Middle Schools in Hampton

The three middle schools serving grades 4 through 8 in the Hampton district of South Carolina enroll roughly 668 students combined, with Hampton Elementary (grades 4-6) leading academically, North District Middle (grades 7-8) showing a downward trend, and Estill Middle (grades 5-8) struggling significantly.

Hampton Elementary stands out as the district’s strongest performer, with 5th-grade ELA proficiency at 63.4%—essentially matching the state average—and 6th-grade ELA at 60.8%, both well above district peers. It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism (17.5%) and the best student-teacher ratio (10:1), suggesting a more supportive learning environment. In contrast, Estill Middle is the most concerning, ranking in the 15th percentile statewide. Its 6th-grade ELA proficiency is just 20% (vs. 56.3% statewide), and 6th-grade science proficiency is only 11.4% (vs. 51.9% statewide). North District Middle falls in between, with respectable 7th-grade ELA (62.8%) but alarmingly low math scores—just 30.3% in 7th grade and 29.6% in 8th grade, compared to state averages near 42-44%.

Math is a universal weakness across all three schools. Even Hampton Elementary only achieves 30.5% proficiency in 5th-grade math versus the state’s 49.1%, a nearly 19-point gap. Estill Middle’s 6th-grade math proficiency is just 14.3%. Spending does not explain these differences—Estill Middle spends the most per student ($17,660) yet produces the worst results, while North District Middle spends the least ($16,781) and outperforms it. Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide issue, ranging from 17.5% at Hampton Elementary to 22.4% at North District Middle. Finally, performance tends to decline as students advance grades, particularly at North District Middle, where 7th-grade ELA drops from 62.8% to 50.4% in 8th grade—a critical transition point for parents to monitor.