Guinyard-Butler Middle

Guinyard-Butler Middle serves 335 students in grades 7-8 in Barnwell, SC, a small town where every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch. The school is part of the Barnwell district, which currently holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the bottom 13% of districts statewide.

The most pressing concern at Guinyard-Butler is chronic absenteeism. In 2023-2024, 30.4% of students were chronically absent—well above the state rate of 22.5% and up from just 14.5% three years earlier. This trend coincides with a steady decline in state ranking, from the 39th percentile in 2014-2015 to the 16th percentile today. Math proficiency is particularly concerning: only 24.2% of 7th graders and 19.4% of 8th graders meet state standards, compared to roughly 42-44% statewide. The gap has widened by about 10 points in just two years. The school also struggles to serve all students equitably, with recent rankings in the bottom 8% for several student subgroups. On a positive note, advanced math students shine—82.76% scored proficient on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam, far exceeding the state rate of 72.5%.

What makes this situation especially frustrating is that nearby schools prove better outcomes are possible. Williston-Elko Middle, in the same district with similar demographics, achieves 52.3% proficiency in 8th grade math—nearly triple Guinyard-Butler's rate—and ranks in the 34th percentile. Bamberg-Ehrhardt Middle, just 19 miles away, reaches 43.2% proficiency in 8th grade math with a similar student population. Both schools also maintain much lower student-to-teacher ratios (about 10:1 versus Guinyard-Butler's 16.8:1). Students arrive at Guinyard-Butler from Barnwell Elementary with solid foundations, but the middle school experience appears to erode those gains. With per-student spending up 65% since 2020, the challenge isn't resources—it's how they're being used.