Summary:
Frances F. Mack Intermediate and Sandhills Middle are the only two schools in Gaston, South Carolina, serving grades 5-8 within the Lexington 04 district, which ranks in the bottom 9% of South Carolina districts.
Frances F. Mack Intermediate (grades 5-6, 515 students) is the stronger of the two schools across nearly every academic measure. In English Language Arts, 43.7% of 5th graders are proficient versus 42.1% of 7th graders at Sandhills Middle (grades 7-8, 495 students). The gap widens significantly in math: 26.1% of 5th graders at Frances F. Mack are proficient, compared to just 14.2% of 7th graders at Sandhills. Frances F. Mack also spends more per student ($15,010 vs. $12,734) and has a slightly better student-teacher ratio (13.5:1 vs. 13.3:1). Sandhills Middle has seen its ranking drop from the 13th percentile to the 6th percentile over the past two years, indicating deepening struggles, particularly in mathematics.
Both schools perform dramatically below state averages in every subject and grade level. Math proficiency is roughly half the state average—for example, only 14.2% of 7th graders at Sandhills are proficient versus 41.8% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, with 33.9% of students at both schools chronically absent, compared to 22.3% statewide—a 52% higher rate. Performance also declines as students progress: 5th grade math proficiency at Frances F. Mack (26.1%) drops to 20.9% by 6th grade, and falls further to 14.2% by 7th grade at Sandhills. Year-over-year results at Frances F. Mack are inconsistent, with 5th grade ELA improving by 10.5 points while 6th grade math dropped by 7.7 points. These two schools form a complete 5-8 pipeline, and the declining trajectory suggests students are falling further behind each year, pointing to systemic issues within the district that require comprehensive intervention.
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