Summary:
Starr, South Carolina is home to a single elementary school, Starr Elementary, which serves grades PK through 5 and enrolls 525 students within the highly-rated Anderson 03 school district.
For parents in this small town, Starr Elementary is a standout performer that consistently ranks among the top 15% of elementary schools in South Carolina, earning 4-5 star ratings over the past three years. The school's academic results are exceptional, with proficiency rates in SC READY tests that far exceed both district and state averages across every subject and grade level. Most notably, 4th-grade math proficiency sits at 82.9%—a staggering 30.6 percentage points above the state average—and 4th-grade science proficiency improved by 12.9 points year-over-year to reach 79.2%. The school also maintains a lower chronic absenteeism rate (21.2%) than both the district (25.3%) and state (22.3%), suggesting strong family engagement. With a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.5:1 and per-student spending of $13,001, the school is well-resourced to support its students' success.
However, there is one notable concern: 3rd-grade scores dropped sharply from the previous year, with math falling 18.4 points and ELA falling 10.8 points. This decline likely contributed to the school's slight slip from the 92nd to 86th percentile in state rankings, though it remains a top-tier institution. While most other grade levels stayed stable or improved, this 3rd-grade dip warrants attention and may reflect a challenging cohort or recent instructional changes. Overall, Starr Elementary offers an outstanding education with particularly impressive strengths in math and science, making it an excellent choice for families in the area despite this recent trend that should be monitored closely.
Thank you for your feedback!