Northside Middle

Summary:

Northside Middle is a public middle school in West Columbia, South Carolina, serving 555 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Lexington 02 district, which is ranked 59 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Northside Middle has seen a decline in its student racial makeup, with the percentage of White students decreasing from 37.14% in 2020-2021 to 28.83% in 2022-2023, while the Hispanic student population has increased from 34.29% to 39.1% during the same period.

Northside Middle has consistently underperformed compared to state and district averages on standardized tests, with proficiency rates significantly lower than the state and district across all grade levels. The school's performance varies greatly across different student subgroups, ranking particularly low for Hispanic and English Language Learner (ELL) students, while the White and African American subgroups perform relatively better. Northside Middle has a very high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, increasing from 57.98% in 2020-2021 to 90.63% in 2022-2023, suggesting a high concentration of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. The school's per-student spending has increased over the years but is still lower than the state average.

When compared to other middle schools in the area, Northside Middle generally underperforms. For example, Meadow Glen Middle, a Lexington 01 district school located just a few miles away, consistently outperforms Northside Middle across all academic metrics and student subgroups. Northside Middle's statewide ranking has also steadily declined over the past decade, suggesting that the school's academic challenges have been persistent and potentially worsening over time. The high poverty rates and the school's racial and ethnic diversity may be significant factors contributing to its academic struggles.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 157 Cougar Drive
       West Columbia, SC  29169


(803) 739-4190

District: Lexington 02

SchoolDigger Rank:
252nd of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,805 Help


Students who attend Northside Middle usually attend:

High:    Brookland-Cayce High

Feeder schools for Northside Middle:

Elementary:    Riverbank Elementary
    Saluda River Academy for the Arts

Student/teacher ratio:  13.0 Help
Number of students:  496

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
42.1%
White:
27.8%
African American:
24.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  84.5% Help


 See top rated South Carolina middle schools

 Compare Northside Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Northside Middle ranks worse than 77.5% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 3rd among 4 ranked middle schools in the Lexington 02 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.08. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Northside Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42.1%), White (27.8%), African American (24.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 84.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Lexington 02 School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Northside Middle is 13, which is the highest among 4 middle schools in the Lexington 02 School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Northside Middle employs 38 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Northside Middle is $12,805. 2 middle schools in the Lexington 02 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Northside Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Northside Middle 252nd of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Northside Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Lexington 02:

SchoolDigger ranks Lexington 02 59th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Northside Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 76.60 54th 225 76.0%
2004 77.90 48th 230 79.1%
2005 78.96 45th 230 80.4%
2006 79.97 42nd 231 81.8%
2007 71.46 65th 236 72.5%
2008 69.78 74th 244 69.7%
2009 73.06 62nd 249 75.1%
2010 60.70 115th 261 55.9%
2011 64.23 105th 269 61.0%
2012 64.51 106th 271 60.9%
2013 66.27 87th 276 68.5%
2014 72.17 70th 291 75.9%
2015 64.12 83rd 301 72.4%
2016 54.91 134th 303 55.8%
2017 54.91 131st 317 58.7%
2018 38.88 181st 303 40.3%
2019 35.61 206th 315 34.6%
2021 44.87 160th 311 48.6%
2022 29.80 216th 310 30.3%
2023 28.73 230th 325 29.2%
2024 22.08 252nd 325 22.5%
See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.79 89th 93 4.3%
2019 11.45 115th 117 1.7%
2021 19.70 79th 87 9.2%
2022 13.34 93rd 97 4.1%
2023 17.02 85th 95 10.5%
2024 14.33 99th 105 5.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.86 210th 280 25.0%
2019 29.47 217th 289 24.9%
2021 41.25 157th 288 45.5%
2022 24.48 231st 300 23.0%
2023 27.94 237th 313 24.3%
2024 31.18 210th 307 31.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.36 200th 281 28.8%
2019 34.44 200th 296 32.4%
2021 45.19 150th 279 46.2%
2022 32.40 197th 290 32.1%
2023 28.98 220th 299 26.4%
2024 21.41 235th 294 20.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 65.93 41st 194 78.9%
2019 34.37 132nd 195 32.3%
2021 33.66 113th 164 31.1%
2022 30.50 132nd 183 27.9%
2023 9.84 187th 187 0.0%
2024 23.88 155th 177 12.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 50.26 113th 179 36.9%
2022 29.81 152nd 182 16.5%
2023 29.81 158th 185 14.6%
2024 30.22 157th 183 14.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.46 139th 284 51.1%
2019 37.74 188th 296 36.5%
2021 44.48 144th 279 48.4%
2022 28.08 207th 292 29.1%
2023 28.77 214th 303 29.4%
2024 23.34 225th 294 23.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.46 166th 237 30.0%
2019 28.31 201st 252 20.2%
2021 51.97 95th 235 59.6%
2022 35.83 162nd 249 34.9%
2023 36.55 165th 253 34.8%
2024 42.46 139th 248 44.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.17 114th 123 7.3%
2019 7.74 136th 139 2.2%
2021 18.29 97th 111 12.6%
2022 12.52 122nd 129 5.4%
2023 16.34 127th 141 9.9%
2024 15.03 134th 144 6.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Northside Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.17 122nd 250 51.2%
2019 58.27 107th 258 58.5%
2021 59.16 94th 244 61.5%
2022 40.47 147th 249 41.0%
2023 49.96 121st 260 53.5%
2024 30.97 182nd 255 28.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department 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.

Northside Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
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100%

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Reviews:
by a parent
Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Open Quote Great "neighborhood" smaller sized middle school that does a lot with the resources of a smaller district with a wide range of socioeconomic groups. Advanced courses, particularly in 8th grade, are very well-designed to prepare the student for high school. Positive school atmosphere with minimal discipline/gang/racial problems. Very diverse population of white, black and hispanic students. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Northside Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 543 120 5 2 1 n/a n/a 0 671
1989 517 120 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 641
1990 473 148 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 627
1991 444 133 5 1 0 n/a n/a 0 583
1992 456 131 7 1 0 n/a n/a 0 595
1993 463 165 6 2 0 n/a n/a 0 636
1994 423 157 8 1 0 n/a n/a 0 589
1995 410 176 9 7 2 n/a n/a 0 604
1996 410 176 9 7 2 n/a n/a 0 604
1997 414 166 8 8 1 n/a n/a 0 597
1998 373 148 12 12 1 n/a n/a 0 546
1999 374 142 13 10 0 n/a n/a 0 539
2000 426 172 18 9 0 n/a n/a 0 625
2001 398 183 15 21 1 n/a n/a 0 618
2002 412 162 13 25 0 n/a n/a 1 613
2003 412 162 13 25 0 n/a n/a 1 613
2004 432 164 13 36 1 n/a n/a 3 649
2005 401 199 13 61 0 n/a n/a 4 678
2006 390 182 13 75 0 n/a n/a 2 662
2007 365 156 9 76 1 n/a n/a 0 607
2008 352 154 7 74 1 n/a n/a 3 591
2009 351 136 6 64 3 n/a n/a 3 563
2010 322 179 7 69 3 n/a n/a 1 581
2011 329 156 5 66 1 1 13 0 571
2012 302 176 9 71 1 1 13 0 573
2013 314 169 17 70 0 2 13 0 585
2014 286 164 17 75 0 1 14 0 557
2015 285 147 16 77 1 2 23 0 551
2016 274 150 13 104 2 1 21 0 565
2017 270 168 11 120 1 1 26 0 597
2018 249 139 13 145 1 0 19 0 566
2019 252 158 14 189 1 0 25 0 639
2020 224 149 13 215 1 0 25 0 627
2021 221 130 12 204 1 0 27 0 595
2022 190 146 6 199 1 0 25 0 567
2023 160 140 10 217 1 0 27 0 555
2024 138 122 6 209 1 0 20 0 496

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 Northside Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 671 43.3 15.4 n/a
1989 641 41.3 15.5 n/a
1990 627 41.0 15.2 n/a
1991 583 38.6 15.1 22.5
1992 595 39.5 15.0 26.7
1993 636 41.3 15.4 28.6
1994 589 42.3 13.9 34.3
1995 604 41.3 14.6 33.1
1996 604 41.3 14.6 33.1
1997 597 40.3 14.8 31.7
1998 546 41.8 13.1 31.5
1999 539 38.0 14.2 41.2
2000 625 39.5 15.8 39.8
2001 618 40.5 15.3 42.9
2002 613 40.5 15.1 39.4
2003 613 40.5 15.1 39.4
2004 649 40.8 15.9 41.2
2005 678 42.0 16.1 49.7
2006 662 44.0 15.0 52.7
2007 607 55.5 10.9 45.3
2008 591 38.0 15.6 53.6
2009 563 30.0 18.8 41.1
2010 581 40.0 14.5 41.9
2011 571 38.0 15.0 48.9
2012 573 37.0 15.4 59.5
2013 585 40.0 14.6 57.8
2014 557 39.0 14.2 54.9
2015 551 38.0 14.5 55.7
2016 565 39.0 14.4 56.8
2017 597 39.0 15.3 61.6
2018 566 39.0 14.5 57.8
2019 639 40.0 15.9 59
2020 627 45.0 13.9 60.9
2021 595 44.0 13.5 58
2022 567 44.0 12.8 66.5
2023 555 41.0 13.5 90.6
2024 496 38.0 13.0 84.5

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 Northside Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 671 43.3 15.4 n/a
1989 641 41.3 15.5 n/a
1990 627 41.0 15.2 n/a
1991 583 38.6 15.1 22.5
1992 595 39.5 15.0 26.7
1993 636 41.3 15.4 28.6
1994 589 42.3 13.9 34.3
1995 604 41.3 14.6 33.1
1996 604 41.3 14.6 33.1
1997 597 40.3 14.8 31.7
1998 546 41.8 13.1 31.5
1999 539 38.0 14.2 41.2
2000 625 39.5 15.8 39.8
2001 618 40.5 15.3 42.9
2002 613 40.5 15.1 39.4
2003 613 40.5 15.1 39.4
2004 649 40.8 15.9 41.2
2005 678 42.0 16.1 49.7
2006 662 44.0 15.0 52.7
2007 607 55.5 10.9 45.3
2008 591 38.0 15.6 53.6
2009 563 30.0 18.8 41.1
2010 581 40.0 14.5 41.9
2011 571 38.0 15.0 48.9
2012 573 37.0 15.4 59.5
2013 585 40.0 14.6 57.8
2014 557 39.0 14.2 54.9
2015 551 38.0 14.5 55.7
2016 565 39.0 14.4 56.8
2017 597 39.0 15.3 61.6
2018 566 39.0 14.5 57.8
2019 639 40.0 15.9 59
2020 627 45.0 13.9 60.9
2021 595 44.0 13.5 58
2022 567 44.0 12.8 66.5
2023 555 41.0 13.5 90.6
2024 496 38.0 13.0 84.5

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 Northside Middle

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $183 (2.0%) $49 (0.5%) $232 (2.5%) $7,125 (77.8%) $1,799 (19.6%) $8,924 (97.5%) $9,156
2020 $189 (2.1%) $495 (5.5%) $684 (7.6%) $6,801 (76.0%) $1,458 (16.3%) $8,259 (92.4%) $8,943
2021 $157 (1.6%) $348 (3.5%) $505 (5.1%) $8,211 (82.3%) $1,262 (12.6%) $9,473 (94.9%) $9,978
2022 $263 (2.4%) $670 (6.0%) $934 (8.4%) $8,696 (78.3%) $1,482 (13.3%) $10,177 (91.6%) $11,111
2023 $611 (4.8%) $1,389 (10.8%) $2,001 (15.6%) $9,037 (70.6%) $1,767 (13.8%) $10,804 (84.4%) $12,805

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Northside Middle

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 206th of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 230th of 325 Middle schools
 5.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Science (Northside Middle)40.234.1
 6.1%
   6th Grade Science (Lexington 02)4433
 11%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Northside Middle)33.541.5
 8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Lexington 02)28.940.1
 11.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Northside Middle)28.418.1
 10.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Lexington 02)31.421.8
 9.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Northside Middle)38.332.3
 6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Lexington 02)39.130.4
 8.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Northside Middle)23.214.1
 9.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Lexington 02)26.917.8
 9.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Northside Middle)42.937.4
 5.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Lexington 02)39.539.6
 0.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Northside Middle)29.430.7
 1.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Lexington 02)29.728.4
 1.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Northside Middle)85.5100
 14.5%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Lexington 02)60.350.8
 9.5%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)68.668.3
 0.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students639555
 13.1%
African American158140
 11.4%
American Indian11
Asian1410
 28.6%
Hispanic189217
 14.8%
Pacific Islander00
White252160
 36.5%
Two or More Races2527
 8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients59%90.6%
 31.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Northside Middle

Students at Northside Middle are 42% Hispanic, 28% White, 25% African American, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Northside Middle ranks in the bottom 22.5% of South Carolina middle schools.

In the 2023-24 school year, 496 students attended Northside Middle.

Students who attend Northside Middle usually go on to attend Brookland-Cayce High


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