Summary:
The three elementary schools in the Dorchester 04 district—Williams Memorial Elementary, Harleyville Elementary, and Clay Hill Elementary—serve grades PK-5 and enroll a combined 975 students in a rural South Carolina area. The district itself holds a 1-star rating and ranks in the bottom third of the state, with all three schools falling below state averages in most subjects.
Williams Memorial Elementary is the clear standout, ranking 403rd in the state (38th percentile) and outperforming its peers in nearly every category. It has the largest enrollment (553 students), the lowest chronic absenteeism (25.4%), and the lowest spending per student ($16,841), yet it posts the highest proficiency rates in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade ELA and math. In contrast, Harleyville Elementary struggles the most, ranking 548th (16th percentile) with the highest chronic absenteeism (30.0%) and the weakest test scores, including a concerning 26.7% proficiency in 5th grade math. Clay Hill Elementary is the smallest (174 students) and most volatile, swinging from the 24th to 4th to 27th percentile over three years, while spending the most per student ($19,500) without consistent academic payoff.
A key takeaway is the disconnect between resources and results: Harleyville has the best student-teacher ratio (9.1:1) but the worst outcomes, while Williams Memorial achieves more with a higher ratio (13.1:1). Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide issue, exceeding the state average at all three schools, and it closely tracks with lower performance. Clay Hill does offer a bright spot in 4th grade science (50.0% proficiency, near the state average), but overall, parents should expect significant variability in quality, with Williams Memorial as the most reliable choice for strong academics in this district.
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