Laurens Middle

Summary:

Laurens Middle is a public middle school in Laurens, South Carolina, serving 399 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Laurens 55 School District, which is ranked 63 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Laurens Middle consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages in standardized test scores for English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 33.1% of 6th graders, 32.3% of 7th graders, and 28.1% of 8th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 53.7%, 50.2%, and 50.3%, respectively. The school's performance is particularly concerning for African American and Hispanic students, who rank in the bottom quarter of middle schools in the state. Laurens Middle has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger and has been declining in its statewide ranking over the years, dropping from 141 out of 303 middle schools in 2016-2017 to 274 out of 325 middle schools in 2023-2024.

When comparing Laurens Middle to nearby schools, such as Sanders Middle, another school in the Laurens 55 district, it becomes evident that Laurens Middle is underperforming. Despite the high percentage of students from low-income backgrounds, Laurens Middle's per-student spending is relatively high, raising questions about the effective allocation and utilization of resources to support student learning. Addressing the complex challenges related to student demographics, teacher quality, curriculum, and school leadership will be crucial for improving student outcomes at Laurens Middle.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 1035 West Main Street
       Laurens, SC  29360


(864) 984-2400

District: Laurens 55

SchoolDigger Rank:
274th of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,119 Help


Students who attend Laurens Middle usually attend:

High:    Laurens District 55 High

Feeder schools for Laurens Middle:

Elementary:    Laurens Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  12.4 Help
Number of students:  399

Racial breakdown:

White:
39.8%
African American:
34.1%
Hispanic:
23.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Laurens Middle ranks worse than 84.3% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.53. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Laurens Middle is $12,119.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Laurens Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurens Middle 274th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Laurens Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Laurens 55:

SchoolDigger ranks Laurens 55 63rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Laurens Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 50.45 122nd 225 45.8%
2004 66.11 90th 230 60.9%
2005 59.28 104th 230 54.8%
2006 65.45 88th 231 61.9%
2007 68.56 78th 236 66.9%
2008 63.41 107th 244 56.1%
2009 74.25 56th 249 77.5%
2010 72.55 66th 261 74.7%
2011 56.84 131st 269 51.3%
2012 49.88 149th 271 45.0%
2013 44.96 163rd 276 40.9%
2014 47.52 161st 291 44.7%
2015 41.87 172nd 301 42.9%
2016 47.51 159th 303 47.5%
2017 56.19 128th 317 59.6%
2018 49.77 141st 303 53.5%
2019 35.32 208th 315 34.0%
2021 24.64 233rd 311 25.1%
2022 23.96 230th 310 25.8%
2023 23.34 252nd 325 22.5%
2024 17.53 274th 325 15.7%
See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 49.26 37th 93 60.2%
2019 27.75 93rd 117 20.5%
2021 13.44 85th 87 2.3%
2022 19.60 86th 97 11.3%
2023 23.22 78th 95 17.9%
2024 31.91 80th 105 23.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.08 87th 280 68.9%
2019 41.37 170th 289 41.2%
2021 22.73 228th 288 20.8%
2022 23.53 235th 300 21.7%
2023 19.33 264th 313 15.7%
2024 16.24 276th 307 10.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.00 127th 281 54.8%
2019 42.31 174th 296 41.2%
2021 21.84 219th 279 21.5%
2022 21.28 230th 290 20.7%
2023 19.03 243rd 299 18.7%
2024 17.62 247th 294 16.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.16 72nd 194 62.9%
2019 51.83 76th 195 61.0%
2023 26.54 153rd 187 18.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.50 138th 284 51.4%
2019 29.44 215th 296 27.4%
2021 27.87 200th 279 28.3%
2022 26.23 212th 292 27.4%
2023 28.34 215th 303 29.0%
2024 17.85 249th 294 15.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.57 58th 237 75.5%
2019 34.55 175th 252 30.6%
2021 31.80 166th 235 29.4%
2022 26.56 200th 249 19.7%
2023 13.90 246th 253 2.8%
2024 11.47 245th 248 1.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.23 74th 123 39.8%
2019 36.16 100th 139 28.1%
2021 14.59 105th 111 5.4%
2022 10.81 124th 129 3.9%
2023 14.84 130th 141 7.8%
2024 16.80 131st 144 9.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Laurens Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.63 120th 250 52.0%
2019 32.27 181st 258 29.8%
2021 25.41 180th 244 26.2%
2022 24.78 195th 249 21.7%
2023 31.86 176th 260 32.3%
2024 21.97 205th 255 19.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for White 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.

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





Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Laurens Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 240 258 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 498
1989 248 256 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 504
1990 246 245 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 491
1991 229 254 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 483
1992 243 255 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 498
1993 226 280 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 506
1994 226 252 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 478
1995 239 239 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 478
1996 239 239 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 478
1997 204 226 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 430
1998 203 249 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 452
1999 193 273 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 468
2000 202 254 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 460
2001 188 248 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 440
2002 211 203 0 26 0 n/a n/a 0 440
2003 211 203 0 26 0 n/a n/a 0 440
2004 198 190 0 20 0 n/a n/a 0 408
2005 230 183 0 21 0 n/a n/a 0 434
2006 227 151 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 390
2007 228 161 0 12 0 n/a n/a 0 401
2008 216 156 2 14 0 n/a n/a 0 388
2009 239 159 1 12 0 n/a n/a 1 412
2010 220 144 0 12 0 n/a n/a 1 377
2011 240 147 1 27 0 0 3 0 418
2012 258 155 1 47 0 0 3 0 464
2013 234 155 0 58 0 0 4 0 451
2014 214 169 0 63 0 0 3 0 449
2015 217 154 0 70 0 0 8 0 449
2016 211 158 0 63 0 0 13 0 445
2017 205 144 0 71 0 0 10 0 430
2018 197 168 1 72 1 0 18 0 457
2019 203 152 0 82 0 0 17 0 454
2020 173 165 0 89 0 0 20 0 447
2021 167 157 1 97 0 0 13 0 435
2022 164 151 2 97 0 0 14 0 428
2023 159 136 1 92 0 0 11 0 399

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 Laurens Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 498 29.3 16.9 n/a
1989 504 28.9 17.4 n/a
1990 491 28.8 17.0 n/a
1991 483 28.0 17.2 30.6
1992 498 28.5 17.4 33.1
1993 506 29.5 17.2 35.2
1994 478 28.0 17.1 37.7
1995 478 28.0 17.1 40.8
1996 478 28.0 17.1 40.8
1997 430 28.0 15.4 44.4
1998 452 28.0 16.1 51.5
1999 468 28.0 16.7 54.9
2000 460 31.0 14.8 50
2001 440 31.0 14.2 55
2002 440 23.5 18.7 59.1
2003 440 23.5 18.7 59.1
2004 408 26.0 15.7 59.6
2005 434 27.0 16.1 55.3
2006 390 26.0 15.0 47.9
2007 401 41.0 9.8 54.1
2008 388 26.0 14.9 53.9
2009 412 26.0 15.8 57.9
2010 377 23.0 16.3 52.4
2011 418 25.0 16.7 58.1
2012 464 24.0 19.3 65.1
2013 451 24.6 18.3 64.7
2014 449 26.2 17.1 67.9
2015 449 28.0 16.0 68.4
2016 445 30.0 14.8 69.4
2017 430 31.6 13.6 100
2018 457 29.1 15.7 100
2019 454 30.0 15.1 100
2020 447 31.0 14.4 100
2021 435 30.0 14.5 100
2022 428 29.0 14.7 100
2023 399 32.0 12.4 100

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 Laurens Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 498 29.3 16.9 n/a
1989 504 28.9 17.4 n/a
1990 491 28.8 17.0 n/a
1991 483 28.0 17.2 30.6
1992 498 28.5 17.4 33.1
1993 506 29.5 17.2 35.2
1994 478 28.0 17.1 37.7
1995 478 28.0 17.1 40.8
1996 478 28.0 17.1 40.8
1997 430 28.0 15.4 44.4
1998 452 28.0 16.1 51.5
1999 468 28.0 16.7 54.9
2000 460 31.0 14.8 50
2001 440 31.0 14.2 55
2002 440 23.5 18.7 59.1
2003 440 23.5 18.7 59.1
2004 408 26.0 15.7 59.6
2005 434 27.0 16.1 55.3
2006 390 26.0 15.0 47.9
2007 401 41.0 9.8 54.1
2008 388 26.0 14.9 53.9
2009 412 26.0 15.8 57.9
2010 377 23.0 16.3 52.4
2011 418 25.0 16.7 58.1
2012 464 24.0 19.3 65.1
2013 451 24.6 18.3 64.7
2014 449 26.2 17.1 67.9
2015 449 28.0 16.0 68.4
2016 445 30.0 14.8 69.4
2017 430 31.6 13.6 100
2018 457 29.1 15.7 100
2019 454 30.0 15.1 100
2020 447 31.0 14.4 100
2021 435 30.0 14.5 100
2022 428 29.0 14.7 100
2023 399 32.0 12.4 100

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 Laurens 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 $467 (4.7%) $215 (2.2%) $682 (6.9%) $7,522 (75.7%) $1,729 (17.4%) $9,251 (93.1%) $9,933
2020 $232 (2.2%) $312 (3.0%) $545 (5.3%) $8,022 (77.6%) $1,771 (17.1%) $9,793 (94.7%) $10,338
2021 $297 (2.8%) $303 (2.8%) $599 (5.6%) $8,519 (79.3%) $1,618 (15.1%) $10,138 (94.4%) $10,737
2022 $721 (5.8%) $772 (6.2%) $1,493 (12.0%) $9,184 (74.1%) $1,718 (13.9%) $10,902 (88.0%) $12,395
2023 $1,055 (8.7%) $777 (6.4%) $1,832 (15.1%) $8,500 (70.1%) $1,787 (14.7%) $10,287 (84.9%) $12,119

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Laurens 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 208th of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 252nd of 325 Middle schools
 11.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Science (Laurens Middle)38.624.7
 13.9%
   6th Grade Science (Laurens 55)37.234
 3.2%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens Middle)31.740.1
 8.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens 55)3042
 12%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Laurens Middle)29.723.2
 6.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Laurens 55)27.123.5
 3.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens Middle)35.128.1
 7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens 55)31.133.8
 2.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Laurens Middle)19.912.6
 7.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Laurens 55)22.715.2
 7.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens Middle)35.942.3
 6.4%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Laurens 55)30.737.2
 6.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Laurens Middle)29.618.2
 11.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Laurens 55)27.316
 11.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Laurens Middle)99.9100
 0.1%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Laurens 55)85.952.8
 33.1%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)68.668.3
 0.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students454399
 12.1%
African American152136
 10.5%
American Indian00
Asian01
Hispanic8292
 12.2%
Pacific Islander00
White203159
 21.7%
Two or More Races1711
 35.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Laurens Middle

Laurens Middle ranks in the bottom 15.7% of South Carolina middle schools.

Students at Laurens Middle are 40% White, 34% African American, 23% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 399 students attended Laurens Middle.

Students who attend Laurens Middle usually go on to attend Laurens District 55 High


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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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