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W. G. Sanders Middle

Q: Is W. G. Sanders Middle a good school?

W. G. Sanders Middle ranks 221 st of 320 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

221^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 320 South Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 31% of South Carolina middle schools

Summary

W. G. Sanders Middle is a public magnet middle school located in Columbia, South Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 524. The school is part of the Richland 01 school district, which is ranked 52 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, W. G. Sanders Middle has consistently ranked in the middle to lower range of South Carolina middle schools, with proficiency rates on state assessments generally below the state and district averages. However, the school's performance on the Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course exam is exceptional, with proficiency rates consistently above 90% and significantly higher than the state and district averages. The school faces challenges in serving its gifted and talented student population, ranking in the bottom half of South Carolina middle schools for this subgroup.

Compared to nearby schools, such as St. Andrews Middle, Heyward Gibbes Middle, and Hand Middle, W. G. Sanders Middle generally performs worse on state assessments, but outperforms these schools on the Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course exam. The school also faces high chronic absenteeism rates, which can contribute to lower academic achievement.

503

Students ?

9.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$20,208

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3455 Pine Belt Road
Columbia, SC 29204

(803) 735-7575

District: Richland 01

Students who attend W. G. Sanders Middle usually attend:

High:

W.J. Keenan High

Feeder schools for W. G. Sanders Middle:

Elementary:	A. J. Lewis Greenview Elementary
	Burton Pack Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

74.8%

White:

11.7%

Hispanic:

9.1%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare W. G. Sanders Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 43rd percentile in 2024 → 31st in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (37% vs 50% meeting standards)

!High chronic absenteeism (33% vs 22% South Carolina)

!Ranking has slipped from its 43rd-percentile peak (2024) to 31st (2025)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school37%

District avg40%

South Carolina avg50%

221^st of 320

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 31%▲ up 12 pts since 2015

From bottom 19% (2015) to bottom 31% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 9Middle Schools in the Richland 01

52^nd of 75Richland 01 among South Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.9	221 of 320	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	40.0	185 of 325	43.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.9	195 of 325	40.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.7	187 of 310	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2021	21.3	247 of 311	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	32.9	216 of 315	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	30.2	216 of 303	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	33.6	213 of 317	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	28.3	228 of 303	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	22.9	244 of 301	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	12.7	271 of 291	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	7.1	267 of 276	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	9.0	254 of 271	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	17.7	240 of 269	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	22.8	225 of 261	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	15.6	224 of 249	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	14.7	230 of 244	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	15.6	215 of 236	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	6.2	223 of 231	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	6.5	225 of 230	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	8.6	220 of 230	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2003	15.0	204 of 225	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	47.1	130 of 252	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	55.2	91 of 248	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	65.3	64 of 253	74.7%	★★★★☆
2022	60.8	63 of 249	74.7%	★★★★☆
2021	35.9	152 of 235	35.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	49.8	114 of 252	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	44.6	126 of 237	46.8%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	39.9	110 of 184	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	15.5	172 of 177	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	42.1	101 of 187	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	80.1	18 of 195	90.8%	★★★★★
2018	47.7	93 of 194	52.1%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	32.2	206 of 295	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.5	158 of 294	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.4	182 of 299	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.1	195 of 290	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	22.7	218 of 279	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.8	205 of 296	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.0	198 of 281	29.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	28.2	152 of 173	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.9	145 of 183	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	35.3	146 of 185	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	41.3	134 of 182	26.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	0.7	178 of 179	0.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	34.3	208 of 307	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.4	174 of 307	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	42.8	171 of 313	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.4	174 of 300	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	16.1	259 of 288	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.3	212 of 289	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.3	236 of 280	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.1	209 of 296	29.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	37.4	175 of 294	40.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	38.8	182 of 303	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.1	171 of 292	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	18.8	227 of 279	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	33.1	199 of 296	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	29.7	207 of 284	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	95.0	9 of 255	96.5%	★★★★★
2023	81.7	40 of 260	84.6%	★★★★☆
2019	94.3	12 of 258	95.3%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

White (2024)96th percentile+53 vs school

African American (2025)48th percentile+17 vs school

Disabled (2025)40th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)32nd percentile~ school

Female (2025)30th percentile~ school

Male (2025)29th percentile~ school

Gifted and Talented (2025)12th percentile-19 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2100%+26 vs state

English Language Arts46%-11 vs state

Science37%-11 vs state

Mathematics24%-12 vs state

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Schools Near W. G. Sanders Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SC READY English Language Arts (2025)						SC READY Mathematics (2025)						SC READY Science (2025)		EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	SC READY Science 4th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
W. G. Sanders Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3455 Pine Belt Road	Columbia	29204	Richland County	Richland 01	No	Yes	No	No	(803) 735-7575	503	54	9.3		59 (11.7%)	376 (74.8%)	46 (9.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.8%)	31.9	221^st of 320 public middle schools	30.9%		40	185^th of 325 public middle schools	43.1%	36				44.3	37.5	56.2				23.6	18.2	29.4		37.2	100.0	$20,208	$1,375	$1,201	$2,576	$14,996	$2,637	$17,633
W. A. Perry Middle	Public	6-8	2600 Barhamville Road	Columbia	29204	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 256-6347	320	32	10.0		2 (0.6%)	289 (90.3%)	11 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	13.4	288^th of 320 public middle schools	10.0%		16.8	276^th of 325 public middle schools	15.1%	12				34.8	46.8	34.7				10.2	12.6	9.1		22.0	90.5	$30,818	$3,082	$2,054	$5,136	$19,110	$6,573	$25,683
Crayton Middle	Public	6-8	5000 Clemson Avenue	Columbia	29206	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 738-7224	952	68	14.0		469 (49.3%)	330 (34.7%)	70 (7.4%)	17 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	64 (6.7%)	82.3	51^st of 320 public middle schools	84.1%		84.6	46^th of 325 public middle schools	85.8%	5				66.7	70.4	65.7				55.0	53.7	47.1		62.3	98.8	$17,291	$1,415	$1,114	$2,529	$12,672	$2,090	$14,761
Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy	Public, Charter	2-8	6015 N Main Street	Columbia	29203	Richland County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(803) 900-0664	216	23	9.3		106 (49.1%)	89 (41.2%)	9 (4.2%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	8.5	309^th of 320 public middle schools	3.4%		8.8	316^th of 325 public middle schools	2.8%	7	14.8	20.5	30.3	28.5	35.5	42.3	0.0	0.0	3.0	3.6	0.0	7.7	11.4	17.8		$16,348	$1,802	$163	$1,965	$11,174	$3,208	$14,383
Alcorn Middle	Public	6-8	5125 Fairfield Road	Columbia	29203	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 735-3439	381	31	12.4		11 (2.9%)	295 (77.4%)	55 (14.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.0%)	6.4	316^th of 320 public middle schools	1.3%		7.7	319^th of 325 public middle schools	1.8%	3				25.8	29.1	22.8				9.2	10.3	7.3		15.5		$22,494	$2,572	$1,551	$4,123	$15,467	$2,904	$18,371
Dent Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2721 Decker Boulevard	Columbia	29206	Richland County	Richland 02	No	Yes	No	No	(803) 699-2750	1,059	83	12.7		185 (17.5%)	566 (53.4%)	186 (17.6%)	67 (6.3%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (4.4%)	40.7	186^th of 320 public middle schools	41.9%		43.8	168^th of 325 public middle schools	48.3%	18				48.2	47.5	42.5				36.2	31.2	28.6		46.2	100.0	$15,232	$1,039	$661	$1,699	$11,035	$2,497	$13,532
Hand Middle	Public	6-8	2600 Wheat Street	Columbia	29205	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 343-2947	755	61	12.3		232 (30.7%)	388 (51.4%)	82 (10.9%)	7 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	44 (5.8%)	49.1	150^th of 320 public middle schools	53.1%		52.2	141^st of 325 public middle schools	56.6%	9				56.8	56.5	55.8				31.2	30.5	35.7		38.0	98.3	$18,872	$1,401	$1,133	$2,534	$13,897	$2,441	$16,338
Heyward Gibbes Middle	Public	6-8	500 Summerlea Drive	Columbia	29203	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 343-2942	252	26	9.8		4 (1.6%)	227 (90.1%)	13 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	11.9	295^th of 320 public middle schools	7.8%		11.4	301^st of 325 public middle schools	7.4%	6				38.4	40.3	33.3				11.5	10.5	3.9		27.0		$28,273	$2,597	$1,973	$4,569	$19,307	$4,397	$23,704
St. Andrews Middle	Public	6-8	1231 Bluefield Road	Columbia	29210	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 731-8910	627	58	10.8		17 (2.7%)	523 (83.4%)	46 (7.3%)	11 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.6%)	9.7	305^th of 320 public middle schools	4.7%		10.7	306^th of 325 public middle schools	5.8%	1				34.9	32.1	32.2				15.5	5.1	10.4		21.4		$18,051	$2,156	$1,651	$3,808	$11,942	$2,301	$14,244
Northside Middle	Public	6-8	157 Cougar Drive	West Columbia	29169	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	No	No	No	(803) 739-4190	528	43	12.2		124 (23.5%)	129 (24.4%)	240 (45.5%)	10 (1.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.4%)	29.1	233^rd of 320 public middle schools	27.2%		22.1	252^nd of 325 public middle schools	22.5%	19				41.3	49.4	53.0				13.5	21.1	29.3		29.0	95.8	$16,360	$547	$1,527	$2,074	$11,997	$2,290	$14,286

Frequently Asked Questions about W. G. Sanders Middle

What is the racial makeup of W. G. Sanders Middle?

Students at W. G. Sanders Middle are 75% African American, 12% White, 9% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What district is W. G. Sanders Middle in?

Richland 01

How many students attend W. G. Sanders Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 503 students attended W. G. Sanders Middle.

Is W. G. Sanders Middle a good school?

W. G. Sanders Middle ranks 221^st of 320 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of W. G. Sanders Middle attend?

Students who attend W. G. Sanders Middle usually go on to attend W.J. Keenan High

Rate W. G. Sanders Middle!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.