Clay Hill Elementary

Clay Hill Elementary is a small, rural school in Ridgeville, SC, serving 174 students in grades PK through 5 within the Dorchester 04 district. It’s a tight-knit community where every student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, and the school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 11.6:1—much lower than many nearby schools, which can mean more individual attention for your child.

Academically, Clay Hill shows a mixed picture. In the most recent testing year, 4th graders performed well in science (50% proficient) and math (46.2%), both above the district average. However, 3rd grade scores lag significantly, with only 26.9% proficient in math and 38.4% in ELA—well below state averages. The school’s state ranking has been volatile, swinging from a 3-star rating in 2017-2018 to a 0-star low in 2024-2025, before partially recovering to a 1-star rating this year. This instability is partly due to the small student body, where a handful of students can dramatically shift percentages. Chronic absenteeism is a persistent challenge, hovering around 26% recently, which is above the state average and directly impacts learning.

Compared to nearby schools, Clay Hill spends a remarkable $19,500 per student—nearly double what Sand Hill Elementary ($10,283) or William M. Reeves Elementary ($12,247) spend—yet those schools, located just 5-10 miles away in the Dorchester 02 district, achieve 70-80% proficiency rates and 4-star ratings. Within its own district, Clay Hill outperforms Harleyville Elementary in 4th grade subjects, but both struggle relative to the state. The high spending hasn’t yet translated into commensurate gains, though the recent rebound in 4th grade offers a glimmer of hope for sustained improvement.