South Dale Middle School vs. D A Smith Middle School
Should you attend South Dale Middle School or D A Smith Middle School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, test scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
School
Top Rankings
South Dale Middle School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Most improved public schools
D A Smith Middle School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Alabama for:
Category
Attribute
Diversity
Overview
South Dale Middle School ranked #700 in Alabama in 2023, declining from a peak rank of #404 in 2019, indicating weaker overall performance trends among Union County NJ high schools.
Math proficiency declined to 21% in 2023, lower than the Alabama state average of 30%, while reading proficiency was 42%, lower than the state average of 47%; science proficiency ranged from 40% to 44%, higher than the state average of 38%.
Enrollment grew slightly from 401 students in 2022 to 426 in 2023, with minority enrollment stable at approximately 49% and 74% of students eligible for free lunch, reflecting socioeconomic challenges typical of this New Jersey high school.
Serving grades 5–8, South Dale Middle School had an enrollment of 410 students and a student–teacher ratio of 20:1 in 2023.
The school was Title I eligible, offered no virtual instruction, and participated fully in the National School Lunch Program without provision modifications.
Serving 434 students in grades 6-8, D A Smith Middle School ranks in the bottom 50% of all schools in Alabama for overall test scores (math proficiency is bottom 50%, and reading proficiency is bottom 50%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 17% (which is lower than the Alabama state average of 30%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 42% (which is lower than the Alabama state average of 47%).
The student-teacher ratio of 15:1 is lower than the Alabama state level of 17:1.
Minority enrollment is 66% of the student body (majority Black), which is higher than the Alabama state average of 49% (majority Black).
Grades Offered
5-8
6-8
Total Students
410 students
434 students
% Male | % Female
55% | 45%
51% | 49%
Total Classroom Teachers
21 teachers
29 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
20:1
15:1
Test Scores
Overall Testing Rank
#700 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
#736 out of 1275 schools in AL
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
21%
17%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
42%
42%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
40-44%
20-24%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Grade 5 Students
76
-
Grade 6 Students
95
146
Grade 7 Students
108
135
Grade 8 Students
131
153
Students by Ethnicity
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
1%
% Hispanic
6%
6%
% Black
36%
52%
% White
51%
34%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
6%
7%
Diversity Score
0.61
0.61
Additional Information
Eligible for Free Lunch
74%
58%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
4%
7%
