810 Southern Drive
Catawissa, PA 17820-8410

(570) 356-3400

District: Southern Columbia Area School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
85^th of 891 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,695

Students who attend Southern Columbia Middle School usually attend:

High:

Southern Columbia High School

Feeder schools for Southern Columbia Middle School:

Elementary:

Hartman Elementary Center

Student/teacher ratio: 13.4

Number of students: 382

Racial breakdown:

White:

92.7%

Hispanic:

3.9%

Two or more races:

2.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.6%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare Southern Columbia Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Southern Columbia Middle School ranks better than 90.5% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.87. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (92.7%), Hispanic (3.9%), two or more races (2.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 36.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Columbia Middle School is 13.4. (See more...)

Compare Southern Columbia Middle School employs 28.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Columbia Middle School is $15,695.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southern Columbia Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Columbia Middle School 85^th of 891 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Southern Columbia Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Southern Columbia Area School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Columbia Area School District 163^rd of 610 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Southern Columbia Middle School?

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Rank History for Southern Columbia Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	71.99	191^st	643	70.3%
2004	68.05	240^th	663	63.8%
2005	62.26	294^th	687	57.2%
2006	80.16	102^nd	736	86.1%
2007	62.99	313^th	749	58.2%
2008	72.83	190^th	753	74.8%
2009	78.84	118^th	770	84.7%
2010	70.51	239^th	805	70.3%
2011	66.10	324^th	825	60.7%
2012	63.63	361^st	834	56.7%
2013	66.14	300^th	758	60.4%
2014	64.75	291^st	728	60.0%
2015	77.51	166^th	835	80.1%
2016	72.44	230^th	870	73.6%
2017	66.60	283^rd	877	67.7%
2018	75.54	197^th	861	77.1%
2019	78.76	164^th	891	81.6%
2021	70.25	204^th	797	74.4%
2022	78.21	156^th	883	82.3%
2023	74.03	210^th	893	76.5%
2024	86.87	85^th	891	90.5%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	70.69	186^th	874	78.7%
2024	87.54	54^th	877	93.8%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	85.54	86^th	860	90.0%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.80	323^rd	660	51.1%
2024	63.34	162^nd	672	75.9%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2024	84.23	101^st	870	88.4%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	61.88	224^th	681	67.1%
2024	77.95	106^th	673	84.2%

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.

Data source: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Southern Columbia Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2001	487	2	3	16	0	n/a	n/a	508
2002	456	1	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	467
2003	456	1	2	8	0	n/a	n/a	467
2004	442	3	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	451
2005	429	1	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	435
2006	430	1	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	438
2007	437	4	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	449
2008	427	3	2	3	0	n/a	n/a	435
2009	449	1	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	454
2010	459	1	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	468
2011	448	2	4	7	1	0	0	462
2012	432	3	3	10	3	0	3	454
2013	438	0	4	7	3	0	5	457
2014	443	1	1	4	3	0	8	460
2015	461	0	2	5	4	0	7	479
2016	442	0	2	7	2	1	7	461
2017	435	0	1	6	3	0	7	452
2018	442	0	2	7	0	0	10	461
2019	421	4	2	5	0	0	9	441
2020	420	3	2	6	1	0	11	443
2021	402	2	2	8	0	0	8	422
2022	401	2	3	10	0	0	4	420
2023	376	1	1	12	1	0	10	401
2024	354	1	2	15	1	0	9	382

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 Southern Columbia Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	508	31.0	16.4	0
2002	467	26.0	18.0	0
2003	467	26.0	18.0	0
2004	451	29.6	15.2	0
2005	435	30.6	14.2	0
2006	438	29.8	14.7	0
2007	449	27.7	16.2	0
2008	435	30.6	14.2	n/a
2009	454	27.9	16.2	n/a
2010	468	32.3	14.4	27.1
2011	462	31.3	14.7	29
2012	454	31.1	14.5	28.2
2013	457	32.9	13.8	30.4
2014	460	32.5	14.1	25.2
2015	479	32.0	14.9	27.3
2016	461	31.0	14.8	20.4
2017	452	30.5	14.7	n/a
2018	461	29.8	15.4	n/a
2019	441	29.7	14.8	26.1
2020	443	29.2	15.1	n/a
2021	422	28.2	14.9	27.5
2022	420	27.0	15.5	22.6
2023	401	25.8	15.4	23.7
2024	382	28.4	13.4	36.6

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 Southern Columbia Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	508	31.0	16.4	0
2002	467	26.0	18.0	0
2003	467	26.0	18.0	0
2004	451	29.6	15.2	0
2005	435	30.6	14.2	0
2006	438	29.8	14.7	0
2007	449	27.7	16.2	0
2008	435	30.6	14.2	n/a
2009	454	27.9	16.2	n/a
2010	468	32.3	14.4	27.1
2011	462	31.3	14.7	29
2012	454	31.1	14.5	28.2
2013	457	32.9	13.8	30.4
2014	460	32.5	14.1	25.2
2015	479	32.0	14.9	27.3
2016	461	31.0	14.8	20.4
2017	452	30.5	14.7	n/a
2018	461	29.8	15.4	n/a
2019	441	29.7	14.8	26.1
2020	443	29.2	15.1	n/a
2021	422	28.2	14.9	27.5
2022	420	27.0	15.5	22.6
2023	401	25.8	15.4	23.7
2024	382	28.4	13.4	36.6

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 Southern Columbia Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$508 (3.8%)	$12,943 (96.2%)	$13,450
2020	$1,196 (8.1%)	$13,567 (91.9%)	$14,763
2021	$496 (3.2%)	$14,914 (96.8%)	$15,410
2022	$1,118 (7.1%)	$14,577 (92.9%)	$15,695

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern Columbia 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 164^th of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 210^th of 893 Middle schools	5.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade Math (Southern Columbia Middle School)	46.1	57.9	11.8%
5th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	43	42.7	0.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Columbia Middle School)	68.2	72.6	4.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	58.5	53.6	4.9%
6th Grade Math (Southern Columbia Middle School)	34.9	47.6	12.7%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Columbia Middle School)	76.8	81.2	4.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Southern Columbia Middle School)	69.3	53	16.3%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Columbia Middle School)	75.9	78.3	2.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Southern Columbia Middle School)	53.1	18.6	34.5%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Southern Columbia Middle School)	69.3	67.6	1.7%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Southern Columbia Middle School)	65.6	51.4	14.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Southern Columbia Middle School)	50.8	43.1	7.7%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Southern Columbia Middle School)	69.3	67.6	1.7%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Southern Columbia Middle School)	71.9	70.4	1.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	441	401	9.1%
African American	4	1	75%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	2	1	50%
Hispanic	5	12	140%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	421	376	10.7%
Two or More Races	9	10	11.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.1%	23.7%	2.4%

Schools Near Southern Columbia Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				PSSA Math (2024)					PSSA Science (2024)		PSSA English Language Arts (2024)					Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
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	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southern Columbia Middle School	Public	5-8	810 Southern Drive	Catawissa	17820	Columbia County	Southern Columbia Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 356-3400	382	28	13.4	36.6%	354 (92.7%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (3.9%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	86.9	85^th of 891 public middle schools	90.5%		74	210^th of 893 public middle schools	76.5%	125	56.5	60.7	59.4	31.3	52.4	73.5	73.5	73.6	76.2	76.5	69.5	74.1	$15,695	$1,118	$14,577
Bloomsburg Area Middle School	Public	6-8	1100 Railroad St	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Bloomsburg Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 784-9100	368	28	13.2	51.6%	300 (81.5%)	20 (5.4%)	21 (5.7%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.7%)	72.4	225^th of 891 public middle schools	74.7%		72	224^th of 893 public middle schools	74.9%	1		39.6	42.2	35.7	39.5	67.3	67.3		53.2	62.0	67.3	60.8	$12,080	$1,286	$10,794
Danville Area Middle School	Public	6-8	252 Northumberland St	Danville	17821	Montour County	Danville Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 271-3268	512	35	14.5	35.9%	447 (87.3%)	9 (1.8%)	18 (3.5%)	16 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	20 (3.9%)	76.6	180^th of 891 public middle schools	79.8%		77.2	174^th of 893 public middle schools	80.5%	6		50.0	41.0	40.9	43.8	65.7	65.7		69.0	56.3	62.2	62.4	$13,721	$1,155	$12,566
Mount Carmel Area Junior High School	Public	7-8	600 W 5th St	Mount Carmel	17851	Northumberland County	Mount Carmel Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 339-1500	260	17	15.2	100.0%	213 (81.9%)	4 (1.5%)	29 (11.2%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.2%)	44.4	521^st of 891 public middle schools	41.5%		40.3	549^th of 893 public middle schools	38.5%	28			32.8	29.7	31.3	46.3	46.3			42.8	30.9	37.2	$13,865	$999	$12,867
Shamokin Area Middle School	Public	7-8	2000 W State St	Shamokin	17866	Northumberland County	Shamokin Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 648-5731	350	25	13.8	100.6%	277 (79.1%)	13 (3.7%)	48 (13.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)	35.2	590^th of 891 public middle schools	33.8%		23.1	665^th of 893 public middle schools	25.5%	75			17.5	10.0	13.8	37.7	37.7			48.0	47.4	47.7	$10,506	$2,723	$7,783
Shamokin Area Intermediate School	Public	5-6	3000 W State St	Coal Township	17866	Northumberland County	Shamokin Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 648-5721	318	12	27.4	100.0%	238 (74.8%)	17 (5.3%)	53 (16.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.5%)								(n/a)	20.5	17.1			18.8			39.7	35.0			37.3	$9,173	$1,294	$7,879
Central Columbia Middle School	Public	5-8	4777 Old Berwick Rd	Bloomsburg	17815	Columbia County	Central Columbia School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 784-6103	630	40	15.9	35.2%	559 (88.7%)	2 (0.3%)	18 (2.9%)	19 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (4.8%)	89.6	67^th of 891 public middle schools	92.5%		85.3	100^th of 893 public middle schools	88.8%	33	57.8	69.6	61.2	56.1	60.8	70.8	70.8	65.9	70.3	70.9	68.4	68.8	$17,448	$1,593	$15,855
Shikellamy Middle School	Public	6-8	545 Permastone Dr	Northumberland	17857	Northumberland County	Shikellamy School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 286-3736	646	33	19.7	101.5%	462 (71.5%)	32 (5.0%)	90 (13.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (9.4%)	45.7	506^th of 891 public middle schools	43.2%		43.5	524^th of 893 public middle schools	41.3%	18		34.2	31.0	22.9	29.3	57.9	57.9		39.4	36.3	44.7	40.2	$14,159	$1,320	$12,840
Berwick Area Middle School	Public	5-8	1100 Evergreen Drive	Berwick	18603	Columbia County	Berwick Area School District	No	No	No	No	(570) 759-6400	878	65	13.4	99.4%	698 (79.5%)	32 (3.6%)	117 (13.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (3.3%)	55.4	412^th of 891 public middle schools	53.8%		60.9	348^th of 893 public middle schools	61.0%	64	39.5	35.0	37.7	23.1	33.7	50.3	50.3	48.4	48.9	50.6	55.8	51.0	$11,895	$254	$11,642
Milton Area Middle School	Public	6-8	700 Mahoning St	Milton	17847	Northumberland County	Milton Area School District	No	No	No	Yes	(570) 742-7614	443	37	12.0	56.2%	353 (79.7%)	15 (3.4%)	47 (10.6%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.2%)	67.2	284^th of 891 public middle schools	68.1%		64.6	306^th of 893 public middle schools	65.7%	22		36.5	34.7	37.8	36.3	63.9	63.9		61.2	57.0	54.6	57.7	$18,499	$2,111	$16,388

Southern Columbia Middle School

Southern Columbia Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Southern Columbia Area School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for Southern Columbia Middle School

Rank History for all students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Rank History for Disabled students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Rank History for White students at Southern Columbia Middle School

Enrollment information for Southern Columbia Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Southern Columbia Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Southern Columbia Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Southern Columbia Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern Columbia Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Southern Columbia Middle School