Bryson Middle, Simpsonville SC - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Bryson Middle

Bryson Middle is a regular public school in Simpsonville, a fast-growing suburb in Greenville County that has turned from a crossroads hamlet into one of the Southeast’s quicker-growing communities. The school serves grades six through eight on a separated campus, part of the Greenville 01 district. Simpsonville’s downtown runs along Main Street and has a walkable core with restaurants, boutiques, a food hall, and the CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park, but the broader built environment is suburban and auto-dependent. The student body at Bryson Middle is diverse, with a large proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the school’s role as a neighborhood middle school serving a wide economic range.

On state assessments, the school’s results show a clear pattern. In English language arts, roughly half of students scored at the proficient level or above across all three grades, with seventh grade performing somewhat stronger than sixth and eighth. Math proficiency was lower, with around a third of students meeting the bar in each grade, declining slightly from sixth to eighth. Science, tested only in grade six, landed between math and ELA, with a bit more than two in five students proficient. An older social studies assessment from several years ago, using a different test and cut scores, showed a higher proficiency figure for seventh graders, but that data is not directly comparable to the current assessments. The state changed cut scores for ELA and science, so trend comparisons are not reliable from the single year of data available. State testing data for social studies is not current.

These proficiency rates place the school in a context where many students are meeting grade-level expectations in reading, but math is a softer spot. A parent may want to ask the school about how it supports students who are not yet proficient in mathematics, and about how recent cut-score changes affect interpretation of the results. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to examine. Chronic absenteeism and discipline data were not available in the information provided.

The student population is varied by race and ethnicity, with no single group forming a large majority. Black and White students each make up a substantial share, with a notable Hispanic presence and smaller groups of two or more races and Asian students. The free or reduced-price lunch rate is high, indicating that a large portion of families face economic challenges. Information on special education and English learner populations was not provided.

Simpsonville itself is experiencing rapid population growth, and housing values in the area have risen above the national typical level. Rents have also increased, reflecting the area’s appeal and limited supply. The broader Greenville County district did not have recent parent-relevant changes reported in the material reviewed.

Bryson Middle is situated in a community that combines small-town amenities with suburban expansion. For a family considering the school, the academic picture is mixed: solid ELA results but math proficiency that many middle schools in the region may want to strengthen. The school’s high proportion of economically disadvantaged students suggests that parents might want to learn about supports like tutoring, after-school programs, and family engagement resources. The lack of program offerings in the data means there is no information on electives, arts, or career-oriented pathways, so families with specific interests should inquire directly with the school. On balance, Bryson Middle serves a diverse, growing community with clear academic strengths in reading and real challenges in mathematics that prospective families may wish to explore further.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 634%

School 34% · District 47% · ▼ 13 pts below district

even with state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 731%

School 31% · District 41% · ▼ 10 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 41% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 61% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 15 pts below county median

Grade 758%

School 58% · District 63% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 61% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 13 pts below county median

Science

Grade 643%

School 43% · District 55% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 1 pts below state median · ▼ 16 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 770%

School 70% · District 72% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 5 pts above state median · even with county median

This schoolGreenville 01, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 6Lower-income46%Higher-income62%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income57%Higher-income63%6 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income44%Higher-income63%18 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income30%Higher-income45%16 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income28%Higher-income39%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income23%Higher-income42%20 pp gap