Longleaf Middle, Columbia SC - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Longleaf Middle

Longleaf Middle serves grades six through eight in Columbia, South Carolina, as part of Richland 02. It is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. The student body is large for a middle school. The demographic composition is predominantly Black, with a substantial share of students who identify as Hispanic, white, two or more races, and a very small number of Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. Just over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available.

On the state’s SC Ready assessments, Longleaf’s results present a clear pattern. In reading, the school’s proficiency rates showed a modest increase as students advanced: sixth graders had the lowest proficiency, seventh graders were slightly higher, and eighth graders reached the highest point. In math, the rates were lower across all three grade levels, with sixth and eighth graders achieving a similar level and seventh graders at the lowest point. Science was tested in grade six, and proficiency there was somewhere between the higher reading outcomes and the lower math ones. Social studies data is from an earlier year before the pandemic and used a different test, so it does not reflect current performance.

When compared to other middle schools within the Richland 02 district and to other districts in Richland County, Longleaf’s overall proficiency placed in the bottom quartile. This is a soft spot in the school’s profile. A parent may want to ask the school about specific academic supports and interventions available for students, particularly in mathematics.

The school sits within the city of Columbia, the state capital and home to the University of South Carolina’s flagship campus and Fort Jackson. This creates an unusual texture: downtown civic life, a large student population, and a major military installation all overlap within the city’s geography. School families reflect this mix, drawing from neighborhoods and residents who work in state government, the university, the military, and the broader service economy. Growth in the city has been steady, with development focused on downtown revitalization and outward suburban expansion.

For housing, the immediate school zone is served by a ZIP code where home values and rents are moderate compared to national averages, and affordability relative to income is within typical suburban range for the region. The area is car-dependent for most errands, with downtown walkability concentrated near the State House and university campus, not this school’s immediate vicinity.

The district brief turned up little in the way of recent structural changes or new initiatives that would directly affect a family’s choice. Richland 02 appears to be operating without major upheaval or new strategic direction that has been publicly reported.

For a family considering Longleaf Middle, the picture is straightforward academically. The school is a large, diverse neighborhood middle school where reading outcomes are notably stronger than math outcomes. The math proficiency rates are the primary concern and the area most worth investigating. The overall academic standing relative to other Richland County schools is in the lower tier. The setting is urban Columbia, shaped by the capital, the university, and Fort Jackson, offering varied opportunities but also the traffic and sprawl typical of a mid-sized Southern city. The school does not offer specialized magnet programs or career pathways that would distinguish it strongly from other middle schools in the district. The fit is likely best for families who live in the attendance zone, value a diverse peer environment, and are prepared to engage with the school on the math performance gap.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 625%

School 25% · District 33% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 9 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 30% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 10 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 826%

School 26% · District 27% · ▼ 1 pts below district

even with state median · ▲ 2 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 646%

School 46% · District 50% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 748%

School 48% · District 52% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 851%

School 51% · District 50% · ▲ 1 pts above district

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

Science

Grade 640%

School 40% · District 44% · ▼ 4 pts below district

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 764%

School 64% · District 64%

even with state median · ▲ 3 pts above county median

This schoolRichland 02, 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-income42%Higher-income57%15 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income42%Higher-income61%18 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income43%Higher-income68%25 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 6Lower-income21%Higher-income34%13 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income12%Higher-income29%17 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income17%Higher-income46%28 pp gap