SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL

SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL is a medium-sized 6-8 campus in PALMETTO BAY, Florida, overseen by MIAMI-DADE. The school enrolls 1,063 students in grades 6 through 8. By comparison, Florida's public schools average about 794 students each, so SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL sits 34% bigger than that benchmark.

Within MIAMI-DADE, which oversees 527 schools and 335,685 students, SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL is one campus in the system.

On demographics, SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL logs that the largest single group is Hispanic, at 63% of enrollment. Beyond that, the school logs 17% Black, 16% White, 3% Asian.

Looking at school resources, SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL reports 47 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 22.6:1. The state averages around 19.6:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. About 31% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. Set against Miami-Dade County (around 48%), the school's rate is noticeably below typical.

After controlling for student poverty, SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 65.5%; this one delivers 74.5%.

In the surrounding community, Miami-Dade County reports that median household earnings sit near $71,753, 34% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 11%. In all, Miami-Dade County runs 561 public schools (combined enrollment of about 335,817 students), of which SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL is one.

Nearest neighbor: CORAL REEF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, around 0.7 miles off. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL at 5th of 8; the average score across the group is 72.5%.

SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL operates from a bedroom-community location.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL has decreased 25%, going from 1,425 students in 2018 to 1,063 in 2025. Over the same period, the Hispanic share edged up from 58% to 63%. Class-load math has widened: from 21.6:1 in 2018 to 22.6:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.