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W. A. Perry Middle

Public Grades 6-8

288^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 320 South Carolina Middle Schools

Better than 10% of South Carolina middle schools

Summary

W. A. Perry Middle is a public middle school in Columbia, South Carolina, serving 310 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Richland 01 school district, which is ranked 52 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, W. A. Perry Middle consistently ranks in the bottom half of South Carolina middle schools, with proficiency rates significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 34.8% of 6th graders were proficient in ELA, compared to 56% statewide and 46.9% in the Richland 01 district. Math proficiency rates are particularly low, with only 10.2% of 6th graders, 12.6% of 7th graders, and 9.1% of 8th graders meeting proficiency standards. The school also has a high rate of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 22.5% to 49% over the past few years.

Interestingly, nearby schools in the Richland 01 district, such as St. Andrews Middle and Hand Middle, perform significantly better than W. A. Perry Middle on academic measures, despite serving similar student populations. Additionally, Crayton Middle, a magnet school in the Richland 02 district, outperforms W. A. Perry Middle across all subject areas and grade levels, suggesting that school choice and specialized programs can have a positive impact on student achievement.

320

Students ?

10.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$30,818

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2600 Barhamville Road
Columbia, SC 29204

(803) 256-6347

District: Richland 01

Students who attend W. A. Perry Middle usually attend:

High:

C. A. Johnson High

Feeder schools for W. A. Perry Middle:

Elementary:	Carver-Lyon Elementary
	Watkins-Nance Elementary

Racial breakdown:

African American:

90.3%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Hispanic:

3.4%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare W. A. Perry Middle to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 9th percentile in 2015 → 10th in 2025

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (26% vs 50% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (10th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (47% vs 22% South Carolina)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school26%

District avg40%

South Carolina avg50%

288^th of 320

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 10%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 9Middle Schools in the Richland 01

52^nd of 75Richland 01 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
2025	13.4	288 of 320	10.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.8	276 of 325	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.6	309 of 325	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	15.5	266 of 310	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	11.6	290 of 311	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.3	273 of 315	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.5	244 of 303	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	25.8	244 of 317	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	27.5	230 of 303	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	14.9	274 of 301	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	22.2	242 of 291	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	33.7	204 of 276	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	42.7	173 of 271	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	8.5	255 of 269	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	4.9	255 of 261	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	5.4	243 of 249	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	7.4	236 of 244	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	12.7	218 of 236	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	3.7	229 of 231	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	3.2	228 of 230	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	2.4	229 of 230	0.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2003	9.2	215 of 225	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	29.1	195 of 252	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	40.0	149 of 248	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	22.3	218 of 253	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	36.4	158 of 249	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.6	170 of 235	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.0	143 of 252	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	56.8	79 of 237	66.7%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	24.1	156 of 187	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.6	158 of 183	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.5	163 of 195	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.3	135 of 194	30.4%	★★☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	14.5	259 of 295	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.2	253 of 294	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.2	270 of 299	9.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.8	233 of 290	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	10.2	266 of 279	4.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	21.3	245 of 296	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.5	222 of 281	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	18.8	267 of 307	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.5	246 of 307	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	13.0	296 of 313	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	20.7	254 of 300	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	17.2	252 of 288	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.4	240 of 289	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.8	194 of 280	30.7%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	12.6	272 of 296	8.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	18.6	243 of 294	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	8.1	295 of 303	2.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	10.6	277 of 292	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	10.2	264 of 279	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.9	279 of 296	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	20.1	237 of 284	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2025)23rd percentile+13 vs school

Disabled (2023)17th percentile+12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)13th percentile+3 vs school

Female (2025)12th percentile~ school

Male (2025)8th percentile~ school

By subject vs South Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 290%+17 vs state

English Language Arts39%-18 vs state

Science22%-26 vs state

Mathematics11%-25 vs state

★

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Schools Near W. A. Perry Middle

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SC READY English Language Arts (2025)						SC READY Mathematics (2025)						SC READY Science (2025)		EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2025)	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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	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 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	SC READY Science 4th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	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
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		2 (0.6%)	289 (90.3%)	11 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.6%)	13.4	288^th of 320 public middle schools	10.0%		16.8	276^th of 325 public middle schools	15.1%	12				34.8	46.8	34.7				10.2	12.6	9.1		22.0	90.5	$30,818	$3,082	$2,054	$5,136	$19,110	$6,573	$25,683
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		59 (11.7%)	376 (74.8%)	46 (9.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.8%)	31.9	221^st of 320 public middle schools	30.9%		40	185^th of 325 public middle schools	43.1%	36				44.3	37.5	56.2				23.6	18.2	29.4		37.2	100.0	$20,208	$1,375	$1,201	$2,576	$14,996	$2,637	$17,633
Alcorn Middle	Public	6-8	5125 Fairfield Road	Columbia	29203	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 735-3439	381	31	12.4		11 (2.9%)	295 (77.4%)	55 (14.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.0%)	6.4	316^th of 320 public middle schools	1.3%		7.7	319^th of 325 public middle schools	1.8%	3				25.8	29.1	22.8				9.2	10.3	7.3		15.5		$22,494	$2,572	$1,551	$4,123	$15,467	$2,904	$18,371
Palmetto Achievement Center for Excellence Academy	Public, Charter	2-8	6015 N Main Street	Columbia	29203	Richland County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(803) 900-0664	216	23	9.3		106 (49.1%)	89 (41.2%)	9 (4.2%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.6%)	8.5	309^th of 320 public middle schools	3.4%		8.8	316^th of 325 public middle schools	2.8%	7	14.8	20.5	30.3	28.5	35.5	42.3	0.0	0.0	3.0	3.6	0.0	7.7	11.4	17.8		$16,348	$1,802	$163	$1,965	$11,174	$3,208	$14,383
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		4 (1.6%)	227 (90.1%)	13 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	11.9	295^th of 320 public middle schools	7.8%		11.4	301^st of 325 public middle schools	7.4%	6				38.4	40.3	33.3				11.5	10.5	3.9		27.0		$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		469 (49.3%)	330 (34.7%)	70 (7.4%)	17 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	64 (6.7%)	82.3	51^st of 320 public middle schools	84.1%		84.6	46^th of 325 public middle schools	85.8%	5				66.7	70.4	65.7				55.0	53.7	47.1		62.3	98.8	$17,291	$1,415	$1,114	$2,529	$12,672	$2,090	$14,761
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		232 (30.7%)	388 (51.4%)	82 (10.9%)	7 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	44 (5.8%)	49.1	150^th of 320 public middle schools	53.1%		52.2	141^st of 325 public middle schools	56.6%	9				56.8	56.5	55.8				31.2	30.5	35.7		38.0	98.3	$18,872	$1,401	$1,133	$2,534	$13,897	$2,441	$16,338
Dent Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	2721 Decker Boulevard	Columbia	29206	Richland County	Richland 02	No	Yes	No	No	(803) 699-2750	1,059	83	12.7		185 (17.5%)	566 (53.4%)	186 (17.6%)	67 (6.3%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (4.4%)	40.7	186^th of 320 public middle schools	41.9%		43.8	168^th of 325 public middle schools	48.3%	18				48.2	47.5	42.5				36.2	31.2	28.6		46.2	100.0	$15,232	$1,039	$661	$1,699	$11,035	$2,497	$13,532
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		17 (2.7%)	523 (83.4%)	46 (7.3%)	11 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	29 (4.6%)	9.7	305^th of 320 public middle schools	4.7%		10.7	306^th of 325 public middle schools	5.8%	1				34.9	32.1	32.2				15.5	5.1	10.4		21.4		$18,051	$2,156	$1,651	$3,808	$11,942	$2,301	$14,244
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%)	29.1	233^rd of 320 public middle schools	27.2%		22.1	252^nd of 325 public middle schools	22.5%	19				41.3	49.4	53.0				13.5	21.1	29.3		29.0	95.8	$16,360	$547	$1,527	$2,074	$11,997	$2,290	$14,286

Frequently Asked Questions about W. A. Perry Middle

Is W. A. Perry Middle a good school?

W. A. Perry Middle ranks in the bottom 10.0% of South Carolina middle schools.

How many students attend W. A. Perry Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 320 students attended W. A. Perry Middle.

What is the racial makeup of W. A. Perry Middle?

Students at W. A. Perry Middle are 90% African American, 6% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

What district is W. A. Perry Middle in?

Richland 01

What high school do graduates of W. A. Perry Middle attend?

Students who attend W. A. Perry Middle usually go on to attend C. A. Johnson High

Rate W. A. Perry Middle!

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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.