Summary:
Zip code 29841 in North Augusta, SC is served by three public middle schools—Paul Knox Middle, Highland Springs Middle, and North Augusta Middle—all part of the Aiken 01 district, which ranks in the middle of the state. These schools serve grades 6-8 with enrollments between 492 and 573 students, and all three outperform their district averages across most subjects.
Highland Springs Middle is the standout performer, ranking 80th in the state (4 stars) and showing the most dramatic improvement—jumping 44 spots in one year. Its math scores surged by 23-27 percentage points in 7th and 8th grades, and it leads the cluster in 6th grade science (61.3% proficient) and math (48.0%). It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism (20.3%) and highest per-student spending ($13,335). Paul Knox Middle is the most consistent high performer, maintaining 4-star ratings for three straight years and posting the strongest ELA scores—71.1% and 72.9% proficiency in 7th and 8th grade, roughly 12-14 points above state averages. North Augusta Middle trails slightly with a 3-star rating and 110th place ranking, though it still beats state averages in most categories.
All three schools share a common challenge: mathematics proficiency lags well behind ELA, with even the best math scores hovering near 49% compared to ELA rates above 70% at the top schools. Chronic absenteeism affects roughly one in five students at each school, though Highland Springs' lower rate correlates with its higher achievement. Science is a relative strength across the cluster, with all schools exceeding the state average of 51.9% in 6th grade. For parents, Highland Springs offers the strongest overall academics and momentum, Paul Knox provides reliable literacy excellence, and North Augusta remains a solid, if less flashy, option—all within a district that represents a bright spot in South Carolina's middle school landscape.
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