The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in English language arts. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on C. E. Murray Middle
C. E. Murray Middle serves grades six through eight in Greeleyville, a small, rural town in Williamsburg County. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. It sits within the Williamsburg 01 school district, which has recently restructured several of its elementary schools into themed academies, a shift that may signal a broader district direction but does not directly affect this middle school.
The student body is small and almost entirely Black. A very large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic context of the town. Greeleyville itself has experienced sustained population decline, a shrinking median household income, and falling property values. The town’s downtown has lost many shops to competition from big-box stores along a nearby highway, and most residents now commute elsewhere for work. The largest local industries are manufacturing, health care, and other services, but no single large employer dominates. The district has restructured some of its elementary schools into themed academies, a shift that may signal a broader direction, but C. E. Murray Middle itself has not been part of that rebranding.
On state assessments, the school’s results show a clear pattern. In English language arts, proficiency rates rise across the grade levels, with the strongest performance in eighth grade, where a majority of students scored at or above the proficient level. Seventh grade also showed a majority proficient. Sixth grade was below that mark, and fifth grade, which is tested at this school, was close to it. In math, the picture is weaker. Proficiency rates decline as students move up, with the highest rate in fifth grade and the lowest in eighth grade, where only a small share of students met the proficient bar. Science results for sixth grade were also low. Social studies data is from several years ago and used a different assessment, so it is not directly comparable. The school’s overall math proficiency across all tested grades was well below the midpoint of what is typical, while English language arts proficiency was closer to the middle of the range. Because the district is the only one in Williamsburg County, there is no within-county comparison to draw.
The student body is small, with roughly similar numbers in each grade. Nearly all students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves grades six through eight, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available. Information on discipline, course access, staffing, and attendance was also not provided.
Housing in the area is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. Home values have declined slightly in the past year. The typical monthly mortgage payment is modest, and rent consumes a relatively small share of income. The town’s population and median household income have both been falling, and the local economy is small, with most workers commuting elsewhere.
For a family considering C. E. Murray Middle, the school offers a small, rural setting with a student body that is nearly all Black and almost entirely low-income. The academic data shows a split: English language arts results are stronger, particularly in the upper grades, while math and science results are areas where a parent may want to look into this further with the school. The district has been restructuring its elementary schools into themed academies, which could affect feeder patterns, but the middle school itself has not undergone that kind of rebranding. The town offers very limited local employment and a declining population, so families who live here likely commute to work elsewhere.
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