Summary:
The city of Buffalo, South Carolina has only one elementary school, Buffalo Elementary, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. Located within the Union 01 school district, Buffalo Elementary has consistently underperformed compared to state and district averages on academic assessments.
Buffalo Elementary ranks in the bottom half of South Carolina elementary schools, with only 37.5% of 3rd graders proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 46% in the district and 61.8% statewide. The school's performance across all grade levels and subject areas falls below district and state averages. Additionally, Buffalo Elementary has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 22.5%, significantly higher than the state average.
Factors that may contribute to the school's low performance include a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (100%) and higher-than-average per-student spending ($12,907), suggesting the school serves a predominantly low-income population. While the school's student-teacher ratio of 12.2 is slightly lower than the state average, the resources do not appear to be translating into improved academic outcomes for the students. Addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and implementing targeted interventions to support student learning should be priorities for the school and district.
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