Summary:
The city of Saint Matthews, South Carolina is home to two schools - St. Matthews K-8 School and Calhoun County High, both of which serve the Calhoun 01 school district. These schools face significant challenges, with both performing well below state averages on key metrics.
St. Matthews K-8 School is the only elementary/K-8 school in the area, serving grades PK-8 with an enrollment of 547 students. The school has consistently low statewide rankings, placing in the bottom quartile of South Carolina elementary schools. It also has very high rates of chronic absenteeism (22.5%) and 100% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Student test scores are significantly below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. In contrast, Calhoun County High School, the only high school in the data set, has slightly better statewide rankings, placing in the bottom third of South Carolina high schools. The school has a respectable 85.4% 4-year graduation rate, but a concerning 2.3% dropout rate. Similar to the elementary school, 100% of Calhoun County High students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and student test scores are mixed, with strong performance in some subjects but very low proficiency in others.
Overall, the schools in Saint Matthews appear to be struggling, with both the elementary and high school performing well below state averages on key metrics. This suggests systemic challenges within the district that need to be addressed, such as high poverty levels, chronic absenteeism, and a lack of resources and support for students. Targeted interventions and additional funding may be necessary to improve outcomes and provide a quality education for the students of Saint Matthews.
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