Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 29016

Zip code 29016 in Blythewood, SC, is home to two middle schools within the Richland 02 school district, serving a combined 1,851 students in grades 6-8 (with one school also covering grades 2-5).

For parents, the most important takeaway is the stark contrast between the two schools. Blythewood Middle is the clear standout, ranking 61st out of 335 schools statewide (82nd percentile, 4 stars) and showing steady improvement over the past three years. It outperforms Kelly Mill Middle in every subject and grade level tested. The gap is most dramatic in 8th-grade math, where Blythewood's proficiency rate (60.4%) is nearly triple Kelly Mill's (22.7%). Blythewood also boasts a perfect 100% proficiency score on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam, compared to 90.32% at Kelly Mill and a 73.95% state average. In contrast, Kelly Mill Middle ranks 202nd (40th percentile, 2 stars) and struggles particularly in middle school math, with proficiency rates falling from 29.9% in 6th grade to just 22.7% by 8th grade—well below the state average of 44.2%.

Interestingly, Kelly Mill Middle spends $1,504 more per student ($14,337 vs. $12,833) yet performs significantly worse, suggesting that resource allocation alone doesn't explain the gap. Kelly Mill's elementary grades (2-5) are actually its strength, with 4th and 5th-grade scores above state averages, but there's a sharp decline when students transition to middle school. Both schools have better attendance than district and state averages, with chronic absenteeism rates of 15.4% (Kelly Mill) and 16.0% (Blythewood) versus 22.3% statewide. While both schools generally beat district averages, the 141-position gap in state rankings between two schools in the same district serving the same community is remarkable and points to significant differences in instructional quality, school culture, and curriculum implementation that families should carefully consider.