Is Hillcrest Middle a good school?

Hillcrest Middle ranks 233 rd of 325 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Hillcrest Middle?

In the 2022-23 school year, 364 students attended Hillcrest Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Hillcrest Middle?

Students at Hillcrest Middle are 52% African American, 36% White, 6% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

What high school do graduates of Hillcrest Middle attend?

Students who attend Hillcrest Middle usually go on to attend Crestwood High

Hillcrest Middle

Summary:

Hillcrest Middle is a public middle school in Dalzell, South Carolina, serving 364 students in grades 6-8. The school faces several challenges, including a high-poverty student population, declining enrollment, and lower academic performance compared to many of its peers in the Sumter 01 School District.

Hillcrest Middle has a higher percentage of African American students (52.2%) compared to surrounding schools, and it outperforms the district and state averages in Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2, maintaining a 100% proficiency rate for the past three years. However, the school lags behind in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency rates for grades 6-8, and its statewide ranking has declined from 129th out of 315 schools in 2018-2019 to 233rd out of 325 schools in 2023-2024, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with higher rankings for male and African American students, but very low rankings for low socioeconomic status and gifted and talented students.

While Hillcrest Middle spends more per student ($12,837 in 2022-2023) compared to the district and state averages, this does not seem to translate into significantly better academic outcomes. The school's performance is generally lower than the nearby Furman Middle, Alice Drive Middle, and Lugoff-Elgin Middle schools, which have higher test scores, better school rankings, and more diverse student populations. However, Hillcrest Middle outperforms the lower-ranked Bates Middle, Chestnut Oaks Middle, and Lee Central Middle schools.

Detail:

Public 6-8

4355 Peach Orchard Road
Dalzell, SC 29040

(803) 499-3341

District: Sumter 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
233^rd of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,837

Students who attend Hillcrest Middle usually attend:

High:

Crestwood High

Feeder schools for Hillcrest Middle:

Elementary:	Cherryvale Elementary
	Rafting Creek Elementary

Student/teacher ratio: 19.1

Number of students: 364

Racial breakdown:

African American:

52.2%

White:

36.3%

Hispanic:

6.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina middle schools

Compare Hillcrest Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hillcrest Middle ranks worse than 71.7% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked middle schools in the Sumter 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.67. (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 Hillcrest Middle has the largest middle school student body size in the Sumter 01 School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hillcrest Middle is $12,837, which is the highest among 6 middle schools in the Sumter 01 School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Hillcrest Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Hillcrest Middle 233^rd of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Hillcrest Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Military Connected 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.)

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Rank History for Hillcrest Middle

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Rank History for all students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2014	44.09	169^th	291	41.9%
2015	43.02	170^th	301	43.5%
2016	41.01	190^th	303	37.3%
2017	39.55	192^nd	317	39.4%
2018	54.63	121^st	303	60.1%
2019	54.57	129^th	315	59.0%
2021	38.31	182^nd	311	41.5%
2022	33.86	204^th	310	34.2%
2023	33.18	216^th	325	33.5%
2024	28.67	233^rd	325	28.3%

See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	50.08	127^th	280	54.6%
2019	48.11	142^nd	289	50.9%
2021	30.24	202^nd	288	29.9%
2022	31.86	203^rd	300	32.3%
2023	27.12	238^th	313	24.0%
2024	20.77	260^th	307	15.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	51.86	128^th	281	54.4%
2019	49.50	147^th	296	50.3%
2021	33.09	182^nd	279	34.8%
2022	29.50	205^th	290	29.3%
2023	33.93	202^nd	299	32.4%
2024	25.89	218^th	294	25.9%

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

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2021	20.52	161^st	179	10.1%
2022	29.07	154^th	182	15.4%
2023	37.65	137^th	185	25.9%
2024	42.31	135^th	183	26.2%

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

Rank History for Military Connected students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	41.69	6^th	11	45.5%
2023	30.63	11^th	12	8.3%
2024	33.37	11^th	13	15.4%

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

Rank History for Male students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	56.19	112^th	284	60.6%
2019	59.93	104^th	296	64.9%
2021	42.60	150^th	279	46.2%
2022	37.30	185^th	292	36.6%
2023	33.35	200^th	303	34.0%
2024	31.01	201^st	294	31.6%

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

Rank History for African American students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	70.15	39^th	237	83.5%
2019	62.01	65^th	252	74.2%
2021	46.59	114^th	235	51.5%
2022	31.26	185^th	249	25.7%
2023	38.34	155^th	253	38.7%
2024	35.81	161^st	248	35.1%

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

Rank History for White students at Hillcrest Middle

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	50.00	128^th	250	48.8%
2019	61.87	100^th	258	61.2%
2021	35.62	157^th	244	35.7%
2022	31.73	174^th	249	30.1%
2023	39.39	156^th	260	40.0%
2024	30.46	184^th	255	27.8%

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

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Enrollment information for Hillcrest Middle

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	222	206	2	19	1	1	12	463
2013	176	196	5	22	2	2	12	415
2014	185	203	5	21	2	2	3	421
2015	164	196	12	23	2	3	6	406
2016	153	215	11	17	0	6	15	417
2017	158	226	9	13	1	10	26	443
2018	143	189	2	15	4	6	19	378
2019	155	192	4	24	2	4	16	397
2020	146	182	7	24	2	3	27	391
2021	149	168	5	21	1	1	26	371
2022	129	154	2	22	0	1	29	337
2023	132	190	2	22	1	0	17	364

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 Hillcrest Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	463	23.0	20.1	61.8
2013	415	22.0	18.8	65.3
2014	421	23.5	17.9	64.1
2015	406	25.0	16.2	66.5
2016	417	26.0	16.0	100
2017	443	28.0	15.8	100
2018	378	24.0	15.7	100
2019	397	24.0	16.5	100
2020	391	22.0	17.7	100
2021	371	22.0	16.8	100
2022	337	21.0	16.0	100
2023	364	19.0	19.1	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 Hillcrest Middle

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	463	23.0	20.1	61.8
2013	415	22.0	18.8	65.3
2014	421	23.5	17.9	64.1
2015	406	25.0	16.2	66.5
2016	417	26.0	16.0	100
2017	443	28.0	15.8	100
2018	378	24.0	15.7	100
2019	397	24.0	16.5	100
2020	391	22.0	17.7	100
2021	371	22.0	16.8	100
2022	337	21.0	16.0	100
2023	364	19.0	19.1	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 Hillcrest 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	$594 (5.6%)	$417 (4.0%)	$1,011 (9.6%)	$8,371 (79.4%)	$1,166 (11.1%)	$9,536 (90.4%)	$10,547
2020	$686 (6.5%)	$476 (4.5%)	$1,162 (11.0%)	$8,269 (78.5%)	$1,107 (10.5%)	$9,377 (89.0%)	$10,538
2021	$775 (7.3%)	$476 (4.5%)	$1,251 (11.8%)	$8,464 (79.7%)	$910 (8.6%)	$9,374 (88.2%)	$10,625
2022	$993 (8.3%)	$820 (6.9%)	$1,813 (15.2%)	$8,940 (75.1%)	$1,157 (9.7%)	$10,098 (84.8%)	$11,911
2023	$1,419 (11.1%)	$899 (7.0%)	$2,317 (18.0%)	$9,003 (70.1%)	$1,517 (11.8%)	$10,519 (81.9%)	$12,837

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hillcrest 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 129^th of 315 Middle schools	Ranks 216^th of 325 Middle schools	25.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Science (Hillcrest Middle)	51.4	34.5	16.9%
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 (Hillcrest Middle)	39.3	42	2.7%
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 (Hillcrest Middle)	46.4	20.8	25.6%
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 (Hillcrest Middle)	41.9	34.2	7.7%
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 (Hillcrest Middle)	38.8	14	24.8%
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 (Hillcrest Middle)	39.1	48.5	9.4%
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 (Hillcrest Middle)	34.6	33.7	0.9%
8th Grade Mathematics (Sumter 01)	22.4	17.6	4.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	36.6	31.6	5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	397	364	8.3%
African American	192	190	1%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	4	2	50%
Hispanic	24	22	8.3%
Pacific Islander	4	0	100%
White	155	132	14.8%
Two or More Races	16	17	6.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Hillcrest 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
Hillcrest Middle	Public	6-8	4355 Peach Orchard Road	Dalzell	29040	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 499-3341	364	19	19.1	100.0%	132 (36.3%)	190 (52.2%)	22 (6.0%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.7%)	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
Ebenezer Middle	Public	6-8	3440 Ebenezer Road	Sumter	29153	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 469-8571	371	22	16.8	100.0%	44 (11.9%)	297 (80.1%)	14 (3.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (3.8%)	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
Alice Drive Middle	Public	6-8	40 Miller Road	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 775-0821	841	48	17.5	100.0%	285 (33.9%)	446 (53.0%)	49 (5.8%)	31 (3.7%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (3.1%)	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	396	20	19.8	100.0%	17 (4.3%)	333 (84.1%)	34 (8.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.5%)	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
Bates Middle	Public	6-8	715 Estate Street	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 775-0711	569	33	17.2	100.0%	120 (21.1%)	396 (69.6%)	24 (4.2%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	24 (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
Furman Middle	Public	6-8	3400 Bethel Church Road	Sumter	29154	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 481-8519	729	35	21.1	100.0%	242 (33.2%)	411 (56.4%)	31 (4.3%)	5 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	5 (0.7%)	34 (4.7%)	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
Camden Middle	Public	6-8	902 McRae Road	Camden	29020	Kershaw County	Kershaw 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 425-8975	828	62	13.3	100.0%	365 (44.1%)	309 (37.3%)	111 (13.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (5.0%)	42.7	175^th of 325 public middle schools	46.2%		40.6	187^th of 325 public middle schools	42.5%	12	55.5	42.1	43.0	40.0	22.3	20.5	93.2	$10,730	$949	$608	$1,557	$7,468	$1,704	$9,173
Lee Central Middle	Public	6-8	41 Charlene Lane	Bishopville	29010	Lee County	Lee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 428-2100	358	23	15.5	100.0%	32 (8.9%)	309 (86.3%)	11 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.4%)	8.6	317^th of 325 public middle schools	2.5%		8.4	314^th of 325 public middle schools	3.4%	3	27.7	24.5	28.3	7.3	11.7	0.0	23.8	$16,076	$1,267	$660	$1,927	$11,229	$2,920	$14,149
Lugoff-Elgin Middle	Public	6-8	1244 Highway 1 South	Lugoff	29078	Kershaw County	Kershaw 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 438-3591	668	48	13.9	67.7%	432 (64.7%)	142 (21.3%)	48 (7.2%)	5 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (5.7%)	55.3	129^th of 325 public middle schools	60.3%		69	86^th of 325 public middle schools	73.5%	43	49.1	48.6	57.0	23.4	40.8	36.0	100.0	$12,177	$796	$639	$1,435	$9,106	$1,636	$10,742

Hillcrest Middle

Hillcrest Middle:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Sumter 01:

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Rank History for Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for all students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for Female students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for Military Connected students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for Male students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for African American students at Hillcrest Middle

Rank History for White students at Hillcrest Middle

Enrollment information for Hillcrest Middle

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hillcrest Middle

Student/Teacher Ratio Hillcrest Middle

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hillcrest Middle

Impact of COVID-19 on Hillcrest Middle

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Hillcrest Middle

Frequently Asked Questions about Hillcrest Middle

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