Summary:
Zip code 29550 is home to just one middle school, Hartsville Middle, which serves grades 6-8 and enrolls 801 students in the Darlington 01 school district.
Hartsville Middle is a school on a clear upward trajectory, having improved its state ranking for three consecutive years—from the 27th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 43rd percentile in 2025-2026. The most dramatic evidence of this progress is in 7th grade, where math proficiency surged by 21.4 points (from 17.2% to 38.6%) and ELA jumped by 16.1 points (from 43.4% to 59.5%) in just one year. The school also boasts an exceptional Algebra 1 End of Course proficiency rate of 93.62%, which exceeds the district rate by over 25 points and the state rate by nearly 20 points. This suggests a highly effective advanced math program that successfully channels strong students into accelerated coursework. However, the school faces a significant challenge in 8th grade math, where proficiency sits at just 27.5%—a staggering 16.7 points below the state average. This creates an interesting "Algebra 1 paradox": while the school's top math students thrive, the general 8th grade population struggles considerably.
For parents, the key takeaway is that Hartsville Middle offers strong resources—a favorable 13.1:1 student-teacher ratio and per-student spending of $16,121—and is clearly implementing effective strategies in the early middle grades. The school outperforms its district in 7th grade ELA and math, as well as 6th grade math and science, but loses ground by 8th grade. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 25.2%, exceeding both district and state rates, though academic gains continue despite this challenge. If the current momentum holds, this school could break into the top 40% of South Carolina middle schools within the next year or two, making it a promising option for families seeking a school with demonstrated improvement and strong advanced math offerings.
Thank you for your feedback!