Summary:
Kershaw 01 is a South Carolina school district serving roughly 9,500 students across 16 schools—9 elementary, 4 middle, and 3 high schools—in communities like Camden, Lugoff, Elgin, and Kershaw, and it currently ranks 27th out of 75 districts statewide with a 3-star rating.
If you're looking at middle schools, Lugoff-Elgin Middle is the clear standout, ranking 79th in the state (76th percentile, 4 stars) and improving for three straight years. It beats the state average in every subject, with 8th grade math proficiency at 59.5% versus 44.2% statewide. Camden Middle (164th) and Leslie M. Stover Middle (178th) are solid mid-pack options, while North Central Middle (211th) trails the group. At the high school level, Lugoff-Elgin High leads the district (75th statewide, 4 stars), followed closely by North Central High (86th) and Camden High (142nd). All three high schools exceed the state average on English 2 exams, though all fall below the state graduation rate of 86.7%—Camden is highest at 83.9%, while North Central is lowest at 79.7%.
Among elementary schools, North Central Elementary has made a dramatic turnaround, jumping from the 47th to the 73rd percentile in one year, with 4th grade math proficiency at 78.3%—more than 25 points above the state. Lugoff Elementary (68th percentile), Blaney Elementary (65th), Pine Tree Hill Elementary (64th), and Wateree Elementary (61st) all perform reasonably well. However, Jackson School (2nd percentile, 0 stars) and Midway Elementary (15th percentile) are deeply struggling—Jackson's 5th grade math proficiency is just 9.3% versus 49.1% statewide. Chronic absenteeism is a clear predictor of performance: Pine Tree Hill Elementary has the lowest rate (13.4%) and strong scores, while the North Central cluster (elementary, middle, and high) all exceed 32% absenteeism. Notably, the highest-spending schools (Midway at $15,712/student) are the lowest-performing, suggesting funding alone isn't driving outcomes.
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