Dillon Middle

Dillon Middle serves 624 students in grades 6-8 in Dillon, South Carolina, as part of the Dillon 04 school district, where 100% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch.

Dillon Middle has a 1-star rating and ranks in the 14th percentile statewide, which means there is significant room for growth compared to other South Carolina middle schools. The most urgent concern is chronic absenteeism—at 44.5%, it's more than double the state average of 22.3%. This is a school-specific challenge, as it runs about 10 points higher than the district average. On a positive note, the school has shown real strength in advanced math: students taking the Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam achieved a perfect 100% proficiency rate in 2024-2025, far exceeding the state average of 74%. However, this success doesn't carry over to standard grade-level math, where proficiency ranges from just 16% to 30%, suggesting advanced math may be reserved for a small group of students. Hispanic students at Dillon Middle are a notable bright spot, ranking in the 78th percentile statewide—a 4-star performance that suggests effective supports are in place for this group. Science proficiency has also improved, rising from 23.2% to 39.3% over the past few years.

Comparing Dillon Middle to Latta Middle, just 7.5 miles away in the Dillon 03 district, reveals a striking contrast. Latta ranks in the 60th percentile with ELA proficiency around 54% and math around 48%, while Dillon trails at roughly 39% in ELA and 23% in math. What makes this comparison especially notable is that Latta spends about 34% less per student ($8,512 vs. $12,840), suggesting that Dillon's challenges aren't simply about funding. The most alarming trend is for students with disabilities: Dillon Middle ranked in the 85th percentile for this group in 2017-2018 but dropped to dead last in the state by 2024-2025—a dramatic decline that warrants immediate attention from school leadership.