Summary:
Saluda 01 is a small, rural school district in South Carolina serving about 2,525 students across five schools—three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—with a grade configuration that runs from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
The standout school in this district is Hollywood Elementary, which earns a 3-star rating and ranks in the 59th percentile statewide—a remarkable achievement given the district's overall 1-star rating. It outperforms its sister school, Saluda Elementary, by 20 to 40 percentage points across all subjects, despite both schools serving grades 3-5 with similar student-teacher ratios and per-student spending. For example, in 4th-grade science, Hollywood scores 65.2% proficiency while Saluda Elementary scores just 25.4%. At the middle school level, Saluda Middle shows a remarkable strength in advanced math, achieving a perfect 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam—far exceeding the district average of 44.53% and the state average of 73.95%. However, this strength doesn't carry into Saluda High, where only 37.99% of students score proficient on the same exam.
Despite low academic rankings, the district has notable bright spots. The graduation rate is 92.8%, well above the state average of 86.7%, and chronic absenteeism (16.7%) is below the state average (22.3%). Mathematics is the district's weakest subject across all grade levels, with proficiency rates ranging from 20.5% in 6th grade to 39.4% in 8th grade, suggesting a systemic issue. Saluda Primary (PK-2) has no test data, but its high chronic absenteeism rate (18.5%) and highest per-student spending ($13,141) suggest early intervention could be key. For parents, the takeaway is clear: Hollywood Elementary is the district's academic leader, while Saluda Elementary needs significant support, and the district's strength in keeping students in school through graduation is a positive foundation for improvement.
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