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#633 of 1,363 schools in MD

Top 46% in state

Southern Middle

Middle School · Anne Arundel County Public Schools · Lothian, MD

An Anne Arundel County Public Schools middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

5235 Solomons Island Rd, Lothian, MD 20711

  • Math 23% vs MD 30% (2025)
  • Reading 58% vs MD 51% (2025)
  • 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.9Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.16 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics6.8Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency23.2% (2025 MCAP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency57.6% (2025 MCAP)
Math vs. State Avg-7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+6.5 pts
Overall Proficiency40% (2025 MCAP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2025 MCAP)
vs. Expected-0.9 pts
Adjusted Percentile53th
Resources & Environment7.1Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.4:1
District spending per student$17,624
Chronic Absenteeism23.5%

Students at Southern Middle score 40% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 MCAP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. MD average.

Math Proficiency23%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
30%(2025 MCAP)
ELA Proficiency58%(2025 MCAP)
School
State
51%(2025 MCAP)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 17 points since 2020, reaching 40% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
78%
ELA
87%
2010
Math
85%
ELA
89%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
90%
2012
Math
82%
ELA
89%
2013
Math
66%
ELA
84%
2014
Math
34%
ELA
43%
2015
Math
39%
ELA
43%
2016
Math
37%
ELA
44%
2018
Math
38%
ELA
45%
2019
Math
38%
ELA
45%
2020*
Math
8%
ELA
39%
2021*
Math
8%
ELA
39%
2022
Math
13%
ELA
42%
2025
Math
23%
ELA
58%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 46% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 60% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from MD state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

47.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Southern Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 24Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$98,517

Median home value

$390,200

Median rent

$1,577/mo

College educated

34.7%

Homeownership

96.5%

Poverty rate

13.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 20711; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Central MiddleEnrollment path unverified8.46–8Not available1,257Compare →
Chesapeake Science PointCharter · enrollment unverified8.3K–12Not available889Compare →
Magothy River MiddleEnrollment path unverified8.36–8Not available672Compare →
Severn River MiddleEnrollment path unverified8.56–8Not available685Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Schools in district
126
Rank in district
#54 of 123
District spending per student
$17,624NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
7.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

Southern Middle is listed in Anne Arundel County Public Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Southern Middle

Southern Middle is a public middle school in Lothian, MD, part of Anne Arundel County Public Schools, serving approximately 765 students in grades 6th-8th with a 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10 and ranks #633 of 1,363 schools in MD. State assessment records show 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Southern Middle

What grades does Southern Middle serve?

Southern Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Southern Middle?

Southern Middle has an enrollment of approximately 765 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Southern Middle is 14.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Southern Middle rank in MD?

Southern Middle ranks #633 of 1,363 schools in MD.

What is Southern Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Southern Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Southern Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Southern Middle has 46% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 60% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Southern Middle a charter school?

No, Southern Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Southern Middle a Title I school?

No, Southern Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Southern Middle?

47.5% of students at Southern Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
765
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
53
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Anne Arundel County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.5%
Area population (ZIP 20711)
7,629
Area average commute
34.7 min
Area median age
40.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 MCAP · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 20711; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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