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Excellent

#28 of 635 schools in WV

Top 4% in state

South Middle School

Middle School · Monongalia County Schools · Morgantown, WV

A Monongalia County Schools middle school where students score 9 points above what's typical for similar communities.

500 E Parkway Dr, Morgantown, WV 26501

  • Math 55% vs WV 33% (2025)
  • Reading 60% vs WV 45% (2025)
  • 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.7Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data16
Annual Change+11.67 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendImproving
Academics8.7Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency54.8% (2025 WVGSA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency59.8% (2025 WVGSA)
Math vs. State Avg+23.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+15.4 pts
Overall Proficiency57% (2025 WVGSA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)48% (model expectation from 2025 WVGSA)
vs. Expected+9.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile80th
Resources & Environment8.5Excellent25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.6:1
District spending per student$14,414
Chronic Absenteeism25.4%

Students at South Middle School score 57% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 48%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 WVGSA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WV average.

Math Proficiency55%(2025 WVGSA)
School
State
33%(2025 WVGSA)
ELA Proficiency60%(2025 WVGSA)
School
State
45%(2025 WVGSA)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 17 points since 2021, reaching 57% in 2025.

Show all 16 years
2009
Math
47%
ELA
44%
2010
Math
46%
ELA
54%
2011
Math
52%
ELA
53%
2012
Math
50%
ELA
53%
2013
Math
45%
ELA
53%
2014
Math
36%
ELA
51%
2015
Math
41%
2016
Math
46%
ELA
57%
2017
Math
45%
ELA
46%
2018
Math
44%
2019
Math
44%
2020*
Math
33%
ELA
48%
2021*
Math
33%
ELA
48%
2022
Math
39%
ELA
48%
2024
Math
41%
ELA
50%
2025
Math
55%
ELA
60%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 52% (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 37 test records from WV state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

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 South Middle School 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 23Car-Dependent
  • Bike 35Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,186/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Morgantown), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$62,173

Median home value

$213,000

Median rent

$914/mo

College educated

44.9%

Homeownership

59.7%

Poverty rate

16.5%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 26501; 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
Morgantown Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.1privateK–121.0 mi175Compare →
Westwood Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.56–81.3 mi332Compare →
Mountaineer Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified9.26–81.8 mi600Compare →
Trinity Christian SchoolPrivate · tuition5.9privatePK–122.2 mi306Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Monongalia County Schools

Schools in district
18
Rank in district
#2 of 17
District spending per student
$14,414NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.7%Census SAIPE · 2024

South Middle School is listed in MONONGALIA COUNTY SCHOOLS; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About South Middle School

South Middle School is a public middle school in Morgantown, WV, part of Monongalia County Schools, serving approximately 768 students in grades 6th-8th with a 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.0 out of 10 and ranks #28 of 635 schools in WV. State assessment records show 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about South Middle School

What grades does South Middle School serve?

South Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend South Middle School?

South Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 768 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at South Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at South Middle School is 12.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does South Middle School rank in WV?

South Middle School ranks #28 of 635 schools in WV.

What is South Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

South Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.0 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 South Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, South Middle School has 45% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 52% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is South Middle School a charter school?

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

Is South Middle School a Title I school?

No, South Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

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

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
768
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
61
Type
regular
Setting
Small City
County
Monongalia County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.4%
Area population (ZIP 26501)
19,640
Area average commute
21.3 min
Area median age
40.2
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 WVGSA · Medium confidence
  • 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 WVGSA · Medium confidence
  • 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)
State assessments · 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 26501; 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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