Summary:
The Greenwood 50 school district serves approximately 8,477 students across 13 schools in South Carolina, including 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 2 high schools, and holds a 4-star rating ranking 16th out of 75 districts statewide.
For parents, the standout school in this district is Hodges Elementary, the smallest school with just 349 students, yet it ranks in the 95th percentile of all South Carolina elementary schools—the only 5-star school in the district. Hodges posts exceptional scores (90.7% in 4th grade ELA, 88.3% in math) and has the lowest chronic absenteeism at 13.3%, far better than the district average of 22.6%. By contrast, Mathews Elementary also performs well (83rd percentile) with strong ELA scores, while Merrywood Elementary and Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary sit in the middle. At the secondary level, Emerald High is the most improved school, jumping 55 spots in state rankings to the 49th percentile with an impressively low 0.5% dropout rate, while Greenwood High ranks lower at the 31st percentile. Among middle schools, Westview Middle leads with 65.2% ELA proficiency, while Brewer Middle struggles most, particularly in science (32.5%) and 7th grade math (38.7%).
Key takeaways for families: chronic absenteeism strongly tracks with performance—Woodfields Elementary, Lakeview Elementary, and Northside Middle all exceed 29% absenteeism and rank lower. Spending does not predict success—Mathews Elementary spends the most ($19,054/student) but isn't the top performer, while Hodges achieves superior results with median spending. Middle school math is a district-wide concern, yet students who reach Algebra 1 show 86-100% proficiency, suggesting a pipeline issue. The district's strength clearly lies in its elementary schools, with performance declining through middle and high school, making school choice at the elementary level particularly impactful.
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