South Middle School, Brentwood NY

Original Research by School Decision on South Middle School

South Middle School is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Brentwood, a diverse, densely populated suburban hamlet in central Long Island. The school sits within the Brentwood Union Free School District, which has recently invested in facility expansion and dual-enrollment pathways while holding tax increases modest for several years.

The enrollment is around one thousand students, with a composition that is overwhelmingly Hispanic and reflects the economic conditions of the broader Brentwood community. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a marker of high economic need. The school's demographic profile aligns closely with Brentwood itself, a relatively affordable suburban pocket where single-family homes dominate the housing stock and median home values sit well below many other Long Island communities.

Academic proficiency on New York State testing shows a pattern of challenge. Across math and English language arts in the most recent year, proficiency rates ranged from below half to below one-third of students tested. Sixth-grade math proficiency stood at under one-third; seventh-grade math was somewhat higher at closer to one-half; eighth-grade math fell sharply to below one-fifth. In English language arts, sixth and seventh grades were both below or near one-third proficient, while eighth grade improved to just over two-fifths. Science proficiency in eighth grade was under one-third. Test participation rates also present a concern, particularly in eighth-grade math and science, where participation fell to just over one-half of enrolled students, suggesting either absenteeism or opt-outs that complicate the picture of overall achievement.

Among Suffolk County's districts, the school's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. This is a low position relative to the county and signals that a parent reviewing South Middle School should expect academic support needs to be significant and understand that state-tested proficiency here lags the broader county context substantially.

The district itself has taken steps that benefit families. Meal costs are eliminated through the Community Eligibility Provision, which provides free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of income. This removes a budget pressure for families already experiencing economic strain. The district also built out its Graduation PLUS+ initiative at the high school level, expanding college-credit opportunities before graduation, including a new dual-enrollment research partnership with Syracuse University. While these benefits do not directly touch middle school students, they signal the district's commitment to postsecondary readiness and suggest a pathway forward as students advance.

Looking at the immediate context, Brentwood is growing. The town approved affordable-housing development in 2025, including a conversion of a former academy into units with supportive housing. The community is anchored by the LIRR station on the Ronkonkoma Branch and local parks, and sits within a car-oriented suburban landscape where daily commerce centers on strip retail near major parkways. Housing remains affordable relative to much of Long Island, which supports the economic profile reflected in the school's enrollment.

For a parent or resident evaluating South Middle School, the core reality is straightforward: this is a school serving a student population with substantial economic need and proficiency levels that sit well below the county median. The school functions within a district making deliberate investments in college and career pathways and maintaining affordability through meal programs, but the academic gaps shown in state testing are real and a parent may want to look into the school's intervention structures, staffing, and specific support programs when visiting or gathering more information. The growth and affordability of Brentwood itself remain a draw for families seeking suburban housing at lower price points, but the learning outcomes here demand close attention.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

New York Regents Exams

1 course reported · 2024-25

End-of-course exams required for a New York Regents diploma. Each row shows the cohort size and the share of students scoring at the proficient level or higher.

Course	Students tested	% proficient
Science	45	89.0%

Math

Grade 629%

School 29% · District 26% · ▲ 3 pts above district

▼ 16 pts below state median · ▼ 17 pts below county median

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 34% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▼ 6 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 817%

School 17% · District 17% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 20 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 631%

School 31% · District 29% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▼ 15 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 736%

School 36% · District 26% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 843%

School 43% · District 32% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▼ 5 pts below state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 28% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 861%

School 61% · district not reported

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

This schoolBRENTWOOD UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income29%Higher-income52%23 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income35%Higher-income58%23 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income41%Higher-income62%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income27%Higher-income52%25 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income46%Higher-income61%16 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income16%Higher-income28%12 pp gap