Middle Schools in Orangeburg

The Orangeburg school district in South Carolina is home to 4 middle schools that serve students in grades 6-8. These schools face significant challenges, including low academic performance, high poverty rates, and chronic absenteeism. However, the data also reveals pockets of relative strength, with Robert E. Howard Middle and Holly Hill-Roberts Middle standing out as the top performers in the district.

Robert E. Howard Middle is the highest-ranked middle school in the Orangeburg district, ranking 264 out of 320 South Carolina middle schools in 2024-2025. The school outperformed the Orangeburg and South Carolina averages in several test score categories, including Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (91.67% proficient), 7th grade ELA (41.1% proficient), and 8th grade ELA (42.4% proficient). Meanwhile, Holly Hill-Roberts Middle had the highest ELA proficiency rates among the Orangeburg middle schools, exceeding the Orangeburg and South Carolina averages in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade ELA.

Despite these bright spots, the Orangeburg middle schools generally struggle with low academic performance, particularly in mathematics. For example, in 8th grade math, the Orangeburg schools had proficiency rates ranging from 7.2% to 21.8%, compared to the state average of 32.4%. Additionally, all 4 middle schools had a chronic absenteeism rate of 22.5% in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state average. The high rates of free/reduced lunch eligibility across all 4 middle schools also suggest that the Orangeburg district serves a predominantly low-income student population, raising concerns about equity and the additional challenges these schools may face in supporting student success.