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Robert Smalls Leadership Academy

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-8
566th
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 661 South Carolina Elementary Schools
Better than 14% of South Carolina elementary schools
Summary

Robert Smalls Leadership Academy is a public PK-8 school in Beaufort, SC, serving 785 students and operating as one of the larger schools in the Beaufort 01 district, with a student body that is predominantly low-income (100% free and reduced lunch).

Academically, the school faces significant challenges, with overall state rankings in the bottom 20th percentile of South Carolina elementary schools for several years. Test scores on the SC READY exam are consistently below district and state averages across all subjects and grade levels. For example, 3rd-grade ELA proficiency was 36.7% in the 2025-2026 school year, compared to 74.3% at Coosa Elementary and 83.4% at Riverview Charter School. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern, spiking to 30.4% in 2024-2025—well above the district average of 21.3% and nearly triple the rate at Riverview Charter School (10.1%). This attendance gap is likely a critical barrier to achievement, as the link between attendance and performance is clear when comparing schools.

However, there are notable bright spots. The school shows remarkable effectiveness with specific student subgroups, ranking in the 61st percentile for serving Disabled Students and the 49th percentile for English Language Learners—earning 3-star ratings in both categories despite a 1-star overall rating. Additionally, there is a clear upward trend in ELA scores from 3rd to 8th grade (36.7% to 46.4%), suggesting students may experience academic growth over time even if absolute proficiency remains below state averages. The most recent data also shows significant year-over-year improvement in 8th-grade math (from 13.1% to 26.6%) and 8th-grade ELA (43.8% to 46.4%), indicating targeted interventions may be working in upper grades. While the school spends more per student ($19,315) than some higher-performing neighbors, the data suggests that addressing chronic absenteeism and building on the successful strategies used for special populations could be the most impactful paths forward.

785
Students ?
11.0
Student/teacher ratio ?
$19,315
Per pupil spending ?
100%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 43 W. K. Alston Drive
       Beaufort, SC  29906

(843) 322-2500

District: Beaufort 01


Students who attend Robert Smalls Leadership Academy usually attend:

High:    Battery Creek High
Racial breakdown:

African American:
45.6%
Hispanic:
31.6%
White:
13.8%
more
 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Robert Smalls Leadership Academy to nearby elementary schools!
At a glance
Ranking trend: Holding steady — 15th percentile in 2017 → 14th in 2026
Strengths
Small classes — about 11 students per teacher
Worth a look
!Test scores below the South Carolina average (34% vs 54% meeting standards)
!In the lower quartile statewide (14th percentile)
!High chronic absenteeism (30% vs 22% South Carolina)
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school34%
District avg55%
South Carolina avg54%
Elementary school
566th of 661
South Carolina public elementary schools ?
Bottom 14%▬ steady since 2017
See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
264th of 341
South Carolina public middle schools ?
Bottom 23%▲ up 2 pts since 2017
See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →
SchoolDigger rating ?
18th of 19Elementary Schools in the Beaufort 01
28th 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)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202617.1566 of 66114.4%★☆☆☆☆
202519.6531 of 63916.9%★☆☆☆☆
202413.7567 of 64311.8%★☆☆☆☆
202316.3553 of 64414.1%★☆☆☆☆
202219.1506 of 62519.0%★☆☆☆☆
202110.9568 of 6228.7%☆☆☆☆☆
201916.0565 of 64312.1%★☆☆☆☆
201816.4542 of 62413.1%★☆☆☆☆
201719.4544 of 63914.9%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202634.6272 of 38429.2%★☆☆☆☆
202525.0318 of 38016.3%★☆☆☆☆
202334.0275 of 39430.2%★★☆☆☆
202233.9263 of 39333.1%★★☆☆☆
202118.8319 of 3508.9%☆☆☆☆☆
201933.9305 of 42127.6%★☆☆☆☆
201822.2369 of 41210.4%★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202650.859 of 15662.2%★★★☆☆
202530.4111 of 14724.5%★☆☆☆☆
202326.7127 of 17427.0%★☆☆☆☆
202263.853 of 15164.9%★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202644.255 of 10648.1%★★★☆☆
202511.498 of 1045.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202323.956 of 7222.2%★☆☆☆☆
202222.567 of 8420.2%★☆☆☆☆
202125.168 of 8419.0%★☆☆☆☆
201912.2100 of 1043.8%☆☆☆☆☆
201813.378 of 824.9%☆☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202612.4556 of 5997.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202524.9449 of 58022.6%★☆☆☆☆
202414.6509 of 56810.4%★☆☆☆☆
202315.8512 of 58011.7%★☆☆☆☆
202216.6480 of 57316.2%★☆☆☆☆
20215.6547 of 5541.3%☆☆☆☆☆
201924.0466 of 58820.7%★☆☆☆☆
201818.3487 of 57014.6%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202621.5136 of 15914.5%★☆☆☆☆
202512.3149 of 1564.5%☆☆☆☆☆
202319.199 of 11513.9%★☆☆☆☆
202220.497 of 11515.7%★☆☆☆☆
202117.878 of 869.3%★☆☆☆☆
20197.9115 of 1160.9%☆☆☆☆☆
201819.288 of 10415.4%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202621.8528 of 63416.7%★☆☆☆☆
202528.3460 of 61224.8%★☆☆☆☆
202420.9504 of 60216.3%★☆☆☆☆
202314.5552 of 6089.2%☆☆☆☆☆
202226.3461 of 60023.2%★☆☆☆☆
202115.3516 of 58011.0%★☆☆☆☆
201917.7531 of 60011.5%★☆☆☆☆
201817.3534 of 5889.2%☆☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202622.9462 of 59121.8%★☆☆☆☆
202512.5526 of 58510.1%★☆☆☆☆
202414.9499 of 57112.6%★☆☆☆☆
202324.6450 of 58222.7%★☆☆☆☆
202223.5450 of 57922.3%★☆☆☆☆
202114.7484 of 56113.7%★☆☆☆☆
201915.7524 of 59011.2%★☆☆☆☆
201815.4513 of 57110.2%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202549.2251 of 45945.3%★★☆☆☆
20237.2446 of 4633.7%☆☆☆☆☆
202237.6301 of 45533.8%★★☆☆☆
201919.4402 of 47214.8%★☆☆☆☆
201823.6362 of 45720.8%★☆☆☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202623.0264 of 34122.6%★☆☆☆☆
202519.2264 of 32117.8%★☆☆☆☆
202419.7261 of 32218.9%★☆☆☆☆
202321.6255 of 32521.5%★☆☆☆☆
202216.2264 of 31014.8%★☆☆☆☆
202113.3279 of 31110.3%★☆☆☆☆
201924.7247 of 31521.6%★☆☆☆☆
201822.3242 of 30320.1%★☆☆☆☆
201723.8253 of 31720.2%★☆☆☆☆

African American

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202642.7148 of 25842.6%★★☆☆☆
202531.6185 of 25126.3%★☆☆☆☆
202442.5136 of 24644.7%★★☆☆☆
202336.0167 of 25334.0%★★☆☆☆
202223.3212 of 24914.9%★☆☆☆☆
202117.8222 of 2355.5%☆☆☆☆☆
201930.4193 of 25223.4%★☆☆☆☆
201825.9197 of 23716.9%★☆☆☆☆

Disabled

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202649.380 of 19258.3%★★★☆☆
202540.6108 of 18441.3%★★☆☆☆
202441.693 of 17747.5%★★☆☆☆
202323.8158 of 18715.5%★☆☆☆☆
202254.865 of 18364.5%★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202630.782 of 11327.4%★☆☆☆☆
202518.5100 of 1109.1%☆☆☆☆☆
202421.892 of 10411.5%★☆☆☆☆
202324.775 of 9521.1%★☆☆☆☆
202218.688 of 979.3%★☆☆☆☆
202128.762 of 8728.7%★★☆☆☆
201926.296 of 11717.9%★☆☆☆☆
201833.369 of 9325.8%★☆☆☆☆

Female

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202624.4235 of 31024.2%★☆☆☆☆
202523.8231 of 29521.7%★☆☆☆☆
202421.4235 of 29319.8%★☆☆☆☆
202318.9244 of 29918.4%★☆☆☆☆
202213.5262 of 2909.7%☆☆☆☆☆
202111.3258 of 2797.5%☆☆☆☆☆
201923.3236 of 29620.3%★☆☆☆☆
201824.2220 of 28121.7%★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202622.2137 of 15913.8%★☆☆☆☆
202514.3146 of 1566.4%☆☆☆☆☆
202415.1133 of 1447.6%☆☆☆☆☆
202322.3114 of 14119.1%★☆☆☆☆
202216.6117 of 1299.3%★☆☆☆☆
202118.198 of 11111.7%★☆☆☆☆
201934.9103 of 13925.9%★☆☆☆☆
201836.592 of 12325.2%★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202630.7233 of 32528.3%★☆☆☆☆
202523.8248 of 30819.5%★☆☆☆☆
202427.9229 of 30424.7%★☆☆☆☆
202326.4240 of 31323.3%★☆☆☆☆
202221.9245 of 30018.3%★☆☆☆☆
202119.0248 of 28813.9%★☆☆☆☆
201923.2236 of 28918.3%★☆☆☆☆
201825.0231 of 28017.5%★☆☆☆☆

Male

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202623.3243 of 31021.6%★☆☆☆☆
202514.7267 of 29810.4%★☆☆☆☆
202418.2247 of 29215.4%★☆☆☆☆
202324.5229 of 30324.4%★☆☆☆☆
202218.8237 of 29218.8%★☆☆☆☆
202115.6239 of 27914.3%★☆☆☆☆
201927.6221 of 29625.3%★☆☆☆☆
201821.2233 of 28418.0%★☆☆☆☆

White

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankSouth Carolina percentileRating
202613.5244 of 27110.0%★☆☆☆☆
202535.5170 of 25934.4%★★☆☆☆
202429.6188 of 25626.6%★☆☆☆☆
202314.4237 of 2608.8%☆☆☆☆☆
202225.8191 of 24923.3%★☆☆☆☆
201933.4178 of 25831.0%★★☆☆☆
201828.8181 of 25027.6%★☆☆☆☆
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)
Elementary school
Disabled (2026)62nd percentile+48 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)48th percentile+34 vs school
White (2025)45th percentile+28 vs school
African American (2026)29th percentile+15 vs school
Male (2026)22nd percentile+7 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)17th percentile~ school
Hispanic (2026)14th percentile~ school
Female (2026)7th percentile-7 vs school
Middle school
Disabled (2026)58th percentile+36 vs school
African American (2026)43rd percentile+20 vs school
Low Socio Economic Status (2026)28th percentile+6 vs school
English Language Learner (2026)27th percentile+5 vs school
Female (2026)24th percentile~ school
Male (2026)22nd percentile~ school
Hispanic (2026)14th percentile-9 vs school
White (2026)10th percentile-13 vs school
By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?
English Language Arts44%-17 vs state
Science32%-20 vs state
Mathematics25%-23 vs state

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Frequently Asked Questions about Robert Smalls Leadership Academy

In the 2024-25 school year, 785 students attended Robert Smalls Leadership Academy.

Students who attend Robert Smalls Leadership Academy usually go on to attend:

High : Battery Creek High

Robert Smalls Leadership Academy ranks in the bottom 14.4% of South Carolina elementary schools.

Students at Robert Smalls Leadership Academy are 46% African American, 32% Hispanic, 14% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »
2025–26 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresAug 10, 2026
2024–25 school spending dataNov 3, 2025
2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 3, 2025
2024–25 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresSep 2, 2025


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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