Summary:
The Kershaw 01 school district in South Carolina is home to 9 elementary schools serving grades PK through 5, with enrollments ranging from 338 to 750 students across a mix of small towns and rural communities. The district overall earns a 3-star rating and ranks in the 64th percentile statewide, but that average masks a dramatic 71-percentile-point spread between its best and worst performing schools.
For parents, the standout choice is North Central Elementary, which jumped from the 47th to 73rd percentile in just two years and now ranks 174th out of 649 schools. It leads the district in 4th grade math (78.3% proficient) and science (74.7% proficient), beating state averages by more than 20 points. Lugoff Elementary is the most consistent high achiever, holding steady in the 68-70th percentile and posting the district's best single score with 77.5% proficiency in 5th grade ELA. Blaney Elementary (65th percentile) and Pine Tree Hill Elementary (64th percentile) also perform well above the district average. On the other end, Jackson School ranks in the 2nd percentile with just 9.3% of 5th graders proficient in math, while Midway Elementary sits at the 15th percentile despite spending the most per student ($15,712).
Two patterns stand out for families. First, spending does not predict success—Blaney spends the least ($11,876) yet outperforms Midway, which spends the most. Second, chronic absenteeism tracks closely with performance: the top schools have rates between 13-19%, while Midway (29.3%) and Jackson (23.8%) struggle most. A district-wide concern is 5th grade math, where proficiency drops sharply at nearly every school—for example, Wateree Elementary falls from 59.4% in 4th grade to 43.0% in 5th. Parents should also note volatility at Camden Elementary, which dropped from the 50th to 31st percentile in one year.
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