Middle Schools in Sumter 01

The Sumter 01 school district in South Carolina contains six middle schools serving grades 6-8, with enrollments ranging from 339 to 783 students, and the district as a whole ranks in the bottom tier of the state (67th out of 75 districts).

For parents, the standout choice in this area is Alice Drive Middle, which is the largest school (783 students) and achieves the highest state ranking (212th out of 335). It posts a perfect 100% proficiency on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam and has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate among the larger schools. Hillcrest Middle is the most improved school, with 7th and 8th grade ELA scores (52.4% and 52.3%) that nearly match state averages, and it also hits 100% on Algebra 1. On the other end, Chestnut Oaks Middle is the most challenged, ranking 325th out of 335 schools with a chronic absenteeism rate of 46.4%—the highest in the district and more than double the state average. Furman Middle also struggles with high absenteeism (44.6%) and low rankings, despite spending the least per student ($12,528). Bates Middle and Ebenezer Middle fall in the middle, with Ebenezer having the lowest absenteeism (32.8%) and Bates showing mid-pack results despite higher spending.

Across the district, all six schools lag state averages in every subject, with the biggest gaps in mathematics (typically 15-25 percentage points behind). Chronic absenteeism is a systemic crisis—the district average of 35.9% is 61% higher than the state's 22.3%. Interestingly, while general math scores are low, advanced students at Alice Drive, Hillcrest, and Bates achieve 96-100% on Algebra 1, suggesting a two-tier system where high achievers thrive but most students struggle. The data also shows year-over-year volatility, with scores swinging dramatically, and spending does not predict success—Chestnut Oaks spends the most ($16,083 per student) yet performs worst, while Hillcrest achieves strong results with moderate funding. For parents, Alice Drive Middle and Hillcrest Middle offer the best odds of academic success, but the entire district faces significant challenges that require comprehensive reform.