Summary:
Zip code 29702 is home to just one middle school, Blacksburg Middle, which serves grades 6 through 8 and enrolls 363 students in the Blacksburg, SC area.
Blacksburg Middle is part of the Cherokee 01 district, which holds a 1-star rating and ranks 57th out of 75 districts statewide. The school itself has seen volatile state rankings, dropping from the 41st percentile in 2023-2024 to the 25th percentile in 2024-2025, before a slight recovery to the 26th percentile in 2025-2026. Its standout strength is the Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam, where 100% of students scored proficient in 2024-2025—a remarkable 46 points above the district average and 26 points above the state average. However, this contrasts sharply with general math proficiency, where 6th, 7th, and 8th graders scored 28.2%, 40.8%, and 25.5% respectively in 2025-2026, all well below state averages. English Language Arts performance is mixed, with 8th grade (53.6%) exceeding the district but all grades trailing the state. Science proficiency in 6th grade sits at 29.6%, also below state levels.
The most pressing concern is chronic absenteeism, which stands at 35.3%—significantly higher than the district (26.2%) and state (22.3%) averages. This likely contributes to the inconsistent year-over-year academic trends, such as 7th-grade math jumping from 12.2% to 40.8% proficiency while 6th-grade ELA dropped from 46.1% to 40.2%. On a positive note, the school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.7:1, allowing for smaller class sizes, though per-student spending of $4,841 is relatively low. For parents, this school offers a strong advanced math pathway but faces clear challenges in core subject proficiency and attendance that will require focused attention.
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