Is Sims Middle a good school?

Sims Middle ranks 241 st of 325 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Sims Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 635 students attended Sims Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Sims Middle?

Students at Sims Middle are 47% White, 41% African American, 10% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Sims Middle attend?

Students who attend Sims Middle usually go on to attend Union County High

Sims Middle

Summary:

Sims Middle School is a public middle school in Union, South Carolina, serving 672 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Union 01 School District, which is ranked 62 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sims Middle has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of South Carolina middle schools, maintaining a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade. The school's academic performance, as measured by proficiency rates on state assessments, is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates ranging from 18% to 37.9% in English Language Arts and 18% to 31.8% in Mathematics, compared to state averages of 50.2% to 53.7% in ELA and 30.2% to 38.4% in Mathematics. However, the school's performance on the Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End-of-Course exam is an outlier, with 100% proficiency in 2023-2024, significantly higher than the state and district averages.

Despite the school's persistent low performance, Sims Middle has received increased funding and staffing resources in recent years, with per-student spending increasing from $9,272 in 2020-2021 to $11,053 in 2022-2023, and the student-teacher ratio decreasing from 15 to 12.4 during the same period. These changes suggest that the school may be exploring strategies to address the unique challenges faced by its diverse student population, which includes 46.43% White, 41.22% African American, 2.68% Hispanic, and 9.52% two or more races.

Detail:

Public 6-8

2200 Whitmire Highway
Union, SC 29379

(864) 429-1755

District: Union 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
241^st of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,053

Students who attend Sims Middle usually attend:

High:

Union County High

Feeder schools for Sims Middle:

Elementary:	Buffalo Elementary
	Foster Park Elementary
	Monarch Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 12.0

Number of students: 635

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.6%

African American:

40.9%

Two or more races:

9.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare Sims Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Sims Middle ranks worse than 74.2% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.8. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (46.6%), African American (40.9%), two or more races (9.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sims Middle is 12. (See more...)

Compare Sims Middle employs 52.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sims Middle is $11,053.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Sims Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Sims Middle 241^st of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Sims Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Union 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Union 01 62^nd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Sims Middle?

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Rank History for Sims Middle

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Rank History for all students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2003	28.90	172^nd	225	23.6%
2004	32.03	169^th	230	26.5%
2005	37.52	158^th	230	31.3%
2006	36.82	160^th	231	30.7%
2007	49.46	139^th	236	41.1%
2008	52.85	133^rd	244	45.5%
2009	47.19	147^th	249	41.0%
2010	37.07	193^rd	261	26.1%
2011	38.73	186^th	269	30.9%
2012	34.83	201^st	271	25.8%
2013	34.69	202^nd	276	26.8%
2014	38.55	189^th	291	35.1%
2015	36.34	195^th	301	35.2%
2016	31.39	220^th	303	27.4%
2017	33.05	217^th	317	31.5%
2018	35.94	195^th	303	35.6%
2019	29.85	224^th	315	28.9%
2021	22.22	243^rd	311	21.9%
2022	19.13	244^th	310	21.3%
2023	21.36	256^th	325	21.2%
2024	25.80	241^st	325	25.8%

See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	10.56	29^th	31	6.5%
2019	3.56	39^th	39	0.0%
2021	10.50	25^th	25	0.0%
2022	17.29	40^th	44	9.1%
2023	1.15	58^th	58	0.0%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	42.60	156^th	280	44.3%
2019	33.38	203^rd	289	29.8%
2021	25.27	218^th	288	24.3%
2022	23.36	237^th	300	21.0%
2023	25.90	244^th	313	22.0%
2024	30.23	215^th	307	30.0%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	38.21	174^th	281	38.1%
2019	31.05	214^th	296	27.7%
2021	18.58	229^th	279	17.9%
2022	21.64	228^th	290	21.4%
2023	22.20	235^th	299	21.4%
2024	24.05	223^rd	294	24.1%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	20.97	174^th	194	10.3%
2019	30.73	148^th	195	24.1%
2021	34.40	109^th	164	33.5%
2022	29.23	136^th	183	25.7%
2023	21.28	166^th	187	11.2%
2024	22.33	158^th	177	10.7%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	33.18	144^th	179	19.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	33.81	192^nd	284	32.4%
2019	29.13	216^th	296	27.0%
2021	25.51	206^th	279	26.2%
2022	17.35	245^th	292	16.1%
2023	20.90	239^th	303	21.1%
2024	28.40	213^th	294	27.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	47.02	119^th	237	49.8%
2019	38.80	148^th	252	41.3%
2021	26.75	190^th	235	19.1%
2022	24.00	209^th	249	16.1%
2023	25.46	205^th	253	19.0%
2024	30.52	188^th	248	24.2%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Sims Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	24.56	191^st	250	23.6%
2019	18.36	224^th	258	13.2%
2021	13.39	216^th	244	11.5%
2022	9.17	235^th	249	5.6%
2023	15.22	231^st	260	11.2%
2024	17.36	220^th	255	13.7%

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.

Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Sims Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	385	265	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	654
1989	393	263	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	659
1990	418	284	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	704
1991	397	281	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	679
1992	405	283	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	689
1993	399	298	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	699
1994	397	291	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	691
1995	352	286	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	641
1996	352	286	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	641
1997	368	250	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	622
1998	370	244	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	615
1999	329	236	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	568
2000	345	254	2	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	604
2001	364	268	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	634
2002	337	253	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	1	597
2003	337	253	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	1	597
2004	359	258	0	2	2	n/a	n/a	1	622
2005	319	265	0	1	2	n/a	n/a	1	588
2006	310	235	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	550
2007	329	235	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	569
2008	309	241	4	2	1	n/a	n/a	1	558
2009	314	214	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	1	534
2010	483	354	3	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	844
2011	445	359	5	5	0	0	1	0	815
2012	427	345	4	8	0	1	4	0	789
2013	399	322	4	7	1	1	7	0	741
2014	389	302	3	9	1	0	11	0	715
2015	398	303	1	5	1	0	16	0	724
2016	385	293	2	12	0	3	21	0	716
2017	364	266	2	8	0	1	29	0	670
2018	352	273	6	11	0	0	46	0	688
2019	374	287	5	9	0	0	60	0	735
2020	367	303	5	19	0	1	69	0	764
2021	344	281	2	18	0	0	61	0	706
2022	346	279	0	21	0	0	59	1	706
2023	312	277	0	18	0	1	64	0	672
2024	296	260	1	15	0	1	62	0	635

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 Sims Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	654	34.7	18.8	n/a
1989	659	37.0	17.8	n/a
1990	704	39.2	17.9	n/a
1991	679	39.5	17.1	30
1992	689	41.3	16.6	38.9
1993	699	39.9	17.5	37.6
1994	691	41.0	16.9	41.2
1995	641	43.0	14.9	38.2
1996	641	43.0	14.9	38.2
1997	622	44.0	14.1	37.6
1998	615	42.0	14.6	40
1999	568	45.0	12.6	50.2
2000	604	41.0	14.7	47.4
2001	634	42.0	15.1	57.4
2002	597	40.0	14.9	60.7
2003	597	40.0	14.9	60.7
2004	622	40.0	15.6	64.1
2005	588	40.0	14.7	64.9
2006	550	40.0	13.8	59.9
2007	569	55.0	10.3	64.3
2008	558	39.0	14.3	63.9
2009	534	40.0	13.4	54.6
2010	844	56.0	15.0	65.8
2011	815	54.5	14.9	66.7
2012	789	58.5	13.4	69.5
2013	741	56.0	13.2	69.5
2014	715	56.0	12.7	72.7
2015	724	53.0	13.6	73.6
2016	716	55.0	13.0	70.3
2017	670	54.0	12.4	100
2018	688	49.0	14.0	100
2019	735	49.0	15.0	100
2020	764	51.0	14.9	100
2021	706	47.0	15.0	100
2022	706	49.8	14.1	100
2023	672	53.8	12.4	100
2024	635	52.7	12.0	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 Sims Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	654	34.7	18.8	n/a
1989	659	37.0	17.8	n/a
1990	704	39.2	17.9	n/a
1991	679	39.5	17.1	30
1992	689	41.3	16.6	38.9
1993	699	39.9	17.5	37.6
1994	691	41.0	16.9	41.2
1995	641	43.0	14.9	38.2
1996	641	43.0	14.9	38.2
1997	622	44.0	14.1	37.6
1998	615	42.0	14.6	40
1999	568	45.0	12.6	50.2
2000	604	41.0	14.7	47.4
2001	634	42.0	15.1	57.4
2002	597	40.0	14.9	60.7
2003	597	40.0	14.9	60.7
2004	622	40.0	15.6	64.1
2005	588	40.0	14.7	64.9
2006	550	40.0	13.8	59.9
2007	569	55.0	10.3	64.3
2008	558	39.0	14.3	63.9
2009	534	40.0	13.4	54.6
2010	844	56.0	15.0	65.8
2011	815	54.5	14.9	66.7
2012	789	58.5	13.4	69.5
2013	741	56.0	13.2	69.5
2014	715	56.0	12.7	72.7
2015	724	53.0	13.6	73.6
2016	716	55.0	13.0	70.3
2017	670	54.0	12.4	100
2018	688	49.0	14.0	100
2019	735	49.0	15.0	100
2020	764	51.0	14.9	100
2021	706	47.0	15.0	100
2022	706	49.8	14.1	100
2023	672	53.8	12.4	100
2024	635	52.7	12.0	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 Sims Middle

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$616 (6.8%)	$270 (3.0%)	$886 (9.8%)	$6,898 (76.1%)	$1,277 (14.1%)	$8,175 (90.2%)	$9,061
2020	$613 (6.6%)	$336 (3.6%)	$949 (10.2%)	$7,156 (76.6%)	$1,234 (13.2%)	$8,391 (89.8%)	$9,340
2021	$435 (4.7%)	$421 (4.5%)	$856 (9.2%)	$6,944 (74.9%)	$1,472 (15.9%)	$8,416 (90.8%)	$9,272
2022	$773 (7.2%)	$783 (7.3%)	$1,556 (14.4%)	$7,427 (69.0%)	$1,787 (16.6%)	$9,214 (85.6%)	$10,770
2023	$835 (7.6%)	$1,557 (14.1%)	$2,391 (21.6%)	$7,218 (65.3%)	$1,443 (13.1%)	$8,661 (78.4%)	$11,053

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sims 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 224^th of 315 Middle schools	Ranks 256^th of 325 Middle schools	7.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Science (Sims Middle)	29.1	22.6	6.5%
6th Grade Science (Union 01)	33.1	23.1	10%
6th Grade Science (South Carolina)	47.1	43	4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sims Middle)	22.5	29.9	7.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Union 01)	24.2	31.7	7.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	41.1	53.4	12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sims Middle)	21.1	19.7	1.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Union 01)	21.3	19.9	1.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	43.9	36.7	7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sims Middle)	29.5	30	0.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Union 01)	31	32.8	1.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	44	50.1	6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sims Middle)	28.1	10	18.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Union 01)	26.9	12.3	14.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	35.3	31	4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sims Middle)	35.8	40.2	4.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Union 01)	36.8	44	7.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	44.5	53.1	8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sims Middle)	31.8	26.8	5%
8th Grade Mathematics (Union 01)	30.8	25.3	5.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	36.6	31.6	5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Sims Middle)	94.9	97.9	3%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Union 01)	48	53.1	5.1%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)	68.6	68.3	0.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	735	672	8.6%
African American	287	277	3.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	5	0	100%
Hispanic	9	18	100%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	374	312	16.6%
Two or More Races	60	64	6.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Sims Middle

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)			SC READY Mathematics (2024)			EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Sims Middle	Public	6-8	2200 Whitmire Highway	Union	29379	Union County	Union 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 429-1755	635	53	12.0	100.0%	296 (46.6%)	260 (40.9%)	15 (2.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	62 (9.8%)	25.8	241^st of 325 public middle schools	25.8%		21.4	256^th of 325 public middle schools	21.2%	15	37.9	35.5	30.3	31.8	20.7	18.0	100.0	$11,053	$835	$1,557	$2,391	$7,218	$1,443	$8,661

Sims Middle

Sims Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Union 01:

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Rank History for Sims Middle

Rank History for all students at Sims Middle

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Sims Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Sims Middle

Rank History for Female students at Sims Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Sims Middle

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Sims Middle

Rank History for Male students at Sims Middle

Rank History for African American students at Sims Middle

Rank History for White students at Sims Middle

Enrollment information for Sims Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Sims Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Sims Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Sims Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Sims Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Sims Middle

Sims Middle

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