Union 01

Union 01 is a small, rural school district in South Carolina serving about 3,542 students across six schools—four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—spanning Pre-K through 12th grade, with the district currently ranking in the bottom 15% of the state.

If you’re looking at elementary options, Monarch Elementary is the clear standout. It’s the district’s highest-performing school, with 4th-grade math proficiency at 70.8%—nearly 19 points above the state average—and it has held a 2-star rating for three straight years. Its chronic absenteeism rate (13.9%) is also the lowest in the district, well below the state average. Jonesville Elementary/Middle is another bright spot, especially in early grades: its 3rd and 4th-grade ELA scores are the best in the district, and its Algebra 1 pass rate (95.5%) is exceptional, though that likely reflects a small, advanced student group. On the other end, Buffalo Elementary is struggling, with a 0-star rating and a steep 18.5-point drop in 5th-grade ELA proficiency year-over-year. Foster Park Elementary spends the most per student ($16,083) but still ranks in the 6th percentile, showing that higher spending doesn’t guarantee results.

At the secondary level, Sims Middle and Union County High face serious challenges. Both have chronic absenteeism rates above 32%—roughly one in three students—and the high school’s dropout rate (4.7%) is more than double the state average. Math proficiency across the middle grades remains critically low, with 8th-grade scores around 27-35% versus the state’s 44%. While Union County High’s graduation rate (83.6%) trails the state by just 3 points, the combination of high absenteeism and low math achievement suggests real engagement issues. Overall, Union 01 has a few promising pockets—especially Monarch and Jonesville’s early grades—but the district as a whole is underperforming, and scaling those successes while tackling absenteeism and math gaps will be key to improvement.