Middle Schools in Union 01

Union 01 is home to just one middle school, Sims Middle, which serves grades 6 through 8 and enrolls 606 students in Union, South Carolina—a district that ranks in the bottom 15% of the state with a 1-star rating.

For parents considering Sims Middle, the most striking finding is its 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam, far exceeding the district (67.5%) and state (74%) averages. However, this likely reflects a small, select group of advanced students rather than overall math strength, since standard grade-level math proficiency sits at just 31–35%. The school has shown real momentum in math, with 7th grade proficiency jumping 8.7 points and 8th grade rising 7.3 points year-over-year. ELA remains a persistent struggle, with all grades trailing the state by 10 to 19 percentage points—6th grade is especially weak at 37.2% proficiency versus 56.3% statewide. Science also lags significantly, with 6th graders 17 points behind the state average.

The biggest red flag is chronic absenteeism: 33.7% of students are chronically absent, roughly 11 points higher than both district and state averages. This likely undermines academic progress despite favorable resources, including a low 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio and $13,853 per-student spending. The school’s state ranking has fluctuated between 217th and 247th out of roughly 320–335 middle schools, placing it consistently in the bottom third. While Sims Middle generally performs at or slightly above its district peers, the district itself faces systemic challenges. The recent math gains are encouraging, but sustained improvement will likely require tackling attendance and early literacy intervention to expand success beyond the advanced math track.