Is Bates Middle a good school?

Bates Middle ranks in the bottom 3.7% of South Carolina middle schools.

How many students attend Bates Middle?

In the 2023-24 school year, 525 students attended Bates Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Bates Middle?

Students at Bates Middle are 67% African American, 23% White, 4% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 1% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Bates Middle attend?

Students who attend Bates Middle usually go on to attend Sumter High School

Bates Middle

Summary:

Bates Middle is a public middle school in Sumter, South Carolina, serving 569 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Sumter 01 District, which is ranked 69 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Bates Middle has a predominantly African American student population, with 69.6% of students identifying as African American.

Bates Middle consistently underperforms compared to state and district averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 23.1% of 6th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 53.7%. In mathematics, the proficiency rates for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades were 7.8%, 9.1%, and 8.8%, respectively, significantly lower than the state averages. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom 20% of South Carolina middle schools, with a ranking of 313 out of 325 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, and has maintained a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past several years.

Bates Middle's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups. In the 2023-2024 school year, the school ranked 243 out of 248 South Carolina middle schools for African American students and 306 out of 307 for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Despite having a relatively high spending per student of $10,668 in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the state average of $12,837 for Hillcrest Middle, the highest-performing nearby school, Bates Middle continues to struggle academically. This suggests that additional resources and targeted interventions may be necessary to improve student outcomes at the school.

Detail:

Public 6-8

715 Estate Street
Sumter, SC 29150

(803) 775-0711

District: Sumter 01

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,668

Students who attend Bates Middle usually attend:

High:

Sumter High School

Feeder schools for Bates Middle:

Elementary:	Kingsbury Elementary
	Wilder Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 13.8

Number of students: 525

Racial breakdown:

African American:

66.9%

White:

23.0%

Two or more races:

4.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare Bates Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bates Middle ranks worse than 96.3% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked middle schools in the Sumter 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.48. (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: African American (66.9%), White (23%), two or more races (4.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Sumter 01 School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bates Middle is 13.8, which is the lowest among 6 middle schools in the Sumter 01 School District! (See more...)

Compare Bates Middle employs 38 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bates Middle is $10,668, which is the 2^nd highest among 6 middle schools in the Sumter 01 School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Bates Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Bates Middle 313^th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Bates 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:

Sumter 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Sumter 01 69^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Bates Middle.

What do you think?

Your rating for Bates Middle?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Bates Middle

Compare

Rank History for all students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2014	32.39	215^th	291	26.1%
2015	24.73	237^th	301	21.3%
2016	21.37	250^th	303	17.5%
2017	21.01	258^th	317	18.6%
2018	27.22	222^nd	303	26.7%
2019	20.66	259^th	315	17.8%
2021	13.38	277^th	311	10.9%
2022	16.49	260^th	310	16.1%
2023	17.43	269^th	325	17.2%
2024	9.48	313^th	325	3.7%

See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	30.95	206^th	280	26.4%
2019	20.47	244^th	289	15.6%
2021	8.63	284^th	288	1.4%
2022	11.65	292^nd	300	2.7%
2023	16.31	283^rd	313	9.6%
2024	7.07	306^th	307	0.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	27.17	211^th	281	24.9%
2019	22.38	239^th	296	19.3%
2021	12.29	250^th	279	10.4%
2022	14.55	251^st	290	13.4%
2023	16.05	256^th	299	14.4%
2024	7.80	286^th	294	2.7%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	19.35	181^st	194	6.7%
2019	22.59	170^th	195	12.8%
2022	29.58	135^th	183	26.2%
2023	23.08	163^rd	187	12.8%
2024	20.65	162^nd	177	8.5%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	1.37	181^st	182	0.5%
2023	6.48	177^th	185	4.3%
2024	1.12	180^th	183	1.6%

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

Rank History for Male students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	26.16	216^th	284	23.9%
2019	19.67	245^th	296	17.2%
2021	14.28	247^th	279	11.5%
2022	18.10	239^th	292	18.2%
2023	19.14	248^th	303	18.2%
2024	11.40	273^rd	294	7.1%

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

Rank History for African American students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	48.72	114^th	237	51.9%
2019	35.22	170^th	252	32.5%
2021	20.22	216^th	235	8.1%
2022	26.72	199^th	249	20.1%
2023	24.52	210^th	253	17.0%
2024	13.24	243^rd	248	2.0%

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

Rank History for White students at Bates Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	32.95	168^th	250	32.8%
2019	35.81	165^th	258	36.0%
2021	15.70	211^th	244	13.5%
2022	15.44	214^th	249	14.1%
2023	29.19	192^nd	260	26.2%
2024	12.39	235^th	255	7.8%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Avoid this school at all costs. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Bates Middle

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	231	501	3	10	0	2	5	752
2013	226	504	3	12	2	6	9	762
2014	207	463	5	9	2	7	9	702
2015	209	462	3	15	3	1	9	702
2016	203	430	3	21	0	0	7	664
2017	183	467	2	24	1	1	11	689
2018	154	471	1	15	1	0	11	653
2019	135	523	0	16	1	1	14	690
2020	146	494	3	15	0	1	17	676
2021	132	480	4	20	1	1	19	657
2022	132	430	5	18	0	1	22	608
2023	120	396	4	24	0	1	24	569
2024	121	351	7	21	1	2	22	525

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 Bates Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	752	39.0	19.2	62
2013	762	44.0	17.3	62.9
2014	702	47.0	14.9	66.2
2015	702	46.0	15.2	67.7
2016	664	46.0	14.4	100
2017	689	44.0	15.6	100
2018	653	42.0	15.5	100
2019	690	44.0	15.6	100
2020	676	41.5	16.2	100
2021	657	38.0	17.2	100
2022	608	35.0	17.3	100
2023	569	33.0	17.2	100
2024	525	38.0	13.8	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 Bates Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	752	39.0	19.2	62
2013	762	44.0	17.3	62.9
2014	702	47.0	14.9	66.2
2015	702	46.0	15.2	67.7
2016	664	46.0	14.4	100
2017	689	44.0	15.6	100
2018	653	42.0	15.5	100
2019	690	44.0	15.6	100
2020	676	41.5	16.2	100
2021	657	38.0	17.2	100
2022	608	35.0	17.3	100
2023	569	33.0	17.2	100
2024	525	38.0	13.8	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 Bates 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	$523 (6.0%)	$343 (3.9%)	$865 (9.9%)	$6,982 (79.8%)	$901 (10.3%)	$7,883 (90.1%)	$8,748
2020	$573 (6.2%)	$389 (4.2%)	$962 (10.4%)	$7,401 (79.7%)	$923 (9.9%)	$8,324 (89.6%)	$9,286
2021	$652 (6.8%)	$291 (3.0%)	$943 (9.9%)	$7,752 (81.2%)	$848 (8.9%)	$8,600 (90.1%)	$9,543
2022	$816 (8.2%)	$569 (5.7%)	$1,385 (13.9%)	$7,857 (78.6%)	$757 (7.6%)	$8,614 (86.1%)	$9,999
2023	$1,193 (11.2%)	$725 (6.8%)	$1,918 (18.0%)	$7,630 (71.5%)	$1,120 (10.5%)	$8,750 (82.0%)	$10,668

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bates 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 259^th of 315 Middle schools	Ranks 269^th of 325 Middle schools	0.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Science (Bates Middle)	34.2	32.6	1.6%
6th Grade Science (Sumter 01)	36.8	29.6	7.2%
6th Grade Science (South Carolina)	47.1	43	4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bates Middle)	27.8	29.5	1.7%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Sumter 01)	26.2	32.4	6.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	41.1	53.4	12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Bates Middle)	26.8	15.8	11%
6th Grade Mathematics (Sumter 01)	25.4	14.5	10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	43.9	36.7	7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Bates Middle)	23.6	31	7.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Sumter 01)	30	33.8	3.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	44	50.1	6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Bates Middle)	17.3	7.4	9.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (Sumter 01)	20.5	13.6	6.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	35.3	31	4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Bates Middle)	27.3	31.2	3.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Sumter 01)	31.5	40	8.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	44.5	53.1	8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Bates Middle)	17.5	14.7	2.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sumter 01)	22.4	17.6	4.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	36.6	31.6	5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Bates Middle)	84.5	79.6	4.9%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Sumter 01)	48.8	37.9	10.9%
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	690	569	17.5%
African American	523	396	24.3%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	4
Hispanic	16	24	50%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	135	120	11.1%
Two or More Races	14	24	71.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Bates 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 4th Grade	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 4th 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
Bates Middle	Public	6-8	715 Estate Street	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 775-0711	525	38	13.8	100.0%	121 (23.0%)	351 (66.9%)	21 (4.0%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	22 (4.2%)	9.5	313^th of 325 public middle schools	3.7%		17.4	269^th of 325 public middle schools	17.2%	44			23.1	24.4	31.1			7.8	9.1	8.8	81.6	$10,668	$1,193	$725	$1,918	$7,630	$1,120	$8,750
Alice Drive Middle	Public	6-8	40 Miller Road	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 775-0821	778	47	16.5	100.0%	238 (30.6%)	448 (57.6%)	38 (4.9%)	27 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.5%)	38.4	190^th of 325 public middle schools	41.5%		43	178^th of 325 public middle schools	45.2%	12			44.3	47.4	40.0			29.3	27.8	22.4	100.0	$9,226	$715	$633	$1,348	$7,074	$804	$7,878
Chestnut Oaks Middle	Public	6-8	1200 Oswego Road	Sumter	29153	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 775-7272	357	22	16.2	100.0%	14 (3.9%)	306 (85.7%)	26 (7.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.8%)	6.6	323^rd of 325 public middle schools	0.6%		6.4	320^th of 325 public middle schools	1.5%	3			25.9	24.7	25.0			7.7	1.0	2.9	75.0	$10,421	$1,350	$939	$2,289	$6,684	$1,448	$8,132
Furman Middle	Public	6-8	3400 Bethel Church Road	Sumter	29154	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 481-8519	669	35	19.1	100.0%	210 (31.4%)	387 (57.8%)	27 (4.0%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	34 (5.1%)	20.7	259^th of 325 public middle schools	20.3%		20.4	260^th of 325 public middle schools	20.0%	1			36.0	29.7	39.4			15.2	12.3	20.8	92.6	$10,306	$777	$691	$1,467	$7,486	$1,353	$8,839
Ebenezer Middle	Public	6-8	3440 Ebenezer Road	Sumter	29153	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 469-8571	349	18	19.3	100.0%	46 (13.2%)	278 (79.7%)	14 (4.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.6%)	14.3	288^th of 325 public middle schools	11.4%		16.3	274^th of 325 public middle schools	15.7%	14			37.0	23.7	32.8			17.7	7.3	9.6		$10,473	$925	$756	$1,681	$7,543	$1,250	$8,793
Hillcrest Middle	Public	6-8	4355 Peach Orchard Road	Dalzell	29040	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 499-3341	391	24	16.6	100.0%	124 (31.7%)	213 (54.5%)	24 (6.1%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.4%)	28.7	233^rd of 325 public middle schools	28.3%		33.2	216^th of 325 public middle schools	33.5%	17			43.7	38.8	35.1			25.4	23.1	17.1	100.0	$12,837	$1,419	$899	$2,317	$9,003	$1,517	$10,519
Manning Junior High	Public	7-8	1101 W.L. Hamilton Road	Manning	29102	Clarendon County	Clarendon 06	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(803) 435-8195	352	23	15.3	100.0%	93 (26.4%)	229 (65.1%)	19 (5.4%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	36.7	198^th of 325 public middle schools	39.1%		34.6	213^th of 325 public middle schools	34.5%	15				43.9	47.3				26.4	12.2
Manning Elementary	Public	4-6	311 West Boyce Street	Manning	29102	Clarendon County	Clarendon 06	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(803) 435-5066	485	26	18.6	100.0%	119 (24.5%)	314 (64.7%)	35 (7.2%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.1%)								(n/a)	40.8	36.4	51.8			34.5	25.1	32.6
Scott's Branch Middle	Public	6-8	9253 Alex Harvin Highway	Summerton	29148	Clarendon County	Clarendon 06	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(803) 574-2100	143	9	16.1	100.0%	7 (4.9%)	125 (87.4%)	6 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.5%)	21.6	255^th of 325 public middle schools	21.5%		31.5	224^th of 325 public middle schools	31.1%	31			34.9	41.1	25.6			25.6	19.6	7.0

Bates Middle

Bates Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Sumter 01:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Bates Middle

Rank History for all students at Bates Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Bates Middle

Rank History for Female students at Bates Middle

Rank History for Disabled students at Bates Middle

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Bates Middle

Rank History for Male students at Bates Middle

Rank History for African American students at Bates Middle

Rank History for White students at Bates Middle

Review counts

Enrollment information for Bates Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Bates Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Bates Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Bates Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Bates Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Bates Middle

Frequently Asked Questions about Bates Middle

Rate Bates Middle!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!