Summary:
Zip code 29148, encompassing the Summerton, SC area, is served by a single middle school, Scott's Branch Middle, which enrolls just 145 students across grades 6 through 8 as part of the Clarendon 06 district.
For parents considering this school, the most important takeaway is that Scott's Branch Middle is a very small school where academic performance is highly variable from year to year. The school currently ranks in the 11th percentile statewide, a significant drop from the 30th percentile the previous year. This volatility is likely due to the small cohort sizes—with roughly 48 students per grade, the performance of just a few students can swing proficiency rates dramatically. For example, 7th grade English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency plummeted from 59.1% to 38.9% in one year, while 7th grade math improved by 8.6 points. The school's strongest area is 8th grade ELA at 43.7% proficiency, but math remains a persistent challenge, with all grades scoring between 20-24% proficiency—about 20 points below state averages. Science proficiency for 6th graders sits at 23.7%.
A critical concern is the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 35.3%, which is significantly higher than the state average of 22.3% and the district's 29.4%. This likely contributes to the academic struggles, as students missing substantial instructional time naturally score lower on assessments. The school spends a relatively high $11,615 per student, yet outcomes remain below state averages, raising questions about resource effectiveness. While the school shows occasional bright spots and improvements, the combination of high absenteeism, persistent math underperformance, and ranking decline suggests that Scott's Branch Middle faces significant challenges in providing consistent educational quality. Parents should be aware that the small class sizes offer potential for individualized attention, but the school's overall trajectory and high absenteeism warrant careful consideration.
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