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B. D. Lee Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

625^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 649 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 4% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

B. D. Lee Elementary is a PK-5 school in Gaffney, SC, serving 603 students within the Cherokee 01 district, where 100% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

B. D. Lee currently ranks in the bottom 4% of elementary schools statewide, making it the lowest-performing school in its immediate area. For example, in 4th-grade math, only 15.2% of students are proficient, compared to 38.2% in the district and 52.3% statewide. This gap is consistent across all subjects and grade levels. The contrast with nearby Corinth Elementary, just 4.8 miles away, is striking—Corinth ranks in the 78th percentile, with proficiency rates often 40-50 percentage points higher. Even Northwest Elementary and Grassy Pond Elementary outperform B. D. Lee by significant margins. The school also spends more per student ($5,496) than these higher-performing peers, suggesting that additional funding alone isn't translating into better outcomes.

There are some encouraging signs. Test scores have improved dramatically over the past two years—3rd-grade ELA proficiency more than doubled from 17.1% to 41.3%, and 5th-grade math nearly tripled from 11.1% to 30.3%. Chronic absenteeism, which spiked to 49% in 2022-2023, has dropped to 30.5%, though it remains above the state average of 22.3%. The data strongly suggests that as attendance improves, so do test scores. However, the school continues to struggle with supporting its most vulnerable students, with subgroup rankings for African American, low-income, and disabled students all in the bottom 9% statewide. While the upward trend is promising, B. D. Lee still has a long way to go to close the gap with neighboring schools.

603

Students ?

15.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$5,496

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

401 Overbrook Drive
Gaffney, SC 29341

(864) 206-6432

District: Cherokee 01

Students who attend B. D. Lee Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Gaffney Middle
High:	Gaffney High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

65.2%

White:

19.1%

Hispanic:

9.1%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare B. D. Lee Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 21st percentile in 2016 → 4th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (30% vs 58% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (4th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (30% vs 22% South Carolina)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school30%

District avg44%

South Carolina avg58%

625^th of 649

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 4%▼ down 18 pts since 2016

From bottom 21% (2016) to bottom 4% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

7^th of 8Elementary Schools in the Cherokee 01

57^th of 75Cherokee 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
2026	8.9	625 of 649	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	6.5	625 of 640	2.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	4.8	633 of 638	0.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.2	638 of 644	0.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.0	600 of 625	4.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.6	551 of 622	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.8	533 of 643	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	20.5	509 of 624	18.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	24.6	495 of 639	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	26.0	487 of 619	21.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	31.1	469 of 638	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.4	553 of 630	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	9.6	569 of 599	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	10.3	559 of 594	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	15.3	545 of 597	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	15.3	546 of 589	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	19.2	515 of 580	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	23.9	491 of 577	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	31.3	443 of 566	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	44.2	354 of 559	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2005	44.9	350 of 557	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	50.2	309 of 550	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2003	48.2	307 of 542	43.4%	★★☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	20.3	346 of 379	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	13.9	368 of 381	3.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	8.9	365 of 369	1.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.6	376 of 394	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	21.1	345 of 393	12.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	28.5	271 of 350	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	41.8	261 of 421	38.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	45.4	232 of 412	43.7%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	18.7	140 of 154	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	10.4	560 of 589	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.0	556 of 581	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	4.3	562 of 565	0.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	5.5	568 of 580	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	11.3	521 of 573	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	26.1	415 of 554	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	13.2	532 of 588	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	40.7	354 of 570	37.9%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	12.6	594 of 624	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.1	601 of 613	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.1	593 of 599	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.9	593 of 608	2.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	11.3	568 of 600	5.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	20.0	481 of 580	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.6	499 of 600	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	29.5	444 of 588	24.5%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	10.4	549 of 583	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	9.1	551 of 586	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.3	548 of 568	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.2	565 of 582	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	7.3	555 of 579	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	36.5	387 of 590	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	13.9	521 of 571	8.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2026)9th percentile+5 vs school

African American (2026)9th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)6th percentile~ school

Female (2026)5th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)5th percentile~ school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts39%-26 vs state

Mathematics26%-27 vs state

Science18%-34 vs state

★

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Schools Near B. D. Lee Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SC READY English Language Arts (2026)						SC READY Mathematics (2026)						SC READY Science (2026)		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 (2024)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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	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
B. D. Lee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	401 Overbrook Drive	Gaffney	29341	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6432	603	40	15.1	100.0%	115 (19.1%)	393 (65.2%)	55 (9.1%)	10 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.0%)	8.9	625^th of 649 public elementary schools	3.7%		6.5	625^th of 640 public elementary schools	2.3%		41.3	29.2	45.4				32.2	15.2	30.3				17.7		$5,496	$1,653	$1,002	$2,655	$1,808	$1,032	$2,841
Luther L. Vaughan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	192 Vaughan Road	Gaffney	29341	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6054	399	34	11.9	100.0%	101 (25.3%)	161 (40.4%)	126 (31.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.8%)	6	638^th of 649 public elementary schools	1.7%		4.4	635^th of 640 public elementary schools	0.8%	3	39.7	28.9	20.8				41.1	18.4	18.9				11.8		$5,850	$1,627	$818	$2,445	$2,368	$1,037	$3,405
Limestone-Central Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	727 Pacolet Highway	Gaffney	29341	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6620	436	33	13.2	100.0%	202 (46.3%)	166 (38.1%)	44 (10.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.0%)	13.4	591^st of 649 public elementary schools	8.9%		18.4	539^th of 640 public elementary schools	15.8%	52	43.6	43.9	49.2				33.9	26.8	12.7				34.2		$5,349	$1,703	$838	$2,541	$1,963	$846	$2,808
Grassy Pond Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1146 Boiling Springs Highway	Gaffney	29341	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6671	519	33	15.5	68.8%	325 (62.6%)	105 (20.2%)	73 (14.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.7%)	54.7	275^th of 649 public elementary schools	57.6%		44.2	346^th of 640 public elementary schools	45.9%	71	66.7	60.9	60.3				59.3	68.1	46.6				43.5		$4,628	$1,137	$737	$1,874	$1,909	$846	$2,754
Corinth Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	128 Corinth Road	Gaffney	29340	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6600	292	23	12.6	83.9%	256 (87.7%)	7 (2.4%)	19 (6.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (3.1%)	76.9	142^nd of 649 public elementary schools	78.1%		76.3	146^th of 640 public elementary schools	77.2%	4	65.2	78.5	74.5				65.3	60.8	76.6				64.7		$4,998	$1,328	$955	$2,283	$1,868	$846	$2,715
Draytonville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2373 Wilkinsville Highway	Gaffney	29340	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6783	264	19	13.8	100.0%	163 (61.7%)	61 (23.1%)	13 (4.9%)	2 (0.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.1%)	26.5	480^th of 649 public elementary schools	26.0%		26.1	478^th of 640 public elementary schools	25.3%	2	38.8	46.9	61.3				59.2	40.6	12.9				31.3		$5,675	$1,393	$1,260	$2,652	$2,177	$846	$3,023
Northwest Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	840 Green River Road	Gaffney	29341	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6727	423	31	13.8	73.6%	339 (80.1%)	42 (9.9%)	27 (6.4%)	5 (1.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.9%)	51.7	298^th of 649 public elementary schools	54.1%		45.7	337^th of 640 public elementary schools	47.3%	39	62.9	67.1	57.2				64.3	59.2	36.7				40.7		$4,759	$1,218	$763	$1,981	$1,931	$847	$2,778
Goucher Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	604 Goucher School	Gaffney	29340	Cherokee County	Limestone Charters Association	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(864) 210-9262	244	24	10.1	63.8%	208 (85.2%)	7 (2.9%)	11 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.1%)	42.7	374^th of 649 public elementary schools	42.4%		43.7	350^th of 640 public elementary schools	45.3%	24	66.7		70.0	47.0	44.2	45.9	66.6		36.7	20.6	17.7	16.2		41.2	$16,223	$696	$1,708	$2,404	$9,916	$3,903	$13,819
Blacksburg Elementary	Public	3-5	402 Hardin Street	Blacksburg	29702	Cherokee County	Cherokee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 206-6518	323	23	13.9	100.0%	249 (77.1%)	37 (11.5%)	14 (4.3%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.2%)	28.1	466^th of 649 public elementary schools	28.2%		36	409^th of 640 public elementary schools	36.1%	57	45.0	58.6	62.8				40.0	31.7	36.6				37.5		$5,284	$1,495	$703	$2,198	$2,235	$851	$3,087
Cowpens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	341 Foster Street	Cowpens	29330	Spartanburg County	Spartanburg 03	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 279-6300	460	37	12.4	100.0%	293 (63.7%)	55 (12.0%)	80 (17.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.7%)	63.8	229^th of 649 public elementary schools	64.7%		67.9	208^th of 640 public elementary schools	67.5%	21	66.3	67.7	69.4				61.1	54.4	63.9				51.4		$14,648	$1,064	$1,314	$2,378	$10,825	$1,444	$12,269

Frequently Asked Questions about B. D. Lee Elementary

What is the racial makeup of B. D. Lee Elementary?

Students at B. D. Lee Elementary are 65% African American, 19% White, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of B. D. Lee Elementary attend?

Students who attend B. D. Lee Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Gaffney Middle
High : Gaffney High

How many students attend B. D. Lee Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 603 students attended B. D. Lee Elementary.

Is B. D. Lee Elementary a good school?

B. D. Lee Elementary ranks in the bottom 3.7% of South Carolina elementary schools.

What district is B. D. Lee Elementary in?

Cherokee 01

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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.