Enrollment
289
Ohio · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbiana, OH
South Side Middle School
Federal NCES profile for South Side Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 390453202177
👥 S:T ratio 18
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Side Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Ohio schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Columbiana · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.6:1
- large classes for Ohio
- 12.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Side Middle School has class sizes larger than 79% of Ohio schools. Computed live against every Ohio school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Side Middle School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Columbiana, OH.
School address
District: Columbiana Exempted Village · Ohio
NCES ID 390453202177 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.6:1
vs 18.2:1 Ohio avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.9%
vs 31.6% Ohio avg
-59% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Side Middle School compares with Ohio and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Side Middle School
South Side Middle School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Columbiana, Ohio, enrolling 289 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Ohio schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 12.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 289 puts it in the smaller third of Ohio schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,574 scored Ohio schools.
Among 263 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Ohio schools statewide, it ranks #228, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (93% of enrollment) (diversity index 14/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 578 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Columbiana's elementary schools, it stands alongside Crestview Elementary School (414 students): South Side Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.6:1 vs 16.6:1).
Columbiana Exempted Village also operates Joshua Dixon Elementary School (363 students) and Columbiana High School (319 students) alongside South Side Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How South Side Middle School compares
South Side Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Ohio and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Ohio | Ohio avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 20.6:1 | ▲ 13% | 18.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.9% | ▼ 59% | 31.6% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 289 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.6:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
289
Bigger than 31% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 59% below the Ohio average of 31.6%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.6:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 79% in Ohio - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
19.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,346
per pupil, district-wide
- below Ohio avg of $14,655
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 92.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.8%
Two or More 2.8%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 92.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.8, South Side Middle School is less mixed than the Ohio school average of 35.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Columbiana Exempted Village, which includes South Side Middle School.
$12,346
Per student
-16%
vs Ohio
Avg $14,655
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 55.0%
State 31.7%
Federal 13.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How South Side Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Dixon Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbiana High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Side Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 363
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 319
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar elementary schools in Columbiana
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Ohio, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~289 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Side Middle School's federal record.
- Compare South Side Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Columbiana Exempted Village's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about South Side Middle School
How many students attend South Side Middle School?
South Side Middle School has 289 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbiana, OH.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Side Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Side Middle School is 20.6:1, which is 13% higher than the Ohio average of 18.2:1 and 31% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Side Middle School?
12.9% of students at South Side Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Ohio average of 31.6%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Side Middle School?
The largest demographic group at South Side Middle School is White at 92.7% of enrollment, in Columbiana, OH.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Side Middle School?
South Side Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Side Middle School rank among elementary schools in Columbiana?
By Resource Investment Index, South Side Middle School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Columbiana, OH. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Columbiana on the city page.
Is South Side Middle School a good school?
South Side Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Ohio schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Columbiana Exempted Village?
Besides South Side Middle School, Columbiana Exempted Village also operates Joshua Dixon Elementary School (363 students) and Columbiana High School (319 students). See the Columbiana Exempted Village district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.