The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Social studies. The lowest is 39% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Latta Middle
Latta Middle School serves fifth through eighth grade in the small, rural town of Latta, a place whose identity is tied to its railroad founding and agricultural legacy. The town has a historic Main Street commercial district, a Carnegie library still in use as a branch of the Dillon County Library, and a population that has been declining over recent years. The school is part of the Dillon 03 district, and no major district-level changes such as referendums or curriculum shifts were found in publicly reported information from recent years.
The school enrolls a modest number of students for a middle school, and the student body is mostly White and Black, with small numbers of students who are Hispanic, multiracial, Native American, or Asian. A substantial share of students at Latta Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic context of the community. Data on students with Individualized Education Programs and English learners was not available in the record.
On state assessments for the most recent school year, Latta Middle’s students showed a pattern in which English language arts results were a clear strength. Across grades six through eight, a majority of students scored at the proficient level or above, with the highest rate in eighth grade. In math, performance was lower and declined as students advanced: sixth graders were near the midpoint, but proficiency dropped notably in seventh grade and then more sharply in eighth grade. Science results were available for sixth grade only, where fewer than half of students scored proficient. Social studies data is from a prior school year and an older assessment, so it is not directly comparable to current results.
When placed against other schools in Dillon County, Latta Middle’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades ranked in the top tier among the districts in the county. This is a meaningful point of reference: the school is performing at a level that, for this rural county, places it among the stronger options for middle school academics. That said, a parent may want to look into the math pattern further, especially the drop in eighth grade, to understand what instruction or support is available for students who are not yet at the proficient level.
The school’s website, programs, and course offerings were absent from the data provided, so there is no information on electives, arts, athletics, or any enrichment opportunities. Similarly, staffing data such as student-teacher ratios and teacher experience was not available. The school environment section did not include discipline or attendance records. Families who place weight on these details would need to contact the school directly.
Housing in the Latta area is relatively affordable, with home values well below both the state and national benchmarks, and the local economy has shown price growth over the past year. The town is compact and rural, and the school buildings are presumably on or near the town’s main thoroughfares, though exact campus locations relative to downtown were not confirmed in the search.
Latta Middle offers a mixed academic picture: solid English scores and a strong position within the county, alongside math results that soften with each grade and a lack of public information on programs and staffing. It serves a community with modest resources and a shrinking population, which may be relevant for families thinking about how the school’s support systems and course options match their child’s needs. The missing pieces on enrichment, special education, and discipline mean that a visit or a conversation with the front office would fill in a lot of what this profile leaves blank.
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