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Sandhills Middle

Public Grades 7-8

311^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 335 South Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 7% of South Carolina middle schools

Summary

Sandhills Middle in Gaston, SC, serves 495 students in grades 7 and 8 within the Lexington 04 school district, a small school where every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch.

Sandhills Middle faces significant academic challenges, ranking in the bottom 20% of South Carolina middle schools for the past decade. The most pressing concern is mathematics—only about 14-16% of 7th and 8th graders are proficient in math, which is less than half the state average. This is notably lower than nearby Pine Ridge Middle, where roughly 23-26% of students meet math standards. Chronic absenteeism is another major hurdle, with nearly 34% of students missing substantial school days—triple the rate at high-performing Meadow Glen Middle in the neighboring Lexington 01 district. The school's location is striking because it sits in a region of educational success; schools like Pleasant Hill Middle and Meadow Glen consistently rank in the top 10% statewide, making Sandhills a stark outlier in an otherwise high-achieving area.

There are some bright spots worth noting. English Language Arts scores have improved steadily over three years, rising from about 30% proficiency to roughly 41%—a positive trend, though still below the state average. Additionally, students placed in Algebra 1 achieved a remarkable 91% pass rate on the end-of-course exam, far exceeding the state average of 68%. This suggests that advanced math students receive excellent support, even as the general math population struggles. The school spends about $12,700 per student, which is lower than nearby schools but not dramatically so, indicating that the core challenges stem more from poverty and attendance issues than from funding alone. For parents considering this school, the picture is complex: there are genuine pockets of success, but the overall academic environment faces substantial obstacles that require strong family involvement and supplemental support.

495

Students ?

13.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,734

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

582 Meadowfield Road
Gaston, SC 29053

(803) 490-7005

District: Lexington 04

Students who attend Sandhills Middle usually attend:

High:

Swansea High

Feeder schools for Sandhills Middle:

Elementary:	Lexington Four Early Childhood Center
	Sandhills Elementary
	Sandhills Primary

Racial breakdown:

White:

41.2%

Hispanic:

29.5%

African American:

22.4%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare Sandhills Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 14th percentile in 2016 → 7th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (28% vs 51% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (7th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (34% vs 22% South Carolina)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school28%

District avg28%

South Carolina avg51%

311^th of 335

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 7%▼ down 7 pts since 2016

From bottom 14% (2016) to bottom 7% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

68^th of 75Lexington 04 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	11.9	311 of 335	7.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.0	300 of 320	6.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	15.4	282 of 325	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	18.7	265 of 325	18.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.7	269 of 310	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.6	257 of 311	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.6	294 of 315	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	8.6	291 of 303	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	12.8	292 of 317	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	17.3	260 of 303	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	31.1	219 of 301	27.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	32.2	217 of 291	25.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	31.7	209 of 276	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	46.7	159 of 271	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2011	45.5	171 of 269	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	52.1	145 of 261	44.4%	★★☆☆☆
2009	47.0	150 of 249	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	44.0	157 of 244	35.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	27.7	195 of 236	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	25.5	183 of 231	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	38.9	153 of 230	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2004	22.0	194 of 230	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	34.7	160 of 225	28.9%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	15.3	241 of 257	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	13.9	245 of 252	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	24.0	210 of 248	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.3	220 of 253	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.1	219 of 249	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	22.6	208 of 235	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	8.8	251 of 252	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	6.0	237 of 237	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.5	170 of 191	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	17.9	172 of 184	6.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	28.9	142 of 177	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	38.3	108 of 187	42.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	26.8	143 of 183	21.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.0	153 of 164	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	34.2	134 of 195	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	18.3	185 of 194	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	15.1	108 of 113	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	18.6	97 of 108	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.2	104 of 105	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	21.5	80 of 95	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	13.2	94 of 97	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	20.4	78 of 87	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	4.2	117 of 117	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	8.8	93 of 93	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	7.8	298 of 305	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	7.9	286 of 295	3.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.1	273 of 294	7.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	15.1	260 of 299	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	14.0	255 of 290	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.4	237 of 279	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.9	266 of 296	10.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	8.0	268 of 281	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	5.6	178 of 185	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	3.2	170 of 173	1.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	9.1	172 of 183	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	1.5	183 of 185	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.2	174 of 179	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	9.5	156 of 159	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	13.8	148 of 156	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.8	141 of 144	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	17.3	124 of 141	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	128 of 129	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	19.3	95 of 111	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	2.7	139 of 139	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	7.2	121 of 123	1.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	11.3	305 of 320	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	11.7	292 of 307	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	20.5	261 of 307	15.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.2	250 of 313	20.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	16.4	272 of 300	9.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	20.3	243 of 288	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	11.1	278 of 289	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.4	271 of 280	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	16.1	271 of 306	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	15.6	260 of 296	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.2	236 of 294	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	22.4	235 of 303	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.6	259 of 292	11.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.5	235 of 279	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	9.2	282 of 296	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.9	265 of 284	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	6.0	260 of 268	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	4.3	254 of 257	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.1	246 of 255	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.7	249 of 260	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	242 of 249	2.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.9	236 of 244	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	4.3	255 of 258	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	2.1	248 of 250	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Male (2026)11th percentile+4 vs school

Disabled (2026)11th percentile+4 vs school

African American (2026)6th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)5th percentile~ school

English Language Learner (2026)4th percentile-3 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)4th percentile-3 vs school

White (2026)3rd percentile-4 vs school

Female (2026)2nd percentile-5 vs school

Hispanic (2026)2nd percentile-5 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts41%-18 vs state

Mathematics15%-28 vs state

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by a student
Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Schools Near Sandhills Middle

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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	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 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th 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
Sandhills Middle	Public	7-8	582 Meadowfield Road	Gaston	29053	Lexington County	Lexington 04	No	No	No	No	(803) 490-7005	495	37	13.3		204 (41.2%)	111 (22.4%)	146 (29.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	30 (6.1%)	11.9	311^th of 335 public middle schools	7.2%		11	300^th of 320 public middle schools	6.3%	11			42.1	40.4			14.2	16.4		$12,734	$969	$1,088	$2,057	$9,353	$1,324	$10,677
Frances F. Mack Intermediate	Public	5-6	161 Gaston Street	Gaston	29053	Lexington County	Lexington 04	No	No	No	No	(803) 490-7004	515	38	13.5		246 (47.8%)	78 (15.1%)	148 (28.7%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.4%)								(n/a)	43.7	37.1			26.1	20.9			26.2	$15,010	$778	$2,597	$3,376	$10,078	$1,556	$11,634
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		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
Pelion Middle	Public	6-8	325 Main Street	Pelion	29123	Lexington County	Lexington 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 821-2300	513	45	11.4		348 (67.8%)	26 (5.1%)	106 (20.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (6.2%)	42.2	189^th of 335 public middle schools	43.6%		34.2	207^th of 320 public middle schools	35.3%	18		55.1	48.9	50.7		30.5	35.1	39.3	52.1	$15,624	$1,258	$615	$1,873	$12,035	$1,717	$13,751
Carolina Springs Middle	Public	6-8	6180 Platt Springs Road	Lexington	29073	Lexington County	Lexington 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 821-4900	791	64	12.3		382 (48.3%)	242 (30.6%)	98 (12.4%)	11 (1.4%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (7.0%)	50.7	154^th of 335 public middle schools	54.0%		46.9	155^th of 320 public middle schools	51.6%	1		67.9	57.0	54.8		45.9	31.2	26.1	54.0	$14,288	$1,061	$444	$1,505	$11,241	$1,542	$12,783
White Knoll Middle	Public	6-8	116 White Knoll Way	West Columbia	29170	Lexington County	Lexington 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 821-4300	693	54	12.8		362 (52.2%)	132 (19.0%)	137 (19.8%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	55 (7.9%)	40	200^th of 335 public middle schools	40.3%		31.7	224^th of 320 public middle schools	30.0%	24		52.2	50.6	50.0		32.1	38.0	28.2	51.0	$15,279	$823	$476	$1,299	$12,400	$1,580	$13,980
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		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
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		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
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		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
Pleasant Hill Middle	Public	6-8	660 Rawl Road	Lexington	29072	Lexington County	Lexington 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 821-2700	750	55	13.7		518 (69.1%)	95 (12.7%)	66 (8.8%)	34 (4.5%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.5%)	32 (4.3%)	88.6	35^th of 335 public middle schools	89.6%		86.1	40^th of 320 public middle schools	87.5%	5		79.1	73.0	79.5		59.5	57.2	64.8	67.9	$14,606	$844	$423	$1,267	$11,763	$1,576	$13,339

Frequently Asked Questions about Sandhills Middle

What high school do graduates of Sandhills Middle attend?

Students who attend Sandhills Middle usually go on to attend Swansea High

How many students attend Sandhills Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 495 students attended Sandhills Middle.

Is Sandhills Middle a good school?

Sandhills Middle ranks in the bottom 7.2% of South Carolina middle schools.

What district is Sandhills Middle in?

Lexington 04

What is the racial makeup of Sandhills Middle?

Students at Sandhills Middle are 41% White, 29% Hispanic, 22% African American, 6% Two or more races.

Rate Sandhills Middle!

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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.