Elementary Schools in Union 01

The four elementary schools in Union 01 serve students in grades PK-5 (with Jonesville Elementary/Middle extending through 8th grade) and collectively enroll about 1,900 students in this rural South Carolina district, which ranks in the bottom 15% of districts statewide.

For parents, the standout choice is Monarch Elementary, which consistently outperforms its peers. It ranks in the 40th percentile statewide (2 stars) and is the only school in the district to exceed state averages in any subject—its 4th-grade math proficiency (70.8%) is nearly 19 points above the state average, and its 4th-grade ELA scores also top the state. Jonesville Elementary/Middle is the largest school and shows a remarkable strength in Algebra 1, with a 95.5% proficiency rate that far exceeds district and state averages, though its overall ranking is modest (29th percentile). Foster Park Elementary and Buffalo Elementary both rank near the bottom (6th percentile), with Buffalo showing a sharp decline from 10th to 6th percentile over three years.

Key takeaways for families: Higher spending doesn't guarantee better results—Foster Park spends the most per student ($16,083) yet ranks lowest, while Monarch spends the least ($13,860) and performs best. Chronic absenteeism is a strong warning sign: Foster Park has a 25.1% absenteeism rate and its ranking has plummeted, while Monarch has the lowest rate (13.9%). Across all four schools, 5th-grade math is a consistent weakness, with proficiency rates (18-31%) far below the state average (49%). Additionally, Jonesville shows a troubling decline in math as students advance from 3rd to 8th grade, suggesting middle school is a critical intervention point. While the district faces systemic challenges, Monarch proves improvement is possible within the same context.