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Honest take: what's the hardest part about being a student at SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
427
Middle
DISTRICT 439 · STATE 464
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (INDEPENDENCE)·NCES 051254001702
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
70 SCOTT DRIVE, SOUTHSIDE, AR 72501 · (870) 251-4003 · Independence County
GRADES 07–09MIDDLE42-RURALCHARTERTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL427 STUDENTS
C
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 33% of Arkansas public middle schools
- C+Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Arkansas public middle schools
Student : Teacher
11.7:1
37 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.9:1 · STATE 13.9:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
55%
235 students
DISTRICT 52% · STATE 70%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other middle schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | 150 | 35% |
| Grade 8 | 131 | 31% |
| Grade 9 | 146 | 34% |
Student demographics
18%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 18% · STATE 61% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Students here typically continue to
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL→SOUTHSIDE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Independence). Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
ATLAS 2024-25 . % Proficient (Level 3+4)English Language Arts
32.9%
AR avg 34.9% . -1.4pp since 2023
Math
35.2%
AR avg 38.9% . +0.0pp since 2023
What this means: On the ATLAS, Arkansas's statewide test, about 33 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 35 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Arkansas schools, those numbers are about 35 and 39. Reading and writing scores are down about 1 points since 2023, while math scores have held steady.
ATLAS results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 32.9% | 35.2% |
| 2023-24 | 34.3% | 35.2% |
% Proficient (Level 3+4), all students and all tested grades.
Source: ATLAS. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
34.8%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
39.4%
based on AR schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-4.6pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 35% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 39% typical for Arkansas schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Arkansas's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL's state test result (34.8% proficient) is higher than 0 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL this school | 427 | 55.0% | 34.8% |
| SOUTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL SOUTHSIDE | 450 | 55.6% | 42.5% |
| FOUNTAIN LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL HOT SPRINGS | 389 | 54.8% | 36.8% |
| BEEBE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BEEBE | 491 | 52.7% | 54.9% |
| WESTSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL JONESBORO | 414 | 59.7% | 37.2% |
| BEEBE MIDDLE SCHOOL BEEBE | 509 | 56.6% | 35.3% |
Matched among Arkansas middle schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ranks
Among middle schools| Measure | This school | In Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 34.8% | #118 of 207 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 35.2% | #118 of 208 ▼ 12 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 32.9% | #108 of 208 ▼ 12 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 427 | #111 of 217 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 11.7:1 | #31 of 188 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 17.5% | #168 of 188 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 55.0% | #141 of 210 |
Ranked against other public middle schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
427
-52 (-11%) vs 2020
Student : Teacher
11.7:1
was 15.0:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 427 | 36.5 | 11.7:1 | 55% (235) |
| 2023-24 | 437 | 39.7 | 11.0:1 | 55% (240) |
| 2022-23 | 481 | 39.6 | 12.2:1 | 52% (252) |
| 2020-21 | 479 | 32 | 15.0:1 | 63% (303) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
About SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is a medium-sized middle school serving families in SOUTHSIDE, Arkansas. Grades offered run from 7 through 9, with 427 students enrolled.
SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Independence) has 4 schools; together they serve 2,193 students.
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL enrolls a student body that is 91% White. It is also 5% Hispanic. By the diversity index, SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL comes in at 18%.
The school reports 36.5 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to about 11.7 students per teacher. The 13.9:1 average for middle schools in Arkansas is higher than this school's figure. The free or reduced-price lunch share, often used to gauge student poverty, is 55%. That is 11 points below the 66% average for public schools in Independence County.
Measured against Arkansas public middle schools, SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL receives a C. The grade weighs proficiency most heavily, then how results compare with what the school's low-income share predicts, then the three-year change.
On the allk12 BeatsExpectations measure, SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is 4.6 points below the average proficiency rate on state tests predicted for its free or reduced-price lunch share: 34.8% actual, 39.4% predicted. That is outside both the top and bottom 10% in Arkansas.
According to the American Community Survey, in Independence County, median household income is about $56,609, a bachelor's degree or higher is held by about 18% of adults, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 14%. SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is one of 14 public schools in Independence County, which together enroll about 6,855 students.
SOUTHSIDE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL is the closest public school, about 0.1 miles away in a straight line. There are 6 more public schools inside five miles. Of the 9 nearby schools with scores, including this one, SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is 7th on average proficiency.
For locale, NCES codes SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL as Rural: Distant. SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is a publicly funded charter school.
The number of students dropped from 479 to 427 over 4 years. The school's ratio fell from 15.0:1 to 11.7:1 between 2020-21 and 2024-25.
Questions about sports schedules, lunch menus, and spirit week can be posted here. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Independence County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
38,175
Census ACS
Median income
$56,609
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
18%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
14%
Below federal line
Schools in county
14
6,855 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Independence)
- SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 852 students
- SOUTHSIDE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 464 students
- SOUTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 450 students
Other schools in SOUTHSIDE
- SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 852 students
- SOUTHSIDE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 464 students
- SOUTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddle · 450 students
Other Southside Junior High schools
One other US public school is named Southside Junior High. SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is the 2nd largest of the 2.
- Southside Junior High SchoolDenham Springs, LA · 536 students
Nearby schools
- SOUTHSIDE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL0.1 mi · 464
- SOUTHSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL0.2 mi · 450
- SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.1 mi · 852
- BATESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL CHARTER3.7 mi · 986
- BATESVILLE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL CHARTER3.8 mi · 690
- EAGLE MOUNTAIN MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL4.2 mi · 905
Frequently asked questions
About SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLHow many students attend SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL?
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL enrolls approximately 427 students in grades 07-09.
What grades does SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL serve?
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL serves grades 07-09.
What is the student-teacher ratio at SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL?
The student-to-teacher ratio at SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is approximately 11.7:1 (37 FTE teachers).
What is the racial breakdown of students at SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL?
At SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, the student body is approximately 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 1% Black, 1% Asian, 2% Two or more.
Is SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL public or private?
SOUTHSIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL is a public K-12 school operated as a charter, overseen by SOUTHSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT (Independence).
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.