Enrollment
759
Kentucky · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lexington, KY
Southern Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Southern Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 210186000394
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky schools.
- #8 of 11
- middle schools in Lexington · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.8:1
- students per teacher
- 52.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Middle School has class sizes near the Kentucky median. Computed live against every Kentucky school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Middle School ranks #8 of 11 middle schools in Lexington, KY.
School address
District: Fayette County · Kentucky
NCES ID 210186000394 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.8:1
vs 15.2:1 Kentucky avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.5%
vs 59.2% Kentucky avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southern Middle School compares with Kentucky and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southern Middle School
Southern Middle School is a higher-need, large middle school in Lexington, Kentucky, enrolling 759 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Kentucky schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 759 puts it in the larger third of Kentucky schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,389 scored Kentucky schools.
Among 384 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Kentucky schools statewide, it ranks #318, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and African American (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 304 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Fayette County spends $15,849 per pupil, 20% above the Kentucky average, a better-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 213 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 759 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Lexington's middle schools, it stands alongside Edythe Jones Hayes Middle School (1,125 students): Southern Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.8:1 vs 15.2:1).
Fayette County also operates Lafayette High School (2,370 students) and Bryan Station High School (2,030 students) alongside Southern 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 Southern Middle School compares
Southern Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Kentucky and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Kentucky | Kentucky avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.8:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.5% | ▼ 11% | 59.2% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 759 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.8:1
Leaner classes than 59% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
759
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the Kentucky average of 59.2%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.8:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 33% in Kentucky - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
29.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,849
per pupil, district-wide
- above Kentucky avg of $13,211
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 304 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
120
in-school suspensions + 93 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.1 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 47.6%
African American 24.2%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
Two or More 6.6%
Asian 4.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 47.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.1, Southern Middle School is more mixed than the Kentucky school average of 34.5.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fayette County, which includes Southern Middle School.
$15,849
Per student
+20%
vs Kentucky
Avg $13,211
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.8%
State 35.5%
Federal 14.7%
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 Southern Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bryan Station High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Henry Clay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Paul Laurence Dunbar High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Frederick Douglass High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,370
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,030
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,939
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,828
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,770
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
Similar middle schools in Lexington
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Edythe Jones Hayes Middle School
Standard public school
1,125 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Leestown Middle School
Standard public school
1,084 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Jessie M Clark Middle School
Standard public school
1,002 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Winburn Middle School
Standard public school
768 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Tates Creek Middle School
Standard public school
767 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Bryan Station Middle School
Standard public school
744 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Kentucky, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~759 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southern Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Southern Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Fayette County'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 Southern Middle School
How many students attend Southern Middle School?
Southern Middle School has 759 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lexington, KY.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Middle School is 13.8:1, which is 9% lower than the Kentucky average of 15.2:1 and 12% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern Middle School?
52.5% of students at Southern Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Kentucky average of 59.2%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Southern Middle School is White at 47.6% of enrollment, in Lexington, KY. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Middle School?
Southern 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 Southern Middle School rank among middle schools in Lexington?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Middle School ranks #8 of 11 middle schools in Lexington, KY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lexington on the city page.
Is Southern Middle School a good school?
Southern Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Kentucky median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Kentucky 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 Fayette County?
Besides Southern Middle School, Fayette County also operates Lafayette High School (2,370 students), Bryan Station High School (2,030 students), and Henry Clay High School (1,939 students). See the Fayette County 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.