Sandhills Middle

Summary:

Sandhills Middle is a public middle school in Gaston, South Carolina, serving 513 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the Lexington 04 district, which is ranked 68 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sandhills Middle consistently performs below state and district averages in standardized test scores, with only 29.4% of 7th graders and 26.3% of 8th graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 50.2% and 50.3%. In mathematics, the proficiency rates are even lower, at 14.2% for 7th graders and 15% for 8th graders, compared to state averages of 33.8% and 30.2%. The school has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranks 282 out of 325 South Carolina middle schools, with particularly concerning performance for Hispanic and African American students.

Despite increased per-student spending and a relatively low student-teacher ratio, Sandhills Middle has not shown significant improvement over the years. When compared to nearby schools, such as Frances F. Mack Intermediate, the performance gap is quite significant, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to address the underlying issues at Sandhills Middle.


Detail:

Public 7-8

 582 Meadowfield Road
       Gaston, SC  29053


(803) 490-7005

District: Lexington 04

SchoolDigger Rank:
282nd of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,398 Help


Students who attend Sandhills Middle usually attend:

High:    Swansea High

Feeder schools for Sandhills Middle:

Elementary:    Lexington Four Early Childhood Center
    Sandhills Elementary
    Sandhills Primary

Student/teacher ratio:  13.1 Help
Number of students:  513

Racial breakdown:

White:
49.1%
Hispanic:
26.3%
African American:
17.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina middle schools

 Compare Sandhills Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sandhills Middle ranks worse than 86.8% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.39. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Sandhills Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (49.1%), Hispanic (26.3%), African American (17.9%). (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 Sandhills Middle is 13.1. (See more...)
Help
Compare Sandhills Middle employs 39 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sandhills Middle is $12,398.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sandhills Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Sandhills Middle 282nd of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Sandhills Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Lexington 04:

SchoolDigger ranks Lexington 04 68th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Sandhills Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 34.71 160th 225 28.9%
2004 21.99 194th 230 15.7%
2005 38.86 153rd 230 33.5%
2006 25.54 183rd 231 20.8%
2007 27.71 195th 236 17.4%
2008 43.97 157th 244 35.7%
2009 46.98 150th 249 39.8%
2010 52.14 145th 261 44.4%
2011 45.52 171st 269 36.4%
2012 46.66 159th 271 41.3%
2013 31.68 209th 276 24.3%
2014 32.19 217th 291 25.4%
2015 31.10 219th 301 27.2%
2016 17.30 260th 303 14.2%
2017 12.80 292nd 317 7.9%
2018 8.57 291st 303 4.0%
2019 10.59 294th 315 6.7%
2021 16.65 257th 311 17.4%
2022 14.71 269th 310 13.2%
2023 18.71 265th 325 18.5%
2024 15.39 282nd 325 13.2%
See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 8.79 93rd 93 0.0%
2019 4.21 117th 117 0.0%
2021 20.41 78th 87 10.3%
2022 13.16 94th 97 3.1%
2023 21.46 80th 95 15.8%
2024 12.21 104th 105 1.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.39 271st 280 3.2%
2019 11.05 278th 289 3.8%
2021 20.31 243rd 288 15.6%
2022 16.43 272nd 300 9.3%
2023 23.16 250th 313 20.1%
2024 20.51 261st 307 15.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.98 268th 281 4.6%
2019 12.86 266th 296 10.1%
2021 16.35 237th 279 15.1%
2022 14.01 255th 290 12.1%
2023 15.14 260th 299 13.0%
2024 11.14 273rd 294 7.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.29 185th 194 4.6%
2019 34.19 134th 195 31.3%
2021 19.04 153rd 164 6.7%
2022 26.81 143rd 183 21.9%
2023 38.34 108th 187 42.2%
2024 28.88 142nd 177 19.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 6.17 174th 179 2.8%
2023 1.47 183rd 185 1.1%
2024 9.10 172nd 183 6.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.94 265th 284 6.7%
2019 9.16 282nd 296 4.7%
2021 17.46 235th 279 15.8%
2022 15.62 259th 292 11.3%
2023 22.44 235th 303 22.4%
2024 21.23 236th 294 19.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 6.05 237th 237 0.0%
2019 8.79 251st 252 0.4%
2021 22.64 208th 235 11.5%
2022 21.08 219th 249 12.0%
2023 22.30 220th 253 13.0%
2024 24.03 210th 248 15.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.15 121st 123 1.6%
2019 2.70 139th 139 0.0%
2021 19.28 95th 111 14.4%
2022 6.41 128th 129 0.8%
2023 17.27 124th 141 12.1%
2024 11.85 141st 144 2.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Sandhills Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 2.08 248th 250 0.8%
2019 4.29 255th 258 1.2%
2021 5.87 236th 244 3.3%
2022 6.39 242nd 249 2.8%
2023 7.71 249th 260 4.2%
2024 7.09 246th 255 3.5%
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.

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




Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Review counts

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Thursday, March 28, 2019

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Enrollment information for Sandhills Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 241 85 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 327
1989 241 78 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 319
1990 249 83 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 332
1991 244 74 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 318
1992 366 122 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 488
1993 419 98 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 517
1994 425 85 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 513
1995 463 104 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 574
1996 463 104 0 7 0 n/a n/a 0 574
1997 712 151 0 9 0 n/a n/a 0 872
1998 721 163 0 18 0 n/a n/a 0 902
1999 767 148 0 16 0 n/a n/a 0 931
2000 811 171 7 13 0 n/a n/a 0 1002
2001 819 194 3 11 0 n/a n/a 0 1027
2002 426 110 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 547
2003 426 110 5 6 0 n/a n/a 0 547
2004 443 109 1 9 0 n/a n/a 0 562
2005 444 111 1 18 2 n/a n/a 1 577
2006 421 124 2 16 2 n/a n/a 0 565
2007 399 125 1 20 0 n/a n/a 0 545
2008 380 104 2 25 1 n/a n/a 3 515
2009 370 95 2 29 1 n/a n/a 0 497
2010 356 116 2 31 5 n/a n/a 0 510
2011 350 107 0 28 2 0 4 0 491
2012 310 95 1 25 4 0 14 0 449
2013 342 96 1 36 5 0 20 0 500
2014 358 96 1 35 2 0 24 0 516
2015 310 83 1 32 3 0 19 0 448
2016 301 75 1 48 2 0 14 0 441
2017 296 76 0 66 2 0 14 0 454
2018 302 88 1 68 2 0 21 0 482
2019 310 100 0 79 2 0 22 0 513
2020 312 106 1 87 4 0 12 0 522
2021 275 94 2 104 4 0 20 0 499
2022 248 81 1 125 4 2 28 0 489
2023 252 92 1 135 4 1 28 0 513

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 Sandhills Middle

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 327 14.7 22.2 n/a
1989 319 15.2 20.9 n/a
1990 332 16.2 20.4 n/a
1991 318 16.5 19.2 24.2
1992 488 27.0 18.0 33.4
1993 517 27.0 19.1 33.7
1994 513 29.0 17.7 37.2
1995 574 40.0 14.4 38.9
1996 574 40.0 14.4 38.9
1997 872 54.1 16.1 16.5
1998 902 55.0 16.4 47.7
1999 931 61.0 15.3 57.7
2000 1002 64.0 15.7 55.2
2001 1027 69.0 14.9 58.7
2002 547 35.0 15.6 62.7
2003 547 35.0 15.6 62.7
2004 562 37.0 15.2 67.4
2005 577 36.0 16.0 67.4
2006 565 38.0 14.9 68.5
2007 545 52.0 10.5 68.4
2008 515 36.0 14.3 69.3
2009 497 27.0 18.4 72.4
2010 510 38.0 13.4 72.7
2011 491 36.0 13.6 74.7
2012 449 30.0 14.9 77.1
2013 500 29.0 17.2 79.4
2014 516 28.0 18.4 76.4
2015 448 28.0 16.0 100
2016 441 29.0 15.2 100
2017 454 28.0 16.2 100
2018 482 31.0 15.5 100
2019 513 35.0 14.6 100
2020 522 35.0 14.9 100
2021 499 36.0 13.8 100
2022 489 40.0 12.2 100
2023 513 39.0 13.1 100

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 Sandhills Middle

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 327 14.7 22.2 n/a
1989 319 15.2 20.9 n/a
1990 332 16.2 20.4 n/a
1991 318 16.5 19.2 24.2
1992 488 27.0 18.0 33.4
1993 517 27.0 19.1 33.7
1994 513 29.0 17.7 37.2
1995 574 40.0 14.4 38.9
1996 574 40.0 14.4 38.9
1997 872 54.1 16.1 16.5
1998 902 55.0 16.4 47.7
1999 931 61.0 15.3 57.7
2000 1002 64.0 15.7 55.2
2001 1027 69.0 14.9 58.7
2002 547 35.0 15.6 62.7
2003 547 35.0 15.6 62.7
2004 562 37.0 15.2 67.4
2005 577 36.0 16.0 67.4
2006 565 38.0 14.9 68.5
2007 545 52.0 10.5 68.4
2008 515 36.0 14.3 69.3
2009 497 27.0 18.4 72.4
2010 510 38.0 13.4 72.7
2011 491 36.0 13.6 74.7
2012 449 30.0 14.9 77.1
2013 500 29.0 17.2 79.4
2014 516 28.0 18.4 76.4
2015 448 28.0 16.0 100
2016 441 29.0 15.2 100
2017 454 28.0 16.2 100
2018 482 31.0 15.5 100
2019 513 35.0 14.6 100
2020 522 35.0 14.9 100
2021 499 36.0 13.8 100
2022 489 40.0 12.2 100
2023 513 39.0 13.1 100

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 Sandhills 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 $108 (1.2%) $141 (1.6%) $249 (2.7%) $7,178 (79.0%) $1,661 (18.3%) $8,840 (97.3%) $9,089
2020 $249 (2.8%) $480 (5.3%) $730 (8.1%) $7,127 (78.8%) $1,191 (13.2%) $8,318 (91.9%) $9,047
2021 $533 (5.8%) $396 (4.3%) $929 (10.1%) $7,256 (79.1%) $988 (10.8%) $8,243 (89.9%) $9,172
2022 $912 (8.9%) $610 (6.0%) $1,523 (14.9%) $7,780 (76.0%) $933 (9.1%) $8,712 (85.1%) $10,235
2023 $1,257 (10.1%) $1,693 (13.7%) $2,950 (23.8%) $8,314 (67.1%) $1,133 (9.1%) $9,448 (76.2%) $12,398

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Sandhills 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 294th of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 265th of 325 Middle schools
 11.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sandhills Middle)16.130.2
 14.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Lexington 04)16.130
 13.9%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sandhills Middle)7.920
 12.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Lexington 04)7.919.9
 12%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sandhills Middle)20.230.2
 10%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Lexington 04)20.230.2
 10%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sandhills Middle)9.313
 3.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Lexington 04)9.313
 3.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Sandhills Middle)72.590.7
 18.2%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Lexington 04)29.252
 22.8%
   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 Students513513
African American10092
 8%
American Indian24
 100%
Asian01
Hispanic79135
 70.9%
Pacific Islander01
White310252
 18.7%
Two or More Races2228
 27.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Sandhills Middle

Students at Sandhills Middle are 49% White, 26% Hispanic, 18% African American, 5% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 513 students attended Sandhills Middle.

Students who attend Sandhills Middle usually go on to attend Swansea High

Sandhills Middle ranks in the bottom 13.2% of South Carolina middle schools.


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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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