Summary:
Shaw Afb, South Carolina, is served by two elementary schools within the Sumter 01 district, exclusively covering grades 2 through 5 with a combined enrollment of 839 students. These schools operate as a coordinated split-campus system: Shaw Heights Elementary handles grades 2-3, while High Hills Elementary serves grades 4-5, creating a natural feeder pattern within the same attendance zone.
Younger students at Shaw Heights perform notably better than their older counterparts at High Hills. In English Language Arts, Shaw Heights' 2nd and 3rd graders score within 1.3 points of the state average, while High Hills' 4th and 5th graders lag by 7.1 and 9.7 points respectively. The mathematics gap is even more pronounced: High Hills' 4th and 5th graders achieve only 36.4% and 34.5% proficiency—roughly 15 points below state averages—whereas Shaw Heights' younger students trail by less than 3 points. Shaw Heights also enjoys better resources, with a 13.4 student-teacher ratio and $13,052 per-student spending, compared to High Hills' 17.4 ratio and $11,449 spending. Both schools exceed their district's averages in nearly every subject, though the district itself ranks in the 11th percentile statewide.
Chronic absenteeism is a systemic concern, affecting 28.1% of High Hills students and 28.8% at Shaw Heights—both well above the state's 22.3% average, though better than the district's 35.9%. Shaw Heights has experienced a significant decline from a 3-star rating in 2014-2015 to its current 1-star status, while High Hills' 4th-grade science scores dropped from 44.6% to 37.1% year-over-year. The most urgent priority is addressing the mathematics achievement collapse in upper elementary grades, alongside reducing absenteeism. Despite these challenges, both schools outperform their district, suggesting effective school-level leadership within a struggling system.
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