Tall Pines STEM Academy

Q: Is Tall Pines STEM Academy a good school?

Tall Pines STEM Academy ranks 66 th of 325 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Tall Pines STEM Academy is a public charter middle school in Aiken, South Carolina, serving 382 students in grades 5-8. The school consistently ranks among the top middle schools in the state, with strong academic performance that significantly exceeds the district and state averages.

Tall Pines STEM Academy stands out for its exceptional academic achievements. In 2023-2024, 98.09% of its students were proficient or better in EOCEP/Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2, compared to just 72.25% for the Aiken 01 district and 72.5% for the state. The school's English Language Arts proficiency rates also outpace the district and state, ranging from 64.1% to 69.5% across different grade levels. This consistent academic excellence has earned Tall Pines STEM Academy high ratings from SchoolDigger, including 5 stars in 2021-2022 and 4 stars in 2020-2021.

However, the school's student population differs significantly from nearby schools. Tall Pines STEM Academy has a much higher percentage of White students (84.29% in 2022-2023) compared to neighboring schools, which have more diverse student populations. Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 2.84% to 15.18% over the past three years, while several nearby schools have 100% of their students qualifying for this program. These demographic and socioeconomic differences raise questions about equity and access to high-quality education in the local community.

Detail:

Public, Charter 5-8

82 Camp Long Road
Aiken, SC 29805

(803) 502-1692

District: School Public Charter School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
66^th of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,467

Student/teacher ratio: 17.0

Number of students: 382

Racial breakdown:

White:

84.3%

African American:

6.3%

Two or more races:

6.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 15.2%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Tall Pines STEM Academy ranks better than 79.7% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the School Public Charter School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.85. (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 Tall Pines STEM Academy has the largest middle school student body size in the School Public Charter School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tall Pines STEM Academy is $10,467. 1 middle schools in the School Public Charter School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Tall Pines STEM Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Tall Pines STEM Academy 66^th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Tall Pines STEM Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

White students:

School Public Charter School District:

SchoolDigger ranks School Public Charter School District 25^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Tall Pines STEM Academy

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Rank History for all students at Tall Pines STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	90.02	30^th	315	90.5%
2021	84.45	41^st	311	86.8%
2022	88.91	29^th	310	90.6%
2023	83.66	49^th	325	84.9%
2024	76.85	66^th	325	79.7%

See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Tall Pines STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2021	89.55	20^th	288	93.1%
2023	73.12	68^th	313	78.3%
2024	67.89	68^th	307	77.9%

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

Rank History for Female students at Tall Pines STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	86.64	30^th	281	89.3%
2019	86.76	36^th	296	87.8%
2021	91.30	22^nd	279	92.1%
2022	93.39	16^th	290	94.5%
2023	87.63	28^th	299	90.6%
2024	82.00	45^th	294	84.7%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Tall Pines STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2021	56.43	98^th	179	45.3%
2023	59.07	90^th	185	51.4%
2024	52.00	118^th	183	35.5%

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

Rank History for Male students at Tall Pines STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	79.72	47^th	284	83.5%
2019	91.10	27^th	296	90.9%
2021	71.86	66^th	279	76.3%
2022	80.83	52^nd	292	82.2%
2023	77.05	61^st	303	79.9%
2024	71.10	71^st	294	75.9%

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

Rank History for White students at Tall Pines STEM Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	63.52	87^th	250	65.2%
2019	72.72	69^th	258	73.3%
2021	64.51	82^nd	244	66.4%
2022	73.68	57^th	249	77.1%
2023	70.18	70^th	260	73.1%
2024	56.79	104^th	255	59.2%

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 Tall Pines STEM Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2017	81	0	0	1	0	0	12	2	96
2018	124	5	2	2	0	0	11	0	144
2019	163	2	1	4	1	0	15	0	186
2020	171	3	1	3	2	0	11	0	191
2021	250	9	1	2	2	0	18	0	282
2022	286	13	1	3	2	0	20	0	325
2023	322	24	1	10	1	1	23	0	382

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 Tall Pines STEM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	96	6.0	16.0	12.5
2018	144	9.0	16.0	2.1
2019	186	12.0	15.5	1.6
2020	191	12.0	15.9	8.9
2021	282	17.0	16.5	2.8
2022	325	21.4	15.1	7.4
2023	382	22.4	17.0	15.2

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 Tall Pines STEM Academy

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	96	6.0	16.0	12.5
2018	144	9.0	16.0	2.1
2019	186	12.0	15.5	1.6
2020	191	12.0	15.9	8.9
2021	282	17.0	16.5	2.8
2022	325	21.4	15.1	7.4
2023	382	22.4	17.0	15.2

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 Tall Pines STEM Academy

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	$08 (0.0%)	$131 (0.6%)	$139 (0.7%)	$101 (0.5%)	$20,883 (98.9%)	$20,984 (99.3%)	$21,123
2023	$1,030 (9.8%)	$287 (2.7%)	$1,318 (12.6%)	$283 (2.7%)	$8,867 (84.7%)	$9,149 (87.4%)	$10,467

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tall Pines STEM Academy

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 30^th of 315 Middle schools	Ranks 49^th of 325 Middle schools	5.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	53.1	76.8	23.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)	42.6	58.7	16.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	41	55.2	14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	46.9	38.9	8%
5th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)	40.1	43.1	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	45.4	44.6	0.8%
6th Grade Science (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	71.1	63.1	8%
6th Grade Science (School Public Charter School District)	49.6	46.8	2.8%
6th Grade Science (South Carolina)	47.1	43	4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	57.8	76.8	19%
6th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)	46.9	61.4	14.5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	41.1	53.4	12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	55.6	33.7	21.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)	45.4	37	8.4%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	43.9	36.7	7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	60.5	71.6	11.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)	50.6	57.8	7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	44	50.1	6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	62.8	42.1	20.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)	36.8	35	1.8%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	35.3	31	4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	68.9	75	6.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)	51.3	61.3	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	44.5	53.1	8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	62.2	50	12.2%
8th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)	34.4	35.9	1.5%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	36.6	31.6	5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Tall Pines STEM Academy)	99.9	100	0.1%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (School Public Charter School District)	64.2	72.3	8.1%
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	186	382	105.4%
African American	2	24	1100%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	4	10	150%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	163	322	97.5%
Two or More Races	15	23	53.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	1.6%	15.2%	13.6%

Schools Near Tall Pines STEM Academy

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 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th 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
Tall Pines STEM Academy	Public, Charter	5-8	82 Camp Long Road	Aiken	29805	Aiken County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(803) 502-1692	382	22	17.0	15.2%	322 (84.3%)	24 (6.3%)	10 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (6.0%)	76.9	66^th of 325 public middle schools	79.7%		83.7	49^th of 325 public middle schools	84.9%	17	69.5	67.0	64.5	64.1	47.4	51.1	32.3	39.1	98.1	$10,467	$1,030	$287	$1,318	$283	$8,867	$9,149
Aiken Intermediate	Public	6	101 Gator Lane	Aiken	29801	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 641-2570	466	28	16.9	100.0%	165 (35.4%)	212 (45.5%)	58 (12.4%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.4%)								(n/a)		45.6				22.5
Schofield Middle	Public	7-8	224 Kershaw Street Northeast	Aiken	29801	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 641-2770	401	25	16.0	100.0%	98 (24.4%)	253 (63.1%)	28 (7.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.7%)	14.9	285^th of 325 public middle schools	12.3%		17.4	268^th of 325 public middle schools	17.5%	17			24.6	35.7			10.9	11.9	95.7	$11,623	$1,248	$565	$1,813	$8,731	$1,079	$9,810
M. B. Kennedy Middle	Public	6-8	274 East Pine Log Road	Aiken	29803	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 641-2470	643	36	17.7	50.9%	306 (47.6%)	216 (33.6%)	74 (11.5%)	8 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	36 (5.6%)	56.4	128^th of 325 public middle schools	60.6%		54	134^th of 325 public middle schools	58.8%	6			47.7	57.8			29.7	28.6	95.8	$9,553	$802	$432	$1,234	$7,456	$862	$8,319
Leavelle McCampbell Middle	Public	6-8	1120 Weldon Way	Graniteville	29829	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 663-4300	650	31	20.9	54.9%	293 (45.1%)	226 (34.8%)	95 (14.6%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.9%)	28.9	231^st of 325 public middle schools	28.9%		35.1	208^th of 325 public middle schools	36.0%	23		38.8	38.0	40.5		11.8	20.1	28.1	100.0	$9,749	$861	$561	$1,422	$7,487	$840	$8,327
A. L. Corbett Middle	Public	6-8	10 A.L. Corbett Circle	Wagener	29164	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 564-1050	208	12	17.4	100.0%	91 (43.8%)	84 (40.4%)	13 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (9.6%)	23.8	245^th of 325 public middle schools	24.6%		32.9	217^th of 325 public middle schools	33.2%	28		33.8	40.0	42.2		21.6	18.5	11.1
Batesburg-Leesville Middle School	Public	6-8	425 Shealy Road	Batesburg-Leesville	29006	Lexington County	Lexington 03	No	No	No	No	(803) 532-3831	456	33	14.0	100.0%	228 (50.0%)	136 (29.8%)	76 (16.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)	41.5	181^st of 325 public middle schools	44.3%		46	165^th of 325 public middle schools	49.2%	16		36.6	45.7	42.8		30.2	34.0	29.3	94.0	$11,365	$592	$515	$1,107	$8,902	$1,356	$10,258
Johnston-Edgefield-Trenton Middle	Public	6-8	1095 Columbia Road	Johnston	29832	Edgefield County	Edgefield 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 275-1997	387	33	11.7	87.6%	134 (34.6%)	196 (50.6%)	34 (8.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.2%)	33.1	213^th of 325 public middle schools	34.5%		28.9	229^th of 325 public middle schools	29.5%	16		50.4	40.6	37.1		26.7	24.1	16.4	95.5	$13,436	$1,165	$1,263	$2,429	$9,699	$1,308	$11,007
Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle	Public	6-8	29 Lions Trail	Warrenville	29851	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 593-7260	634	36	17.4	100.0%	325 (51.3%)	122 (19.2%)	154 (24.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.7%)	28.9	232^nd of 325 public middle schools	28.6%		35.7	205^th of 325 public middle schools	36.9%	27		39.3	37.9	43.5		14.9	16.7	25.2	97.1	$9,680	$1,015	$398	$1,413	$7,454	$813	$8,267
New Ellenton STEAM Magnet Middle	Public, Magnet	6-8	814 Main Street South	New Ellenton	29809	Aiken County	Aiken 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(803) 652-8200	285	22	13.2	61.8%	135 (47.4%)	91 (31.9%)	38 (13.3%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.0%)	56.5	127^th of 325 public middle schools	60.9%		66	95^th of 325 public middle schools	70.8%	32		66.0	56.7	56.5		25.0	28.9	23.7		$12,550	$1,044	$534	$1,578	$10,017	$956	$10,973

Frequently Asked Questions about Tall Pines STEM Academy

Is Tall Pines STEM Academy a good school?

Tall Pines STEM Academy ranks 66^th of 325 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Tall Pines STEM Academy in?

School Public Charter School District

What is the racial makeup of Tall Pines STEM Academy?

Students at Tall Pines STEM Academy are 84% White, 6% African American, 6% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

How many students attend Tall Pines STEM Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 382 students attended Tall Pines STEM Academy.

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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.