Summary:
The city of Inman, South Carolina, is served by three elementary schools—Oakland Elementary, Inman Elementary, and New Prospect Elementary—which together enroll roughly 1,718 students across Pre-K through 6th grade, with the schools split between Spartanburg 02 and Spartanburg 01.
For parents, the standout choice for overall academics is Oakland Elementary, which holds a 5-star district rating and ranks 7th out of 75 districts (91st percentile). Its state ranking has jumped 90 positions in two years, from 222nd to 132nd, and it consistently beats district and state averages in ELA and math across grades 3-5. Meanwhile, New Prospect Elementary is the science powerhouse, posting 68.9% (4th grade) and 76.6% (6th grade) proficiency in 2025-2026—far above district norms—and it also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 11.2%, less than half the state average. Inman Elementary, which only serves through 3rd grade, posts the highest 3rd-grade math score (77.6%) among the three, but its chronic absenteeism rate of 23.3% is the highest and exceeds the state average.
Notable takeaways include a shared strength in 5th-grade ELA, where both Oakland and New Prospect hit 80% proficiency—16 points above the state. However, New Prospect struggles with 3rd-grade math (55.7%), a 13.8-point gap from its district, despite excelling in science. Spending varies, with New Prospect spending the most per student ($12,852) and having the lowest student-teacher ratio (12.8:1), yet Oakland achieves stronger results with $1,086 less per student. Overall, these schools are well-resourced and generally outperform state averages, making Inman a solid area for elementary education, though families should weigh Inman Elementary’s attendance challenges and New Prospect’s early math gap against their strengths.
Thank you for your feedback!