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Whale Branch Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

496^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 640 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 22% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Whale Branch Elementary is a public elementary school in Seabrook, South Carolina, serving around 400 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Beaufort 01 school district, which is ranked 28 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the district's overall performance, Whale Branch Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of South Carolina elementary schools over the past several years, receiving a 0 or 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance is particularly concerning for certain student subgroups, with lower rankings for students of low socioeconomic status compared to African American students. Whale Branch Elementary also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 18.7% to 29.7% in recent years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's proficiency rates on the SC READY assessments for English Language Arts and Mathematics are consistently well below the state and district averages across all grade levels.

When comparing Whale Branch Elementary to other nearby schools in the Beaufort 01 district, such as Broad River Elementary, Beaufort Elementary, and Coosa Elementary, it is clear that Whale Branch Elementary is an outlier in terms of performance. This suggests that targeted interventions and support focused on improving attendance, addressing the needs of specific student subgroups, and enhancing instructional practices could help the school make meaningful progress.

409

Students ?

8.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$26,592

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

15 Stuart Point Road
Seabrook, SC 29940

(843) 466-1000

District: Beaufort 01

Students who attend Whale Branch Elementary usually attend:

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

Racial breakdown:

African American:

70.7%

Hispanic:

18.3%

Two or more races:

6.8%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Whale Branch Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 8th percentile in 2015 → 22nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 14 percentile points since 2015

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (40% vs 56% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (22nd percentile)

!English Language Arts scores 20 pts below the South Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school40%

District avg57%

South Carolina avg56%

496^th of 640

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 22%▲ up 14 pts since 2015

From bottom 8% (2015) to bottom 22% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^th of 19Elementary Schools in the Beaufort 01

28^th of 75Beaufort 01 among South Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	24.3	496 of 640	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	11.0	587 of 638	8.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.0	641 of 644	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	3.6	625 of 625	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	6.4	609 of 622	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	7.5	616 of 643	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	12.8	569 of 624	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	17.4	562 of 639	12.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	13.6	570 of 619	7.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2015	17.0	585 of 638	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	17.2	578 of 630	8.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	26.0	495 of 599	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	11.6	553 of 594	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	12.3	560 of 597	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	6.5	573 of 589	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	8.8	558 of 580	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	10.0	553 of 577	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	8.6	543 of 566	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	7.0	539 of 559	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	4.3	553 of 557	0.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	4.3	545 of 550	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2003	4.7	535 of 542	1.3%	☆☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	56.6	148 of 381	61.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	24.3	315 of 369	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.4	387 of 394	1.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.5	391 of 393	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	26.4	283 of 350	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	15.8	394 of 421	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	25.3	351 of 412	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	16.0	514 of 581	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	7.8	548 of 565	3.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.5	575 of 580	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	3.0	573 of 573	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.2	500 of 554	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	5.9	575 of 588	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.2	489 of 570	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	33.4	430 of 613	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	13.7	553 of 599	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.6	605 of 608	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.1	600 of 600	0.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	7.6	568 of 580	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.9	576 of 600	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	17.8	530 of 588	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	31.3	414 of 586	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	16.0	490 of 568	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	3.9	577 of 582	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.5	574 of 579	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	3.0	560 of 561	0.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.2	558 of 590	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	9.4	547 of 571	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

African American (2025)61st percentile+39 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)30th percentile+7 vs school

Male (2025)29th percentile+7 vs school

Female (2025)12th percentile-11 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts43%-20 vs state

Mathematics40%-13 vs state

Science34%-15 vs state

★

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Schools Near Whale Branch Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SC READY English Language Arts (2025)						SC READY Mathematics (2025)						SC READY Science (2025)		EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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	SC READY Science 4th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	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-5	15 Stuart Point Road	Seabrook	29940	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 466-1000	409	47	8.7		16 (3.9%)	289 (70.7%)	75 (18.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.8%)	24.3	496^th of 640 public elementary schools	22.5%		11	587^th of 638 public elementary schools	8.0%	91	41.7	59.6	32.8				45.0	48.9	28.5				34.0			$26,592	$1,931	$875	$2,806	$18,854	$4,932	$23,786
Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	121 Morrall Drive	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 466-3400	416	47	8.8		30 (7.2%)	189 (45.4%)	166 (39.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (7.5%)	9.7	604^th of 640 public elementary schools	5.6%		11.5	583^rd of 638 public elementary schools	8.6%	21	35.4	35.9	36.9				21.5	34.3	28.1				20.9			$25,040	$1,999	$739	$2,738	$19,051	$3,250	$22,302
Robert Smalls Leadership Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	43 W. K. Alston Drive	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 322-2500	785	71	11.0		108 (13.8%)	358 (45.6%)	248 (31.6%)	13 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	55 (7.0%)	19.6	532^nd of 640 public elementary schools	16.9%		13.7	562^nd of 638 public elementary schools	11.9%	30	55.1	37.5	45.7	40.6	39.2	43.8	44.9	27.1	34.8	16.1	17.0	13.1	20.9	32.2		$19,315	$1,285	$518	$1,803	$14,691	$2,821	$17,512
Broad River Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	474 Broad River Road	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 322-8400	467	46	10.1		86 (18.4%)	172 (36.8%)	134 (28.7%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (14.8%)	32.4	433^rd of 640 public elementary schools	32.3%		32.7	430^th of 638 public elementary schools	32.6%	3	51.5	54.0	63.0				52.8	32.9	33.4				32.5			$20,751	$1,859	$806	$2,665	$14,866	$3,221	$18,086
Beaufort Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1800 Prince Street	Beaufort	29902	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 322-2600	375	46	8.2		110 (29.3%)	185 (49.3%)	40 (10.7%)	4 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (9.6%)	53.3	286^th of 640 public elementary schools	55.3%		47.2	342^nd of 638 public elementary schools	46.4%	56	63.5	60.3	64.3				59.6	50.0	47.3				43.1			$29,935	$2,095	$755	$2,849	$23,096	$3,990	$27,086
Coosa Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	45 Middle Road	Beaufort	29907	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 322-6100	467	36	12.9		289 (61.9%)	76 (16.3%)	50 (10.7%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (9.6%)	87	69^th of 640 public elementary schools	89.2%		92.3	36^th of 638 public elementary schools	94.4%	33	80.0	82.7	76.6				74.4	71.6	59.4				70.4			$18,666	$671	$431	$1,102	$14,686	$2,877	$17,563
Mossy Oaks Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2510 Mossy Oaks Road	Beaufort	29902	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 322-2900	327	42	7.7		92 (28.1%)	131 (40.1%)	41 (12.5%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	54 (16.5%)	50.7	305^th of 640 public elementary schools	52.3%		43.3	362^nd of 638 public elementary schools	43.3%	57	45.7	67.9	63.8				36.9	62.2	42.6				54.7			$23,408	$1,041	$702	$1,742	$17,227	$4,439	$21,666
Riverview Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	81 Savannah Highway	Beaufort	29906	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 379-0133	694	52	13.2		392 (56.5%)	175 (25.2%)	78 (11.2%)	11 (1.6%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (5.0%)	69.8	197^th of 640 public elementary schools	69.2%		74.5	155^th of 638 public elementary schools	75.7%	42	73.8	65.8	76.3	67.6	76.8	80.0	61.3	50.6	62.6	52.0	56.5	63.3	38.0	62.4	97.2	$18,820	$278	$140	$418	$15,525	$2,877	$18,402
Port Royal Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1214 Paris Avenue	Port Royal	29935	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 322-0820	179	24	7.6		51 (28.5%)	71 (39.7%)	42 (23.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (8.4%)	41.2	365^th of 640 public elementary schools	43.0%		26.8	468^th of 638 public elementary schools	26.6%	103		55.5	46.1					51.8	46.2				44.4			$25,799	$1,441	$766	$2,207	$19,767	$3,824	$23,592
Lady's Island Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	73 Chowan Creek Bluff	Beaufort	29907	Beaufort County	Beaufort 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 322-2240	241	30	8.0		48 (19.9%)	111 (46.1%)	62 (25.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (8.3%)	59.3	258^th of 640 public elementary schools	59.7%		54.3	288^th of 638 public elementary schools	54.9%	30	37.0	66.7	74.3				48.1	72.7	65.7				39.4			$28,727	$2,051	$955	$3,006	$22,219	$3,502	$25,721

Frequently Asked Questions about Whale Branch Elementary

What district is Whale Branch Elementary in?

Beaufort 01

What is the racial makeup of Whale Branch Elementary?

Students at Whale Branch Elementary are 71% African American, 18% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% White.

How many students attend Whale Branch Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 409 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 22.5% of South Carolina elementary schools.

Rate Whale Branch Elementary!

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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.