Whale Branch Elementary

Public PK, KG-4

15 Stuart Point Road
Seabrook, SC 29940

(843) 466-1000

District: Beaufort 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
641^st of 644 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $29,678

Students who attend Whale Branch Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Whale Branch Middle
High:	Whale Branch Early College High

Student/teacher ratio: 9.2

Number of students: 371

Racial breakdown:

African American:

72.0%

Hispanic:

13.5%

Two or more races:

8.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Whale Branch Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Whale Branch Elementary ranks worse than 99.5% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks last among 19 ranked elementary schools in the Beaufort 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 4. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (72%), Hispanic (13.5%), two or more races (8.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whale Branch Elementary is 9.2, which is the 4^th best among 19 elementary schools in the Beaufort 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Whale Branch Elementary employs 40 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whale Branch Elementary is $29,678, which is the highest among 20 elementary schools in the Beaufort 01 School District!

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Whale Branch Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Whale Branch Elementary 641^st of 644 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Whale Branch Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Beaufort 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Beaufort 01 27^th of 77 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Whale Branch Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Whale Branch Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2003	4.66	535^th	542	1.3%
2004	4.28	545^th	550	0.9%
2005	4.30	553^rd	557	0.7%
2006	7.03	539^th	559	3.6%
2007	8.63	543^rd	566	4.1%
2008	10.00	553^rd	577	4.2%
2009	8.83	558^th	580	3.8%
2010	6.55	573^rd	589	2.7%
2011	12.32	560^th	597	6.2%
2012	11.64	553^rd	594	6.9%
2013	26.02	495^th	599	17.4%
2014	17.23	578^th	630	8.3%
2015	16.99	585^th	638	8.3%
2016	13.63	570^th	619	7.9%
2017	17.35	562^nd	639	12.1%
2018	12.84	569^th	624	8.8%
2019	7.50	616^th	643	4.2%
2021	6.39	609^th	622	2.1%
2022	3.56	625^th	625	0.0%
2023	4.00	641^st	644	0.5%

See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whale Branch Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	17.80	530^th	588	9.9%
2019	9.92	576^th	600	4.0%
2021	7.57	568^th	580	2.1%
2022	4.12	600^th	600	0.0%
2023	4.65	605^th	608	0.5%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whale Branch Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	18.19	489^th	570	14.2%
2019	5.89	575^th	588	2.2%
2021	12.20	500^th	554	9.7%
2022	3.03	573^rd	573	0.0%
2023	4.45	575^th	580	0.9%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whale Branch Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	9.35	547^th	571	4.2%
2019	9.24	558^th	590	5.4%
2021	2.99	560^th	561	0.2%
2022	4.53	574^th	579	0.9%
2023	3.86	577^th	582	0.9%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Whale Branch Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	25.30	351^st	412	14.8%
2019	15.80	394^th	421	6.4%
2021	26.38	283^rd	350	19.1%
2022	8.53	391^st	393	0.5%
2023	10.42	387^th	394	1.8%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Whale Branch Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2000	108	342	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	459
2001	135	387	3	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	538
2002	123	348	0	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
2003	123	348	0	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
2004	119	310	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	444
2005	112	319	1	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	448
2006	92	262	0	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	367
2007	74	232	1	17	1	n/a	n/a	0	325
2008	77	260	2	16	1	n/a	n/a	1	357
2009	60	202	2	15	0	n/a	n/a	3	282
2010	43	282	3	8	0	n/a	n/a	2	338
2011	31	262	1	11	0	0	2	0	307
2012	53	411	0	19	0	0	14	0	497
2013	54	425	0	22	0	0	15	0	516
2014	61	432	0	19	2	1	18	0	533
2015	62	471	3	26	2	1	18	0	583
2016	61	470	3	28	2	1	21	0	586
2017	62	434	0	27	2	1	22	0	548
2018	55	405	0	37	2	1	22	0	522
2019	41	382	0	42	1	1	19	0	486
2020	41	345	0	44	0	0	21	0	451
2021	26	282	0	45	0	0	23	0	376
2022	20	249	0	41	1	0	21	0	332
2023	23	267	0	50	0	0	31	0	371

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Whale Branch Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	459	29.0	15.8	83.4
2001	538	35.0	15.4	77.3
2002	484	37.0	13.1	84.7
2003	484	37.0	13.1	84.7
2004	444	33.0	13.5	83.6
2005	448	34.0	13.2	88.4
2006	367	36.0	10.2	86.1
2007	325	43.5	7.5	83.1
2008	357	30.5	11.7	83.7
2009	282	30.5	9.2	83.5
2010	338	31.0	10.9	87.5
2011	307	31.0	9.9	82.1
2012	497	29.5	16.8	89.3
2013	516	38.5	13.4	93.2
2014	533	38.5	13.8	87.6
2015	583	39.0	14.9	93.8
2016	586	42.0	13.9	100
2017	548	40.0	13.7	100
2018	522	43.0	12.1	100
2019	486	42.0	11.5	100
2020	451	47.0	9.5	100
2021	376	45.0	8.3	100
2022	332	44.0	7.5	100
2023	371	40.0	9.2	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Whale Branch Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2000	459	29.0	15.8	83.4
2001	538	35.0	15.4	77.3
2002	484	37.0	13.1	84.7
2003	484	37.0	13.1	84.7
2004	444	33.0	13.5	83.6
2005	448	34.0	13.2	88.4
2006	367	36.0	10.2	86.1
2007	325	43.5	7.5	83.1
2008	357	30.5	11.7	83.7
2009	282	30.5	9.2	83.5
2010	338	31.0	10.9	87.5
2011	307	31.0	9.9	82.1
2012	497	29.5	16.8	89.3
2013	516	38.5	13.4	93.2
2014	533	38.5	13.8	87.6
2015	583	39.0	14.9	93.8
2016	586	42.0	13.9	100
2017	548	40.0	13.7	100
2018	522	43.0	12.1	100
2019	486	42.0	11.5	100
2020	451	47.0	9.5	100
2021	376	45.0	8.3	100
2022	332	44.0	7.5	100
2023	371	40.0	9.2	100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Whale Branch Elementary

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$973 (7.1%)	$1,013 (7.4%)	$1,987 (14.5%)	$8,947 (65.2%)	$2,780 (20.3%)	$11,727 (85.5%)	$13,714
2020	$962 (6.3%)	$334 (2.2%)	$1,296 (8.6%)	$10,140 (66.9%)	$3,717 (24.5%)	$13,857 (91.4%)	$15,154
2021	$1,241 (7.3%)	$1,125 (6.6%)	$2,366 (13.9%)	$11,758 (69.3%)	$2,849 (16.8%)	$14,607 (86.1%)	$16,973
2022	$995 (5.2%)	$1,191 (6.3%)	$2,186 (11.5%)	$13,881 (73.1%)	$2,928 (15.4%)	$16,809 (88.5%)	$18,994
2023	$2,480 (8.4%)	$4,252 (14.3%)	$6,732 (22.7%)	$18,916 (63.7%)	$4,030 (13.6%)	$22,946 (77.3%)	$29,678

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Whale Branch Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 616^th of 643 Elementary schools	Ranks 641^st of 644 Elementary schools	3.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Whale Branch Elementary)	14.9	22.4	7.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Beaufort 01)	47.8	50.6	2.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	49.7	53.5	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Whale Branch Elementary)	17.6	19.4	1.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Beaufort 01)	58	52.8	5.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	57.7	53.6	4.1%
4th Grade Science (Whale Branch Elementary)	21.8	9.9	11.9%
4th Grade Science (Beaufort 01)	53.4	44.3	9.1%
4th Grade Science (South Carolina)	52	46.6	5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Whale Branch Elementary)	24.4	19.7	4.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Beaufort 01)	50.4	55.6	5.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	51.3	57.2	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Whale Branch Elementary)	28.2	9.8	18.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Beaufort 01)	53.7	46.8	6.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	50.5	47	3.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	486	371	23.7%
African American	382	267	30.1%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	42	50	19%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	41	23	43.9%
Two or More Races	19	31	63.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Whale Branch Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				SC READY English Language Arts (2023)						SC READY Mathematics (2023)						EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2023)	SCPASS Science (2023)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	SCPASS Science 4th Grade	SCPASS Science 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Whale Branch Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	15 Stuart Point Road	Seabrook	29940	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 466-1000	371	40	9.2	100.0%	23 (6.2%)	267 (72.0%)	50 (13.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (8.4%)	4	641^st of 644 public elementary schools	0.5%		3.6	625^th of 625 public elementary schools	0.0%	16	22.4	19.7					19.4	9.8						9.9		$29,678	$2,480	$4,252	$6,732	$18,916	$4,030	$22,946
Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	121 Morrall Drive	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 466-3400	427	41	10.4	100.0%	33 (7.7%)	199 (46.6%)	161 (37.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (8.0%)	9.1	612^th of 644 public elementary schools	5.0%		11.9	561^st of 625 public elementary schools	10.2%	51	25.4	30.9	33.3				17.9	19.6	15.8					21.4		$18,122	$1,627	$1,657	$3,284	$12,607	$2,231	$14,838
Robert Smalls International Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	43 W. K. Alston Drive	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-2500	685	64	10.7	100.0%	114 (16.6%)	313 (45.7%)	208 (30.4%)	10 (1.5%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	35 (5.1%)	16.3	553^rd of 644 public elementary schools	14.1%		19.1	506^th of 625 public elementary schools	19.0%	47	25.0	27.3	33.3	37.5	40.7	35.3	24.1	12.1	14.8	14.6	16.3	12.4		18.2	25.9	$18,979	$1,410	$1,615	$3,025	$13,244	$2,710	$15,954
Broad River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	474 Broad River Road	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-8400	455	46	9.8	100.0%	91 (20.0%)	179 (39.3%)	126 (27.7%)	9 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (11.0%)	45.3	345^th of 644 public elementary schools	46.4%		41.5	364^th of 625 public elementary schools	41.8%	19	55.9	52.8	50.0				54.4	37.7	35.9					32.7		$18,098	$1,483	$1,621	$3,103	$12,839	$2,156	$14,995
Beaufort Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1800 Prince Street	Beaufort	29902	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-2600	357	47	7.5	100.0%	121 (33.9%)	180 (50.4%)	30 (8.4%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (6.4%)	58.7	253^rd of 644 public elementary schools	60.7%		58.9	247^th of 625 public elementary schools	60.5%	6	54.2	63.2	67.2				47.9	42.1	44.3					47.4		$27,505	$2,709	$1,508	$4,216	$19,997	$3,292	$23,288
Coosa Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	45 Middle Road	Beaufort	29907	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-6100	461	34	13.5	22.3%	295 (64.0%)	82 (17.8%)	47 (10.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.6%)	90.7	51^st of 644 public elementary schools	92.1%		93.9	35^th of 625 public elementary schools	94.4%	16	65.1	84.6	78.0				69.7	80.7	72.1					77.0		$16,009	$697	$1,196	$1,893	$11,909	$2,207	$14,116
Mossy Oaks Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2510 Mossy Oaks Road	Beaufort	29902	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-2900	352	32	11.0	100.0%	113 (32.1%)	138 (39.2%)	52 (14.8%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (11.6%)	40.8	382^nd of 644 public elementary schools	40.7%		51.8	298^th of 625 public elementary schools	52.3%	84	45.2	49.0	49.1				45.2	43.7	40.0					36.4		$21,353	$1,495	$2,008	$3,503	$15,475	$2,375	$17,850
Riverview Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	81 Savannah Highway	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 379-0133	703	52	13.4	31.6%	402 (57.2%)	173 (24.6%)	73 (10.4%)	9 (1.3%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (6.0%)	75.2	154^th of 644 public elementary schools	76.1%		76.5	143^rd of 625 public elementary schools	77.1%	11	62.4	65.0	68.9	78.2	77.3	76.8	63.7	51.3	52.0	62.9	58.6	44.9	100.0	37.5	64.1	$14,720	$427	$924	$1,352	$10,527	$2,841	$13,368
Port Royal Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1214 Paris Avenue	Port Royal	29935	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-0834	169	21	8.2	100.0%	47 (27.8%)	64 (37.9%)	41 (24.3%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (9.5%)	50.7	309^th of 644 public elementary schools	52.0%		40.8	366^th of 625 public elementary schools	41.4%	57	61.5	42.9					65.4	46.4						32.1		$28,473	$1,958	$1,680	$3,638	$20,932	$3,904	$24,836
Lady's Island Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	73 Chowan Creek Bluff	Beaufort	29907	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(843) 322-2240	227	28	8.1	100.0%	59 (26.0%)	106 (46.7%)	44 (19.4%)	3 (1.3%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.9%)	12 (5.3%)	56.6	273^rd of 644 public elementary schools	57.6%		37	394^th of 625 public elementary schools	37.0%	121	52.5	48.5	54.9				70.0	48.4	48.4					39.4		$23,295	$1,707	$1,829	$3,536	$17,124	$2,635	$19,759

Frequently Asked Questions about Whale Branch Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Whale Branch Elementary?

Students at Whale Branch Elementary are 72% African American, 13% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 6% White.

How many students attend Whale Branch Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 371 students attended Whale Branch Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Whale Branch Elementary attend?

Students who attend Whale Branch Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Whale Branch Middle
High : Whale Branch Early College High

Is Whale Branch Elementary a good school?

Whale Branch Elementary ranks in the bottom 0.5% of South Carolina elementary schools.

What district is Whale Branch Elementary in?

Beaufort 01

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.

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