Oconee 01

Oconee 01 is a unified school district in rural South Carolina serving about 8,738 students across 16 schools—10 elementary, 3 middle, and 3 high schools—with an overall 4-star rating that places it in the 76th percentile statewide.

The district’s clear standout is Keowee Elementary, which ranks in the 84th percentile and posts proficiency rates 10–25 points above state averages, including 77.6% in 5th grade ELA. Walhalla Elementary is also strong (79th percentile) with the district’s lowest chronic absenteeism at 13.7%. At the high school level, Walhalla High leads with an 84.4% graduation rate and 86.89% English 2 proficiency. The most improved schools include West Oak Middle, which jumped from the 40th to 62nd percentile, and Ravenel Elementary, which earned its first 4-star rating. On the other end, James M. Brown Elementary ranks in the 34th percentile with 3rd grade math proficiency nearly 24 points below the district average, while Blue Ridge Elementary struggles with a 31.3% chronic absenteeism rate.

A striking pattern is the east-west divide: schools in the Walhalla/Keowee area consistently outperform those in Seneca/Westminster. For example, Keowee’s 5th grade math proficiency (74.1%) is more than double James M. Brown’s (34.8%). Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks performance—top schools like Walhalla Elementary (13.7%) and Tamassee-Salem Elementary (15.9%) have low rates, while West-Oak High (34.7%) and Seneca High (30.7%) lag. Notably, all three middle schools achieve exceptional Algebra 1 pass rates (89–100%), and 4th grade science is a district strength. However, Orchard Park Elementary saw 5th grade math plummet from 70.9% to 15.8% in one year, highlighting volatility. Overall, the district is improving, but addressing absenteeism and supporting struggling schools like Westminster Elementary and Northside Elementary will be key to closing the gap.