W. G. Sanders Middle

Summary:

W. G. Sanders Middle is a public middle school in Columbia, South Carolina, serving 533 students in grades 6-8 and part of the Richland 01 school district, which is ranked 53 out of 75 districts in the state.

W. G. Sanders Middle stands out as a high-performing school, consistently outperforming the Richland 01 district and the state of South Carolina in academic metrics. For example, the school had a 100% proficiency rate in EOCEP/Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2, compared to 59.45% for Richland 01 and 72.5% for the state. The school's African American and White student subgroups have also performed exceptionally well, with the African American students ranking 91 out of 248 South Carolina middle schools and the White students ranking 9 out of 255 schools. Additionally, the school has maintained a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.

When compared to other nearby middle schools in the Richland 01 district, W. G. Sanders Middle generally outperforms its peers in academic metrics, such as proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, W. G. Sanders Middle had a 57.3% proficiency rate in 8th grade ELA, compared to 49% at Dent Middle and 38.7% at W. A. Perry Middle. The school's relatively high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratio may contribute to its academic success.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 6-8

 3455 Pine Belt Road
       Columbia, SC  29204


(803) 735-7575

District: Richland 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
185th of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,895 Help


Students who attend W. G. Sanders Middle usually attend:

High:    W.J. Keenan High

Feeder schools for W. G. Sanders Middle:

Elementary:    A. J. Lewis Greenview Elementary
    Burton Pack Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  11.3 Help
Number of students:  533

Racial breakdown:

African American:
75.0%
White:
10.7%
Hispanic:
8.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina middle schools

 Compare W. G. Sanders Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details W. G. Sanders Middle ranks worse than 56.9% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 3rd among 9 ranked middle schools in the Richland 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 39.95. (See more...)
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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.
Student Body
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Compare Details W. G. Sanders Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Richland 01 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at W. G. Sanders Middle is $18,895, which is the 4th highest among 9 middle schools in the Richland 01 School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

W. G. Sanders Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks W. G. Sanders Middle 185th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See W. G. Sanders Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Richland 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Richland 01 53rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for W. G. Sanders Middle

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Rank History for all students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 15.03 204th 225 9.3%
2004 8.61 220th 230 4.3%
2005 6.54 225th 230 2.2%
2006 6.20 223rd 231 3.5%
2007 15.65 215th 236 8.9%
2008 14.67 230th 244 5.7%
2009 15.60 224th 249 10.0%
2010 22.82 225th 261 13.8%
2011 17.74 240th 269 10.8%
2012 9.00 254th 271 6.3%
2013 7.13 267th 276 3.3%
2014 12.71 271st 291 6.9%
2015 22.91 244th 301 18.9%
2016 28.31 228th 303 24.8%
2017 33.61 213th 317 32.8%
2018 30.17 216th 303 28.7%
2019 32.85 216th 315 31.4%
2021 21.33 247th 311 20.6%
2022 37.71 187th 310 39.7%
2023 38.87 195th 325 40.0%
2024 39.95 185th 325 43.1%
See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.27 236th 280 15.7%
2019 31.30 212th 289 26.6%
2021 16.09 259th 288 10.1%
2022 38.44 174th 300 42.0%
2023 42.79 171st 313 45.4%
2024 41.42 174th 307 43.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.95 198th 281 29.5%
2019 33.78 205th 296 30.7%
2021 22.72 218th 279 21.9%
2022 34.11 195th 290 32.8%
2023 38.39 182nd 299 39.1%
2024 41.50 158th 294 46.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.67 93rd 194 52.1%
2019 80.14 18th 195 90.8%
2023 42.13 101st 187 46.0%
2024 15.45 172nd 177 2.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 0.68 178th 179 0.6%
2022 41.30 134th 182 26.4%
2023 35.26 146th 185 21.1%
2024 35.90 145th 183 20.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.69 207th 284 27.1%
2019 33.14 199th 296 32.8%
2021 18.85 227th 279 18.6%
2022 40.14 171st 292 41.4%
2023 38.81 182nd 303 39.9%
2024 37.37 175th 294 40.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 44.65 126th 237 46.8%
2019 49.78 114th 252 54.8%
2021 35.86 152nd 235 35.3%
2022 60.84 63rd 249 74.7%
2023 65.28 64th 253 74.7%
2024 55.25 91st 248 63.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at W. G. Sanders Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 94.33 12th 258 95.3%
2023 81.73 40th 260 84.6%
2024 95.03 9th 255 96.5%
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.

W. G. Sanders Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

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Enrollment information for W. G. Sanders Middle

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 32 612 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 645
1989 25 582 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 607
1990 12 653 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 665
1991 15 587 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 602
1992 12 564 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 576
1993 10 568 4 3 0 n/a n/a 0 585
1994 8 626 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 640
1995 4 636 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 641
1996 4 636 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 641
1997 5 623 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 628
1998 3 597 2 0 0 n/a n/a 0 602
1999 12 535 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 548
2000 5 553 4 0 0 n/a n/a 0 562
2001 3 541 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 547
2002 2 520 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 526
2003 2 520 1 2 1 n/a n/a 0 526
2004 5 571 0 3 1 n/a n/a 0 580
2005 3 585 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 592
2006 5 520 0 2 1 n/a n/a 0 528
2007 7 466 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 476
2008 9 423 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 433
2009 6 393 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 400
2010 8 402 0 2 0 n/a n/a 0 412
2011 7 392 0 2 1 0 9 0 411
2012 4 393 0 3 0 1 8 0 409
2013 5 372 1 8 0 1 8 0 395
2014 8 362 0 10 0 2 9 0 391
2015 12 367 2 9 0 1 6 0 397
2016 35 395 3 7 0 0 11 0 451
2017 52 376 1 10 0 0 19 0 458
2018 54 379 2 11 0 0 19 0 465
2019 57 406 3 15 0 0 26 0 507
2020 53 443 3 28 0 0 22 0 549
2021 58 452 0 39 0 1 20 0 570
2022 52 415 2 33 0 0 22 0 524
2023 57 400 2 47 0 0 27 0 533

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 W. G. Sanders Middle

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 645 35.9 17.9 n/a
1989 607 37.7 16.1 n/a
1990 665 40.0 16.6 n/a
1991 602 40.8 14.7 38.2
1992 576 42.5 13.5 46.9
1993 585 36.1 16.2 54.7
1994 640 36.5 17.5 55.9
1995 641 40.5 15.8 70
1996 641 40.5 15.8 70
1997 628 43.5 14.4 91.1
1998 602 40.0 15.1 61.3
1999 548 40.0 13.7 65.5
2000 562 42.0 13.4 65.7
2001 547 37.0 14.8 67.5
2002 526 41.0 12.8 61
2003 526 41.0 12.8 61
2004 580 46.5 12.5 68.1
2005 592 48.3 12.3 78.9
2006 528 44.0 12.0 76.7
2007 476 55.0 8.7 80.7
2008 433 38.0 11.4 71.8
2009 400 33.0 12.1 68.3
2010 412 31.0 13.2 77.4
2011 411 30.0 13.7 79.1
2012 409 29.0 14.1 82.4
2013 395 32.0 12.3 77.7
2014 391 29.0 13.4 79.3
2015 397 39.0 10.1 77.6
2016 451 41.0 11.0 100
2017 458 44.0 10.4 100
2018 465 46.0 10.1 100
2019 507 50.0 10.1 100
2020 549 53.0 10.3 100
2021 570 53.0 10.7 100
2022 524 52.0 10.0 100
2023 533 47.0 11.3 100

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 W. G. Sanders Middle

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 645 35.9 17.9 n/a
1989 607 37.7 16.1 n/a
1990 665 40.0 16.6 n/a
1991 602 40.8 14.7 38.2
1992 576 42.5 13.5 46.9
1993 585 36.1 16.2 54.7
1994 640 36.5 17.5 55.9
1995 641 40.5 15.8 70
1996 641 40.5 15.8 70
1997 628 43.5 14.4 91.1
1998 602 40.0 15.1 61.3
1999 548 40.0 13.7 65.5
2000 562 42.0 13.4 65.7
2001 547 37.0 14.8 67.5
2002 526 41.0 12.8 61
2003 526 41.0 12.8 61
2004 580 46.5 12.5 68.1
2005 592 48.3 12.3 78.9
2006 528 44.0 12.0 76.7
2007 476 55.0 8.7 80.7
2008 433 38.0 11.4 71.8
2009 400 33.0 12.1 68.3
2010 412 31.0 13.2 77.4
2011 411 30.0 13.7 79.1
2012 409 29.0 14.1 82.4
2013 395 32.0 12.3 77.7
2014 391 29.0 13.4 79.3
2015 397 39.0 10.1 77.6
2016 451 41.0 11.0 100
2017 458 44.0 10.4 100
2018 465 46.0 10.1 100
2019 507 50.0 10.1 100
2020 549 53.0 10.3 100
2021 570 53.0 10.7 100
2022 524 52.0 10.0 100
2023 533 47.0 11.3 100

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 W. G. Sanders 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 $487 (2.9%) $516 (3.1%) $1,004 (6.0%) $12,989 (77.2%) $2,827 (16.8%) $15,816 (94.0%) $16,820
2020 $1,116 (6.6%) $733 (4.3%) $1,849 (10.9%) $12,491 (73.6%) $2,631 (15.5%) $15,122 (89.1%) $16,971
2021 $1,068 (6.5%) $740 (4.5%) $1,807 (11.0%) $12,242 (74.5%) $2,385 (14.5%) $14,627 (89.0%) $16,434
2022 $1,240 (7.4%) $634 (3.8%) $1,874 (11.2%) $12,436 (74.4%) $2,399 (14.4%) $14,835 (88.8%) $16,709
2023 $1,596 (8.4%) $1,018 (5.4%) $2,614 (13.8%) $13,683 (72.4%) $2,598 (13.7%) $16,281 (86.2%) $18,895

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

Impact of COVID-19 on W. G. Sanders 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 216th of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 195th of 325 Middle schools
 8.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Science (W. G. Sanders Middle)38.631.2
 7.4%
   6th Grade Science (Richland 01)37.328.1
 9.2%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (W. G. Sanders Middle)39.745
 5.3%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Richland 01)33.838.4
 4.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (W. G. Sanders Middle)35.521.2
 14.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Richland 01)31.520.9
 10.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (W. G. Sanders Middle)32.350.4
 18.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Richland 01)36.239.8
 3.6%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (W. G. Sanders Middle)16.822.9
 6.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Richland 01)20.619.5
 1.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (W. G. Sanders Middle)34.349.4
 15.1%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Richland 01)37.845.3
 7.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (W. G. Sanders Middle)18.923.8
 4.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Richland 01)2524.6
 0.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (W. G. Sanders Middle)89.3100
 10.7%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Richland 01)55.558
 2.5%
   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 Students507533
 5.1%
African American406400
 1.5%
American Indian00
Asian32
 33.3%
Hispanic1547
 213.3%
Pacific Islander00
White5757
Two or More Races2627
 3.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


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Frequently Asked Questions about W. G. Sanders Middle

W. G. Sanders Middle ranks 185th of 325 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend W. G. Sanders Middle usually go on to attend W.J. Keenan High

In the 2022-23 school year, 533 students attended W. G. Sanders Middle.

Students at W. G. Sanders Middle are 75% African American, 11% White, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.


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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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