The top reported proficiency rate is 13% in English language arts. The lowest is 6% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Southside Middle School
Southside Middle School is a regular public school serving grades six through eight in the Muncie Community Schools district. It sits in a mid-size Indiana city that blends a manufacturing past with the presence of Ball State University, whose campus and downtown form the city’s core. Muncie’s population has been declining over recent decades as manufacturing employment has contracted, and the city is in a period of post-industrial transition, with the university and healthcare acting as anchors.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial Black population and a smaller share of students identifying as two or more races; Hispanic and other groups make up smaller portions. More than two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that indicates a high level of economic need among the families the school serves. The school is a standard public middle school, not a charter or magnet, and its grade band means there is no graduation rate to report.
On state assessments administered through Indiana’s ILEARN, Southside Middle School’s results fall well below the midpoint of proficiency rates across Delaware County districts. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient level is low; in English language arts, it is somewhat higher but still modest. Science results likewise show a small portion of students reaching proficiency. Social studies data for this school was suppressed due to a very small testing cohort. The overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, places Southside in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in the county. For a family comparing schools, these numbers point to a school where most students are not yet meeting state academic benchmarks, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instructional supports and interventions are in place.
Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared to national and state benchmarks. The typical home value in the school’s ZIP code is well below the Indiana median, and rents are also modest relative to incomes, which may make the neighborhood accessible for families seeking lower housing costs. The broader economic context includes a national unemployment rate that has been stable, and median household income at the national level has held fairly steady in recent years.
Muncie Community Schools, the parent district, took a notable step in 2022 when it implemented what it described as the largest teacher salary increase in the district’s history. That move came after a period of financial difficulty for the district, and it could contribute to teacher retention and classroom stability over time. For a family considering Southside, the district’s investment in its educators is a publicly reported piece of context worth weighing alongside the school’s current academic results.
Southside Middle School serves a student population with significant economic need, and its state test outcomes lag behind most other districts in the county. The school is part of a district that has made a visible financial commitment to its teachers in recent years. Families looking at this school may want to ask about the specific academic support programs available, such as tutoring, intervention classes, or after-school help, and about how the school works to engage students who are not yet at grade level. The city’s character as a university town with affordable housing and a history of industrial change gives it a particular feel, but the school’s own academic profile is the central consideration for a parent evaluating whether it meets their child’s needs.
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