Whale Branch Middle

Summary:

Whale Branch Middle is a public middle school located in Seabrook, South Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 331. The school is part of the Beaufort 01 school district, which is ranked 26 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Whale Branch Middle stands out for several key factors. It has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (78.25%) compared to the nearby Beaufort Middle (42.45%) and Lady's Island Middle schools. Academically, the school consistently underperforms the Beaufort 01 district and the state of South Carolina in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 22.9% of 6th-grade students at Whale Branch Middle were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 55.1% in the Beaufort 01 district and 53.7% statewide. As a result, Whale Branch Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom third of South Carolina middle schools, with a ranking of 283 out of 325 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the higher spending per student at Whale Branch Middle ($23,930 in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to $20,941 at Beaufort Middle and $18,910 at Lady's Island Middle), the school's academic performance remains poor. This suggests that simply increasing funding may not be enough to drive meaningful improvements, and a closer examination of how resources are allocated and utilized may be necessary. However, the data also indicates that there is room for improvement, and by addressing the specific needs of the student population and implementing targeted academic interventions, Whale Branch Middle may be able to drive meaningful progress.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 2009 Trask Parkway
       Seabrook, SC  29941


(843) 466-3000

District: Beaufort 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
283rd of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $23,930 Help


Students who attend Whale Branch Middle usually attend:

High:    Whale Branch Early College High

Feeder schools for Whale Branch Middle:

Elementary:    Whale Branch Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  10.6 Help
Number of students:  331

Racial breakdown:

African American:
78.2%
Hispanic:
10.9%
Two or more races:
6.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina middle schools

 Compare Whale Branch Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Whale Branch Middle ranks worse than 87.1% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks last among 6 ranked middle schools in the Beaufort 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.36. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Whale Branch Middle has the smallest middle school student body size in the Beaufort 01 School District. Racial makeup is: African American (78.2%), Hispanic (10.9%), two or more races (6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whale Branch Middle is 10.6, which is the 2nd best among 6 middle schools in the Beaufort 01 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Whale Branch Middle employs 31 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whale Branch Middle is $23,930, which is the highest among 6 middle schools in the Beaufort 01 School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Whale Branch Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Whale Branch Middle 283rd of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Whale Branch Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:


Beaufort 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Beaufort 01 26th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Whale Branch Middle?

Rank History for Whale Branch Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Whale Branch Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 11.68 207th 225 8.0%
2004 29.17 178th 230 22.6%
2005 23.84 191st 230 17.0%
2006 19.05 200th 231 13.4%
2007 11.12 222nd 236 5.9%
2008 16.50 223rd 244 8.6%
2009 28.67 201st 249 19.3%
2010 32.83 203rd 261 22.2%
2011 30.56 208th 269 22.7%
2012 27.04 223rd 271 17.7%
2013 31.19 211th 276 23.6%
2014 19.55 249th 291 14.4%
2015 21.04 252nd 301 16.3%
2016 26.65 231st 303 23.8%
2017 31.48 223rd 317 29.7%
2018 25.18 231st 303 23.8%
2019 16.07 271st 315 14.0%
2021 16.34 259th 311 16.7%
2022 19.30 243rd 310 21.6%
2023 12.55 294th 325 9.5%
2024 15.36 283rd 325 12.9%
See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whale Branch Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.84 176th 280 37.1%
2019 21.91 241st 289 16.6%
2021 23.02 227th 288 21.2%
2022 24.64 229th 300 23.7%
2023 15.49 286th 313 8.6%
2024 19.82 265th 307 13.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whale Branch Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.06 184th 281 34.5%
2019 18.89 248th 296 16.2%
2021 17.60 232nd 279 16.8%
2022 21.59 229th 290 21.0%
2023 11.97 278th 299 7.0%
2024 19.81 241st 294 18.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Whale Branch Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 24.56 155th 187 17.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whale Branch Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 16.89 248th 284 12.7%
2019 15.20 255th 296 13.9%
2021 14.65 244th 279 12.5%
2022 17.13 249th 292 14.7%
2023 14.78 259th 303 14.5%
2024 13.57 264th 294 10.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Whale Branch Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.03 95th 237 59.9%
2019 32.75 181st 252 28.2%
2021 37.35 146th 235 37.9%
2022 36.59 156th 249 37.3%
2023 33.21 173rd 253 31.6%
2024 36.55 160th 248 35.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Whale Branch Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)
0%

100%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a principal
Saturday, October 1, 2022

Open Quote Whale Branch Middle School has a lot to offer its community. They provide a full STEAM education opportunity with every teacher being trained to provide arts integrated lessons and 2 project lead the way teachers that provide real-life opportunities through project based learning. Although test scores need improvement there is a lot more to a school's story than just their test scores. Whale Branch Middle School has great opportunities for all of its various types of learners. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Whale Branch Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2000 79 350 3 3 0 n/a n/a 0 435
2001 94 434 4 6 0 n/a n/a 0 538
2002 75 434 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 516
2003 75 434 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 516
2004 62 378 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 448
2005 68 364 1 6 0 n/a n/a 0 439
2006 41 372 1 7 0 n/a n/a 0 421
2007 39 309 1 11 0 n/a n/a 0 360
2008 35 262 2 5 0 n/a n/a 1 305
2009 44 251 3 8 0 n/a n/a 0 306
2010 50 271 1 6 1 n/a n/a 0 329
2011 50 273 1 6 2 0 0 0 332
2012 67 278 0 11 2 0 6 0 364
2013 53 316 1 14 2 0 8 0 394
2014 44 316 1 13 2 0 8 0 384
2015 38 321 1 20 1 0 10 0 391
2016 42 316 1 20 0 0 16 0 395
2017 33 318 0 18 0 0 14 0 383
2018 34 303 0 17 0 0 13 0 367
2019 28 295 0 20 0 0 11 0 354
2020 24 292 0 30 1 1 10 0 358
2021 22 283 0 34 1 1 17 0 358
2022 19 258 0 31 1 1 13 0 323
2023 15 259 0 36 1 0 20 0 331

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Whale Branch Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 435 28.0 15.5 77.7
2001 538 35.0 15.4 73
2002 516 39.0 13.2 78.7
2003 516 39.0 13.2 78.7
2004 448 43.9 10.2 82.1
2005 439 42.6 10.3 83.1
2006 421 36.4 11.6 81.2
2007 360 36.5 9.9 79.7
2008 305 30.0 10.2 88.8
2009 306 29.0 10.6 79.1
2010 329 28.0 11.7 79.9
2011 332 28.0 11.8 86.7
2012 364 30.0 12.1 83.8
2013 394 34.0 11.5 90.6
2014 384 31.0 12.3 81.3
2015 391 29.0 13.4 100
2016 395 33.0 11.9 100
2017 383 32.0 11.9 100
2018 367 31.0 11.8 100
2019 354 28.0 12.6 100
2020 358 27.0 13.2 100
2021 358 29.0 12.3 100
2022 323 30.0 10.7 100
2023 331 31.0 10.6 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Whale Branch Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2000 435 28.0 15.5 77.7
2001 538 35.0 15.4 73
2002 516 39.0 13.2 78.7
2003 516 39.0 13.2 78.7
2004 448 43.9 10.2 82.1
2005 439 42.6 10.3 83.1
2006 421 36.4 11.6 81.2
2007 360 36.5 9.9 79.7
2008 305 30.0 10.2 88.8
2009 306 29.0 10.6 79.1
2010 329 28.0 11.7 79.9
2011 332 28.0 11.8 86.7
2012 364 30.0 12.1 83.8
2013 394 34.0 11.5 90.6
2014 384 31.0 12.3 81.3
2015 391 29.0 13.4 100
2016 395 33.0 11.9 100
2017 383 32.0 11.9 100
2018 367 31.0 11.8 100
2019 354 28.0 12.6 100
2020 358 27.0 13.2 100
2021 358 29.0 12.3 100
2022 323 30.0 10.7 100
2023 331 31.0 10.6 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Whale Branch Middle

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $737 (5.2%) $865 (6.1%) $1,602 (11.4%) $9,436 (67.0%) $3,045 (21.6%) $12,481 (88.6%) $14,083
2020 $819 (5.7%) $213 (1.5%) $1,032 (7.1%) $9,695 (67.0%) $3,736 (25.8%) $13,431 (92.9%) $14,463
2021 $968 (6.3%) $1,156 (7.5%) $2,124 (13.9%) $9,990 (65.2%) $3,217 (21.0%) $13,207 (86.1%) $15,331
2022 $807 (5.1%) $1,039 (6.6%) $1,846 (11.7%) $11,095 (70.0%) $2,899 (18.3%) $13,995 (88.4%) $15,840
2023 $1,822 (7.6%) $3,211 (13.4%) $5,033 (21.0%) $14,897 (62.3%) $4,001 (16.7%) $18,898 (79.0%) $23,930

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Whale Branch Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 271st of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 294th of 325 Middle schools
 4.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Whale Branch Middle)28.620.6
 8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Beaufort 01)40.256.8
 16.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Whale Branch Middle)26.713.2
 13.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Beaufort 01)47.945.9
 2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)45.444.6
 0.8%
6th Grade Science (Whale Branch Middle)24.611.5
 13.1%
   6th Grade Science (Beaufort 01)48.544.2
 4.3%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Whale Branch Middle)22.233
 10.8%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Beaufort 01)42.555.7
 13.2%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Whale Branch Middle)29.612.5
 17.1%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Beaufort 01)47.538.9
 8.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Whale Branch Middle)20.719
 1.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Beaufort 01)43.749.6
 5.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Whale Branch Middle)22.91.6
 21.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Beaufort 01)37.529.5
 8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Whale Branch Middle)24.436.3
 11.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Beaufort 01)45.450.8
 5.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Whale Branch Middle)18.814.9
 3.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Beaufort 01)37.828.3
 9.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students354331
 6.5%
African American295259
 12.2%
American Indian01
Asian00
Hispanic2036
 80%
Pacific Islander00
White2815
 46.4%
Two or More Races1120
 81.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Whale Branch Middle









Frequently Asked Questions about Whale Branch Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 331 students attended Whale Branch Middle.

Whale Branch Middle ranks in the bottom 12.9% of South Carolina middle schools.

Students who attend Whale Branch Middle usually go on to attend Whale Branch Early College High

Students at Whale Branch Middle are 78% African American, 11% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% White.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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