Middle school (grades 6-8) · Union, SC

Sims Middle

Federal NCES profile for Sims Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.

2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450375001089
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Compiled from official source data by .
0/100100/10041/100
👥 S:T ratio
54
🌟 Gifted program
70
🎓 Counselors
39
📋 Attendance
0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Sims Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 84% of South Carolina schools.

#3 of 4
public schools in Union · Resource Index
41
Resource Index · Typical
11.4:1
small classes for South Carolina
100.0%
free-lunch eligible

Sims Middle has class sizes smaller than 84% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Sims Middle ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Union, SC.

School address

Union, SC 29379
District: Union 01 · South Carolina

NCES ID 450375001089 Verify on NCES CCD record →

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-37 students YoY

Sims Middle shrank from 672 students in 2022-23 to 635 in 2023-24 (-5.5%).

Teacher FTE lost 53.8 → 52.7 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Shrinking CCD campus

-37 students YoY 450375001089 · Union, SC Middle · MID · TRAD

606 enr · 11.4:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 41

Nearest enrollment peer: Union County High (1,024 students)

Sims Middle shrank from 672 students in 2022-23 to 635 in 2023-24 (-5.5%). Teacher FTE lost 53.8 → 52.7 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Carolina schools → · Find another →

Sims Middle in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Sims Middle reports 606 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Sims Middle compares

Sims Middle is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Carolina and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs South Carolina South Carolina avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 11.4:1 ▼ 20% 14.3:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 100.0% ▲ 35% 74.0% 51.7%
Enrollment 606 top 43% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
606
Bigger than 73% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible - 35% above the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher - 20% below state mean
Top 16% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 84% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
45.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,526
per pupil, district-wide - below South Carolina avg of $15,911
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 303 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
173
in-school suspensions + 249 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 28.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 69.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 43 expulsions.

Student demographics

White 46.4%
African American 38.0%
Two or More 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%
Asian 0.2%

Largest group: White at 46.4% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 62.7/100

Simpson diversity index - at 62.7, Sims Middle is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.

Programs

Gifted & talented Yes

District finance for Union 01 reports $12,526 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Sims Middle Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
Union County High Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Jonesville Elementary Middle Similar size Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Buffalo Elementary Similar size Similar economic need Similar S:T ratio
Monarch Elementary Smaller Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Foster Park Elementary Smaller Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Sims Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

Union 01 · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

Nationwide middle schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Similar enrollment (~606 students)

Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.4:1)

Frequently asked questions about Sims Middle

How many students attend Sims Middle?

Sims Middle has 606 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Union, SC. CCD year-over-year: 672 (2022-23) → 635 (2023-24), down 37.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sims Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Sims Middle is 11.4:1, which is 20% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 27% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.

What percentage of students receive free lunch at Sims Middle?

100.0% of students at Sims Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sims Middle?

The largest demographic group at Sims Middle is White at 46.4% of enrollment, in Union, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.7/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Sims Middle?

Sims Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Sims Middle rank among public schools in Union?

By Resource Investment Index, Sims Middle ranks #3 of 4 public schools in Union, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking.

What other schools are in Union 01?

Besides Sims Middle, Union 01 also operates Union County High (1,024 students), Jonesville Elementary Middle (557 students), and Buffalo Elementary (483 students). See the Union 01 district page for the complete list.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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Compiled from official source data by .