Summary:
Zip code 29229 in Columbia, SC, is served by a single middle school, Longleaf Middle, which educates students in grades 6 through 8 within the Richland 02 school district.
For parents considering this area, Longleaf Middle presents a mixed picture. The school's greatest strength is its exceptional performance in advanced mathematics, with a perfect 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam in 2024-2025, far exceeding district and state averages. Additionally, 8th-grade students achieved a strong 61.7% proficiency rate in English Language Arts in 2025-2026, outperforming both the district and state. The school also boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 13.6%, significantly better than the state average of 22.3%, indicating students are consistently attending class. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.2 and per-student spending of $14,283, the school appears well-resourced.
However, these positives are tempered by significant challenges. While ELA scores are relatively close to state averages, math proficiency in standard grade-level courses lags considerably. For instance, 7th-grade math proficiency was just 25.7% in 2025-2026, over 16 points below the state average. The perfect Algebra 1 score is likely due to a select group of advanced students, masking the struggles of the general 8th-grade population. On a positive note, math scores showed substantial year-over-year improvement across all grades, with 8th grade jumping from 26.0% to 38.4% proficiency. Despite these gains, the school's overall state ranking has remained stagnant in the low 2-star range for three years, suggesting that while the foundation is solid, there is considerable room for growth in core academic areas.
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