Alston Middle

Summary:

Alston Middle is a public middle school located in Summerville, South Carolina, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 822. The school is part of the Dorchester 02 School District, which is ranked 17th out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Alston Middle has a relatively diverse student population, with 44.53% White, 32.85% African American, 13.63% Hispanic, and 8.76% two or more races. This diversity is higher compared to some nearby schools, such as East Edisto Middle and Rollings Middle School of the Arts, which have higher percentages of White students. However, Alston Middle's academic performance, as measured by state assessments, is generally lower than the district and state averages, with proficiency rates ranging from 40.2% to 46.8% in English Language Arts and 20.8% to 29.9% in Mathematics, compared to higher district and state averages.

Alston Middle's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with Hispanic students ranking 105th out of 144 middle schools in the state, while multi-racial students ranked 34th out of 52 middle schools. This suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to address the achievement gaps. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking and SchoolDigger rating have declined over the years, from a high of 73rd out of 291 middle schools and a 4-star rating in 2013-2014 to a ranking of 199th out of 325 middle schools and a 2-star rating in the 2023-2024 school year, indicating the need for a comprehensive review of the school's instructional practices, resource allocation, and support systems to improve student outcomes.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 500 Bryan Street
       Summerville, SC  29483


(843) 873-3890

District: Dorchester 02

SchoolDigger Rank:
199th of 325 South Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,095 Help


Students who attend Alston Middle usually attend:

High:    Summerville High

Feeder schools for Alston Middle:

Elementary:    James H. Spann Elementary
    Summerville Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  15.5 Help
Number of students:  804

Racial breakdown:

White:
38.8%
African American:
35.6%
Hispanic:
16.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  79.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Alston Middle ranks worse than 61.2% of middle schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked middle schools in the Dorchester 02 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 36.52. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Alston Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.8%), African American (35.6%), Hispanic (16%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 79.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Dorchester 02 School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Alston Middle is 15.5, which is the 2nd best among 7 middle schools in the Dorchester 02 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Alston Middle employs 51.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Alston Middle is $10,095, which is the 3rd highest among 7 middle schools in the Dorchester 02 School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Alston Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks Alston Middle 199th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Alston Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Dorchester 02:

SchoolDigger ranks Dorchester 02 17th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Alston Middle.

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Rank History for Alston Middle

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 58.45 98th 225 56.4%
2004 66.01 92nd 230 60.0%
2005 63.74 91st 230 60.4%
2006 72.40 71st 231 69.3%
2007 70.20 74th 236 68.6%
2008 68.48 80th 244 67.2%
2009 65.55 95th 249 61.8%
2010 73.68 62nd 261 76.2%
2011 65.71 99th 269 63.2%
2012 67.65 94th 271 65.3%
2013 67.30 83rd 276 69.9%
2014 71.72 73rd 291 74.9%
2015 64.97 78th 301 74.1%
2016 67.21 83rd 303 72.6%
2017 62.06 106th 317 66.6%
2018 52.75 126th 303 58.4%
2019 60.59 104th 315 67.0%
2021 57.70 120th 311 61.4%
2022 58.39 107th 310 65.5%
2023 45.14 169th 325 48.0%
2024 36.52 199th 325 38.8%
See the entire list of South Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 51.33 15th 25 40.0%
2022 61.09 14th 44 68.2%
2023 43.23 37th 58 36.2%
2024 35.30 34th 52 34.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 48.78 46th 97 52.6%
2024 26.43 82nd 105 21.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.94 88th 280 68.6%
2019 62.63 81st 289 72.0%
2021 57.98 104th 288 63.9%
2022 62.26 87th 300 71.0%
2023 46.86 149th 313 52.4%
2024 38.16 187th 307 39.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.54 123rd 281 56.2%
2019 60.69 105th 296 64.5%
2021 50.44 129th 279 53.8%
2022 52.03 130th 290 55.2%
2023 36.93 188th 299 37.1%
2024 36.98 187th 294 36.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.84 66th 194 66.0%
2019 55.32 64th 195 67.2%
2021 62.74 37th 164 77.4%
2022 56.08 64th 183 65.0%
2023 65.11 42nd 187 77.5%
2024 34.97 125th 177 29.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 53.93 105th 179 41.3%
2022 69.12 53rd 182 70.9%
2023 72.72 47th 185 74.6%
2024 63.99 80th 183 56.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 52.45 120th 284 57.7%
2019 60.71 99th 296 66.6%
2021 63.63 89th 279 68.1%
2022 63.34 90th 292 69.2%
2023 52.60 125th 303 58.7%
2024 35.22 183rd 294 37.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.89 57th 237 75.9%
2019 61.87 66th 252 73.8%
2021 46.97 111th 235 52.8%
2022 54.87 91st 249 63.5%
2023 41.79 139th 253 45.1%
2024 35.09 164th 248 33.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 50.22 57th 123 53.7%
2019 58.06 53rd 139 61.9%
2021 81.27 12th 111 89.2%
2022 67.64 36th 129 72.1%
2023 52.39 59th 141 58.2%
2024 33.02 105th 144 27.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Alston Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.32 138th 250 44.8%
2019 56.36 114th 258 55.8%
2021 56.05 101st 244 58.6%
2022 54.18 105th 249 57.8%
2023 42.58 143rd 260 45.0%
2024 36.81 167th 255 34.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Alston Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 






Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.7)
67%

0%

0%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Open Quote This is the best school I've ever been to! I was afraid of middle school when I first started, but I quickly found our that if I needed any help at all, the teachers would help me. And, the teachers are REALLY nice! Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Open Quote This school is horrible in communication. They never update their classroom websites and resort to punishing students when communication fails. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Alston Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 639 171 12 4 3 n/a n/a 0 829
1989 662 201 4 2 1 n/a n/a 0 870
1990 695 192 7 1 4 n/a n/a 0 899
1991 761 226 5 4 4 n/a n/a 0 1000
1992 801 249 2 6 2 n/a n/a 0 1060
1993 821 253 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 1080
1994 838 285 2 4 0 n/a n/a 0 1129
1995 759 301 3 4 1 n/a n/a -2 1066
1996 759 301 3 4 1 n/a n/a -2 1066
1997 781 308 3 4 2 n/a n/a 0 1098
1998 590 253 5 6 3 n/a n/a 0 857
1999 498 253 4 3 3 n/a n/a 0 761
2000 490 249 6 7 2 n/a n/a 0 754
2001 465 234 2 8 3 n/a n/a 0 712
2002 543 301 10 16 3 n/a n/a 0 873
2003 543 301 10 16 3 n/a n/a 0 873
2004 532 303 6 19 3 n/a n/a 0 863
2005 556 315 11 31 5 n/a n/a 2 920
2006 517 317 12 36 5 n/a n/a 2 889
2007 507 311 15 33 6 n/a n/a 0 872
2008 508 311 10 30 4 n/a n/a 0 863
2009 523 312 12 26 5 n/a n/a 0 878
2010 510 316 16 22 5 n/a n/a 0 869
2011 480 339 11 28 2 5 1 0 866
2012 510 347 12 31 1 8 15 0 924
2013 489 327 11 33 1 7 23 0 891
2014 516 316 13 36 2 6 34 0 923
2015 507 285 6 38 2 3 31 0 872
2016 450 285 9 46 4 2 30 0 826
2017 396 286 8 58 6 1 33 0 788
2018 401 288 12 59 5 3 38 0 806
2019 385 272 9 65 5 1 40 0 777
2020 400 273 6 88 4 2 50 0 823
2021 458 303 5 104 3 3 75 0 951
2022 454 301 3 121 3 1 79 0 962
2023 366 270 0 112 2 0 72 0 822
2024 312 286 1 129 6 1 69 0 804

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Alston Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 829 44.6 18.5 n/a
1989 870 49.2 17.6 n/a
1990 899 52.1 17.2 n/a
1991 1000 55.1 18.1 13.8
1992 1060 63.7 16.6 17.3
1993 1080 63.0 17.1 18.6
1994 1129 64.0 17.6 21
1995 1066 65.0 16.4 19.5
1996 1066 65.0 16.4 19.5
1997 1098 69.0 15.9 22.4
1998 857 55.0 15.6 28.6
1999 761 51.0 14.9 35.1
2000 754 48.0 15.7 36.7
2001 712 56.6 12.6 36.8
2002 873 56.0 15.6 41.1
2003 873 56.0 15.6 41.1
2004 863 57.0 15.1 44.5
2005 920 56.5 16.3 44.8
2006 889 56.5 15.7 45.9
2007 872 70.0 12.5 45.1
2008 863 57.5 15.0 40.6
2009 878 60.0 14.6 45.6
2010 869 54.5 15.9 46.6
2011 866 52.5 16.4 50.5
2012 924 54.0 17.1 48.7
2013 891 60.0 14.8 53.2
2014 923 54.0 17.0 49.5
2015 872 54.0 16.1 48.5
2016 826 51.0 16.1 43.6
2017 788 51.0 15.4 49.6
2018 806 53.0 15.2 56.3
2019 777 52.0 14.9 54.4
2020 823 53.0 15.5 58.8
2021 951 59.1 16.0 57
2022 962 59.1 16.2 58.6
2023 822 55.0 14.9 81
2024 804 51.8 15.5 79.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Alston Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 829 44.6 18.5 n/a
1989 870 49.2 17.6 n/a
1990 899 52.1 17.2 n/a
1991 1000 55.1 18.1 13.8
1992 1060 63.7 16.6 17.3
1993 1080 63.0 17.1 18.6
1994 1129 64.0 17.6 21
1995 1066 65.0 16.4 19.5
1996 1066 65.0 16.4 19.5
1997 1098 69.0 15.9 22.4
1998 857 55.0 15.6 28.6
1999 761 51.0 14.9 35.1
2000 754 48.0 15.7 36.7
2001 712 56.6 12.6 36.8
2002 873 56.0 15.6 41.1
2003 873 56.0 15.6 41.1
2004 863 57.0 15.1 44.5
2005 920 56.5 16.3 44.8
2006 889 56.5 15.7 45.9
2007 872 70.0 12.5 45.1
2008 863 57.5 15.0 40.6
2009 878 60.0 14.6 45.6
2010 869 54.5 15.9 46.6
2011 866 52.5 16.4 50.5
2012 924 54.0 17.1 48.7
2013 891 60.0 14.8 53.2
2014 923 54.0 17.0 49.5
2015 872 54.0 16.1 48.5
2016 826 51.0 16.1 43.6
2017 788 51.0 15.4 49.6
2018 806 53.0 15.2 56.3
2019 777 52.0 14.9 54.4
2020 823 53.0 15.5 58.8
2021 951 59.1 16.0 57
2022 962 59.1 16.2 58.6
2023 822 55.0 14.9 81
2024 804 51.8 15.5 79.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Alston Middle

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $424 (4.3%) $338 (3.4%) $762 (7.7%) $7,601 (77.2%) $1,484 (15.1%) $9,085 (92.3%) $9,847
2020 $408 (4.1%) $329 (3.3%) $737 (7.4%) $7,986 (80.6%) $1,182 (11.9%) $9,168 (92.6%) $9,905
2021 $467 (4.9%) $334 (3.5%) $801 (8.4%) $7,653 (80.6%) $1,043 (11.0%) $8,697 (91.6%) $9,497
2022 $351 (3.7%) $579 (6.2%) $930 (9.9%) $7,452 (79.3%) $1,018 (10.8%) $8,470 (90.1%) $9,400
2023 $630 (6.2%) $706 (7.0%) $1,336 (13.2%) $7,478 (74.1%) $1,281 (12.7%) $8,759 (86.8%) $10,095

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Alston Middle

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 104th of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 169th of 325 Middle schools
 19%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Science (Alston Middle)47.839.4
 8.4%
   6th Grade Science (Dorchester 02)53.145.6
 7.5%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Alston Middle)46.947.6
 0.7%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Dorchester 02)50.356.3
 6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Alston Middle)38.218.7
 19.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Dorchester 02)4633.6
 12.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Alston Middle)4942.8
 6.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Dorchester 02)53.354
 0.7%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Alston Middle)30.523.5
 7%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Dorchester 02)39.333.2
 6.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Alston Middle)5059.9
 9.9%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Dorchester 02)53.957.4
 3.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Alston Middle)44.330.4
 13.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Dorchester 02)48.134.5
 13.6%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Alston Middle)100100
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Dorchester 02)74.579.5
 5%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)68.668.3
 0.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students777822
 5.8%
African American272270
 0.7%
American Indian52
 60%
Asian90
 100%
Hispanic65112
 72.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White385366
 4.9%
Two or More Races4072
 80%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.4%81%
 26.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Alston Middle

Students who attend Alston Middle usually go on to attend Summerville High

Students at Alston Middle are 39% White, 36% African American, 16% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 804 students attended Alston Middle.

Alston Middle ranks 199th of 325 South Carolina middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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