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Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy

Q: Is Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy a good school?

Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy ranks 241 st of 335 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

241^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 335 South Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 28% of South Carolina middle schools

Summary

Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy is a middle school in Cayce, SC, serving 442 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Lexington 02 school district.

The most remarkable thing about Busbee is its Algebra 1 performance. Nearly every student who takes the Algebra 1 end-of-course exam scores proficient—99.99% in the most recent year, following two straight years of 97-100% proficiency. That's dramatically higher than the district average of 60% and the state average of 74%. However, this success doesn't extend to the broader student body. Standard math proficiency rates for 6th and 7th graders hover around 20-30%, well below state averages. The one bright spot is 8th grade math, where proficiency more than doubled in a single year to 44.1%, now matching the state average and exceeding the district average. The school also shows strong results for students with disabilities, ranking in the 54th percentile statewide—its highest rating among any student group. Chronic absenteeism, while above the state average, is slightly better than the district average.

Busbee's biggest challenge is serving its highest-achieving students. Gifted and talented students rank in the 3rd percentile statewide—near the bottom—and this has been a persistent downward trend. English Language Learners also struggle significantly. Compared to nearby schools, Busbee sits in the middle of the pack within Lexington 02. It outperforms Pine Ridge Middle in most subjects, performs similarly to Northside Middle, and trails R. H. Fulmer Middle. Notably, Busbee outperforms several schools in the Richland 01 district—including Alcorn Middle and W. A. Perry Middle—despite those schools spending significantly more per student. The school's ranking has been remarkably stable over the past four years, suggesting consistent instruction, though it also indicates the school may be plateauing.

442

Students ?

12.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,055

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

501 Bulldog Boulevard
Cayce, SC 29033

(803) 739-4070

District: Lexington 02

Students who attend Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy usually attend:

High:

Brookland-Cayce High

Feeder schools for Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy:

Elementary:

Cayce Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

36.4%

White:

29.0%

Hispanic:

23.1%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 21st percentile in 2016 → 28th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (38% vs 51% meeting standards)

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

!English Language Arts scores 14 pts below the South Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school38%

District avg39%

South Carolina avg51%

241^st of 335

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 28%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 21% (2016) to bottom 28% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 4Middle Schools in the Lexington 02

53^rd of 75Lexington 02 among South Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	29.8	241 of 335	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	29.5	231 of 320	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	28.2	235 of 325	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	25.2	247 of 325	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.7	196 of 310	36.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.6	207 of 311	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.7	201 of 315	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.1	173 of 303	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	38.6	197 of 317	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2016	24.1	239 of 303	21.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	24.7	239 of 301	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	35.0	202 of 291	30.6%	★★☆☆☆
2013	40.3	183 of 276	33.7%	★★☆☆☆
2012	30.2	214 of 271	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	27.0	218 of 269	19.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	36.4	194 of 261	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	36.5	183 of 249	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	42.2	159 of 244	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	29.8	187 of 236	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	48.7	135 of 231	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2005	41.3	145 of 230	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2004	53.9	117 of 230	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2003	64.4	82 of 225	63.6%	★★★☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	37.3	170 of 257	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.5	109 of 252	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	35.1	165 of 248	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	32.8	174 of 253	31.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	50.1	106 of 249	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	50.0	103 of 235	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.9	99 of 252	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.8	52 of 237	78.1%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	45.9	88 of 191	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	40.9	107 of 184	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.5	95 of 177	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.9	154 of 187	17.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	28.3	140 of 183	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	35.5	102 of 164	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	23.9	167 of 195	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.7	149 of 194	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	14.3	109 of 113	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	15.2	100 of 108	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	23.0	90 of 105	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	14.3	90 of 95	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	25.0	77 of 97	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.6	68 of 87	21.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.9	104 of 117	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.4	61 of 93	34.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	27.1	224 of 305	26.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.6	222 of 295	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.0	237 of 294	19.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.0	231 of 299	22.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.1	189 of 290	34.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.0	189 of 279	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.6	195 of 296	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.3	161 of 281	42.7%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	2.1	180 of 185	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	0.3	173 of 173	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	10.0	170 of 183	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.6	176 of 185	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	3.9	180 of 182	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.4	172 of 179	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	24.6	127 of 159	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.0	141 of 156	9.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.9	138 of 144	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.7	133 of 141	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	23.3	107 of 129	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.6	96 of 111	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	44.2	83 of 139	40.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	60.9	40 of 123	67.5%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	35.2	212 of 320	33.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	39.2	190 of 307	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.3	196 of 307	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.7	225 of 313	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	42.7	159 of 300	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	38.8	168 of 288	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	48.1	143 of 289	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	58.1	95 of 280	66.1%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.3	204 of 306	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.4	201 of 296	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	35.9	181 of 294	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.6	225 of 303	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	35.2	191 of 292	34.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	32.1	184 of 279	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	39.8	182 of 296	38.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.0	167 of 284	41.2%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	42.7	152 of 268	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.0	166 of 257	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	39.2	159 of 255	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.2	162 of 260	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	49.8	123 of 249	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.9	133 of 244	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	35.9	164 of 258	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.1	158 of 250	36.8%	★★☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Disabled (2026)54th percentile+26 vs school

White (2026)43rd percentile+15 vs school

African American (2026)34th percentile+6 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)34th percentile+6 vs school

Male (2026)33rd percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)27th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2026)20th percentile-8 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)4th percentile-25 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)3rd percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts44%-14 vs state

Science43%-9 vs state

Mathematics31%-11 vs state

5.0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, September 29, 2014

Even though the school ranking may be inauspicious at best, the teachers are first rate and truly care for their students. The principal is outstanding. We have been quite pleased that our children received top notch teaching at this underrated school. Close Quote

Schools Near Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SC READY English Language Arts (2026)			SC READY Mathematics (2026)			SC READY Science (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2024)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	501 Bulldog Boulevard	Cayce	29033	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	Yes	No	Yes	(803) 739-4070	442	35	12.6	100.0%	128 (29.0%)	161 (36.4%)	102 (23.1%)	21 (4.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.3%)	29.8	241^st of 335 public middle schools	28.1%		29.5	231^st of 320 public middle schools	27.8%	10	39.5	45.3	47.6	20.6	29.5	44.1	42.8	$16,055	$1,248	$1,134	$2,382	$11,314	$2,359	$13,673
R. H. Fulmer Middle	Public	6-8	1614 Walterboro St.	West Columbia	29170	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	No	No	No	(803) 822-5660	526	47	11.1	100.0%	221 (42.0%)	176 (33.5%)	92 (17.5%)	4 (0.8%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	28 (5.3%)	45.9	172^nd of 335 public middle schools	48.7%		42.7	176^th of 320 public middle schools	45.0%	4	43.3	51.8	53.9	33.1	36.7	56.2	49.4	$15,079	$689	$1,316	$2,005	$10,905	$2,170	$13,074
Hand Middle	Public	6-8	2600 Wheat Street	Columbia	29205	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 343-2947	755	61	12.3	100.0%	232 (30.7%)	388 (51.4%)	82 (10.9%)	7 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	44 (5.8%)	52.6	145^th of 335 public middle schools	56.7%		49.1	150^th of 320 public middle schools	53.1%	5	62.4	64.3	56.3	39.1	33.5	40.1	44.6	$18,872	$1,401	$1,133	$2,534	$13,897	$2,441	$16,338
Pine Ridge Middle	Public	6-8	735 Pine Ridge Drive	West Columbia	29172	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 755-7400	379	31	12.2	100.0%	113 (29.8%)	139 (36.7%)	108 (28.5%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.7%)	17.4	289^th of 335 public middle schools	13.7%		15.4	276^th of 320 public middle schools	13.8%	13	36.4	39.6	34.9	22.7	22.6	25.6	38.6	$17,076	$669	$2,162	$2,832	$10,992	$3,253	$14,245
Northside Middle	Public	6-8	157 Cougar Drive	West Columbia	29169	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	No	No	No	(803) 739-4190	528	43	12.2	84.5%	124 (23.5%)	129 (24.4%)	240 (45.5%)	10 (1.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.4%)	26	252^nd of 335 public middle schools	24.8%		29.1	233^rd of 320 public middle schools	27.2%	19	38.7	45.6	52.8	17.8	17.3	38.2	41.8	$16,360	$547	$1,527	$2,074	$11,997	$2,290	$14,286
St. Andrews Middle	Public	6-8	1231 Bluefield Road	Columbia	29210	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 731-8910	627	58	10.8	100.0%	17 (2.7%)	523 (83.4%)	46 (7.3%)	11 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.6%)	9.2	319^th of 335 public middle schools	4.8%		9.7	305^th of 320 public middle schools	4.7%	14	32.6	36.7	35.2	13.3	16.4	18.5	23.5	$18,051	$2,156	$1,651	$3,808	$11,942	$2,301	$14,244
W. A. Perry Middle	Public	6-8	2600 Barhamville Road	Columbia	29204	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 256-6347	320	32	10.0	100.0%	2 (0.6%)	289 (90.3%)	11 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	12.7	309^th of 335 public middle schools	7.8%		13.4	288^th of 320 public middle schools	10.0%	21	26.6	47.7	46.5	14.0	14.4	17.0	18.5	$30,818	$3,082	$2,054	$5,136	$19,110	$6,573	$25,683
Heyward Gibbes Middle	Public	6-8	500 Summerlea Drive	Columbia	29203	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 343-2942	252	26	9.8	100.0%	4 (1.6%)	227 (90.1%)	13 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	15.1	301^st of 335 public middle schools	10.1%		11.9	295^th of 320 public middle schools	7.8%	6	32.4	46.5	37.2	17.3	11.3	30.8	27.5	$28,273	$2,597	$1,973	$4,569	$19,307	$4,397	$23,704
Crayton Middle	Public	6-8	5000 Clemson Avenue	Columbia	29206	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 738-7224	952	68	14.0	100.0%	469 (49.3%)	330 (34.7%)	70 (7.4%)	17 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	64 (6.7%)	83	47^th of 335 public middle schools	86.0%		82.3	51^st of 320 public middle schools	84.1%	4	69.1	76.1	66.1	56.0	60.7	57.2	65.0	$17,291	$1,415	$1,114	$2,529	$12,672	$2,090	$14,761
W. G. Sanders Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	3455 Pine Belt Road	Columbia	29204	Richland County	Richland 01	No	Yes	No	No	(803) 735-7575	503	54	9.3	100.0%	59 (11.7%)	376 (74.8%)	46 (9.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.8%)	22.5	263^rd of 335 public middle schools	21.5%		31.9	221^st of 320 public middle schools	30.9%	42	43.6	50.3	36.0	24.5	28.6	26.0	31.4	$20,208	$1,375	$1,201	$2,576	$14,996	$2,637	$17,633

Frequently Asked Questions about Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy

Is Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy a good school?

Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy ranks 241^st of 335 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy?

In the 2024-25 school year, 442 students attended Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy?

Students at Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy are 36% African American, 29% White, 23% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

What district is Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy in?

Lexington 02

What high school do graduates of Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy attend?

Students who attend Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy usually go on to attend Brookland-Cayce High

Rate Cyril B. Busbee Creative Arts Academy!

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresAug 10, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataNov 3, 2025

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 3, 2025

2024–25 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresSep 2, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.