The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dillon Middle
Dillon Middle serves sixth through eighth grade in the Dillon 04 district and is the only middle school in the county seat. The school sits in the Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina, in a small town where the local economy has shifted from its agricultural roots toward manufacturing, distribution, and logistics, anchored by the Dillon Inland Port and access to Interstate 95. The town has a historic downtown and an Amtrak station, but population has declined in recent years.
The student body is diverse. The largest group is Black students, making up the majority, followed by White students, with smaller shares of students who are two or more races, Hispanic, and American Indian or Alaska Native. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch under the schoolwide designation, which means the entire enrolled population meets the threshold.
State assessment results from the most recent testing year show a mixed picture across subjects and grade levels. In math, proficiency rates were low, with a substantial gap between the outcomes in eighth grade and the lower rates seen in sixth and seventh. In English language arts, results were stronger and climbed with each grade level, with more than a third of sixth graders proficient and just under half of eighth graders reaching that benchmark. Science proficiency was in the middle, similar to the English results for the same grade level. A social studies result from an earlier year is available, but the test or scoring was changed for other subjects, making direct trend comparisons uncertain. The available data shows only a single year for most tested subjects, so parents cannot yet see a multi-year trajectory from this source.
The school's overall proficiency, combining all tested subjects and grades, falls in the bottom quartile among the small number of districts in Dillon County. This comparison is limited by the county's low district count, but it positions Dillon Middle on the lower end of the local range.
No discipline data, course access information, or staffing ratios were available in the data provided, so the day-to-day environment and program breadth are not captured here. A parent may want to ask the school directly about course offerings such as electives, advanced classes, or support programs, as well as the teacher-to-student ratio and any extracurricular opportunities. Similarly, information on the special education population and English learner enrollment was missing, which is a gap worth exploring with the school to understand what services and supports are available.
Housing in the area is notably more affordable than the state and national benchmarks, with home values well below those averages and a slight year-over-year decline. This low cost of entry is a practical factor for families considering the area. The mortgage rates prevailing at the time of this analysis are above the long-term average, but the entry price remains low.
This is a middle school serving a community that has faced economic challenges and population decline. The student body is uniformly low-income, and test results show room for growth, particularly in math. The English scores show a clearer upward path through the middle grades, which may reassure some parents. For a family considering Dillon Middle, the school's academic profile is one where the available data suggests inconsistency, with the strongest results concentrated in eighth-grade English and the weakest in early middle school math. The absence of staffing, discipline, and program data means there are open questions about the school's operations that only a visit or a conversation with the principal can answer.
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