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Theodore Lester Elementary

Q: Is Theodore Lester Elementary a good school?

Theodore Lester Elementary ranks 311 th of 640 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 3-5

311^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 640 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Theodore Lester Elementary is a public elementary school in Florence, South Carolina, serving 375 students in grades 3-5. The school is part of the Florence 01 District, which is ranked 26 out of 75 school districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's relatively high spending per student, ranging from $17,518 to $21,376 over the past few years, Theodore Lester Elementary has consistently struggled with poor academic outcomes. The school's test scores are significantly lower than the district and state averages, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics 5-15 percentage points below the benchmarks. Additionally, the school has experienced high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 22.5% to 36.4%, which is much higher than the state and district averages. When compared to nearby schools in the Florence 01 District, such as Royall Elementary and Carver Elementary, Theodore Lester Elementary consistently underperforms on key metrics.

The data also suggests potential equity concerns at Theodore Lester Elementary, as the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups. While the school performs relatively well for African American and White students, it struggles with low-socioeconomic status students, ranking in the bottom 50% of schools in the state. This performance gap indicates that the school may not be providing equitable access to a high-quality education for all students. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of the school's underperformance and ensures all students have the support they need to succeed.

362

Students ?

12.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,734

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3501 East Palmetto Street
Florence, SC 29506

(843) 664-8459

District: Florence 01

Students who attend Theodore Lester Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Williams Middle
High:	Wilson High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

52.5%

White:

30.1%

Two or more races:

9.4%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Theodore Lester Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 30th percentile in 2015 → 51st in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 21 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the South Carolina median (51st percentile)

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school54%

District avg58%

South Carolina avg56%

311^th of 640

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▲ up 22 pts since 2015

From bottom 30% (2015) to top 49% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

8^th of 13Elementary Schools in the Florence 01

26^th of 75Florence 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	49.5	311 of 640	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2024	49.4	324 of 638	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	17.3	548 of 644	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	8.3	595 of 625	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	12.0	555 of 622	10.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.4	538 of 643	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.0	496 of 624	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	22.6	514 of 639	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	28.9	467 of 619	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	33.3	448 of 638	29.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.7	432 of 630	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	34.6	431 of 599	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	43.4	379 of 594	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	21.8	519 of 597	13.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	31.0	452 of 589	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	42.9	364 of 580	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2008	42.6	370 of 577	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	33.6	430 of 566	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	49.8	316 of 559	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2005	37.9	387 of 557	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2004	29.8	424 of 550	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	24.1	450 of 542	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	58.1	142 of 381	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.9	134 of 369	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	37.5	254 of 394	35.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	16.7	367 of 393	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	30.6	259 of 350	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	37.7	285 of 421	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	41.8	251 of 412	39.1%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2018	52.0	68 of 161	57.8%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	43.2	325 of 581	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	53.3	270 of 565	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	5.9	562 of 573	1.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	13.4	488 of 554	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	20.4	486 of 588	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.2	483 of 570	15.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	63.2	46 of 101	54.5%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	44.2	334 of 613	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2024	49.1	307 of 599	48.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	27.9	469 of 608	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	11.2	570 of 600	5.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	17.0	498 of 580	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.0	480 of 600	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	27.7	461 of 588	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	52.1	274 of 586	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	43.0	329 of 568	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	9.8	540 of 579	6.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	9.5	522 of 561	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.1	520 of 590	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.4	462 of 571	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	66.6	158 of 460	65.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.7	180 of 441	59.2%	★★★☆☆

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)

White (2025)66th percentile+14 vs school

African American (2025)63rd percentile+11 vs school

Disabled (2018)58th percentile+37 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)54th percentile+3 vs school

Male (2025)53rd percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)46th percentile-6 vs school

Female (2025)44th percentile-7 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts60%-3 vs state

Mathematics49%-4 vs state

Science49%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Theodore Lester 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)	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 Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Science 4th 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
Theodore Lester Elementary	Public	3-5	3501 East Palmetto Street	Florence	29506	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8459	362	30	12.0		109 (30.1%)	190 (52.5%)	26 (7.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (9.4%)	49.5	311^th of 640 public elementary schools	51.4%		49.4	324^th of 638 public elementary schools	49.2%	13	61.6	59.0	59.4	50.0	52.2	45.0	48.7	$18,734	$935	$1,323	$2,258	$14,315	$2,161	$16,476
Henry Timrod Elementary	Public	K-5	1901 East Old Marion Highway	Florence	29506	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8454	413	31	13.3		81 (19.6%)	269 (65.1%)	22 (5.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (9.7%)	43.4	353^rd of 640 public elementary schools	44.8%		43.6	359^th of 638 public elementary schools	43.7%	6	55.1	63.0	57.4	50.1	44.6	42.7	44.6	$15,088	$1,419	$1,543	$2,963	$10,553	$1,573	$12,125
Wallace Gregg Elementary	Public	K-5	515 Francis Marion Road	Florence	29505	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8481	283	27	10.4		77 (27.2%)	162 (57.2%)	13 (4.6%)	2 (0.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (9.9%)	35	415^th of 640 public elementary schools	35.2%		32.3	432^nd of 638 public elementary schools	32.3%	17	47.8	50.9	50.0	43.4	49.1	40.4	47.1	$15,920	$1,064	$1,995	$3,059	$10,698	$2,164	$12,862
McLaurin Elementary	Public	PK, KG-2	1400 McMillan Lane	Florence	29506	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8457	552	40	13.8		182 (33.0%)	273 (49.5%)	37 (6.7%)	6 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (9.6%)								(n/a)								$16,637	$823	$1,259	$2,082	$12,500	$2,055	$14,556
North Vista Elementary	Public	K-5	1200 North Irby Street	Florence	29501	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8159	446	36	12.3		5 (1.1%)	404 (90.6%)	11 (2.5%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.9%)	46.1	335^th of 640 public elementary schools	47.7%		45.7	348^th of 638 public elementary schools	45.5%	13	65.0	55.9	46.9	67.6	52.0	37.3	41.6	$21,826	$921	$2,246	$3,168	$16,742	$1,916	$18,658
Greenwood Elementary	Public	K-5	2300 East Howe Springs Road	Florence	29505	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8451	530	39	13.5		123 (23.2%)	337 (63.6%)	16 (3.0%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (8.9%)	31.2	441^st of 640 public elementary schools	31.1%		21.9	505^th of 638 public elementary schools	20.8%	64	56.7	46.7	46.9	55.5	30.0	39.6	37.8	$14,184	$1,028	$1,335	$2,363	$10,019	$1,801	$11,821
Briggs Elementary	Public	K-5	1012 Congaree Drive	Florence	29501	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8169	451	34	13.4		216 (47.9%)	168 (37.3%)	22 (4.9%)	6 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.4%)	71	192^nd of 640 public elementary schools	70.0%		78.6	132^nd of 638 public elementary schools	79.3%	60	75.3	72.1	69.5	54.8	61.6	47.2	66.3	$14,690	$562	$925	$1,487	$11,546	$1,657	$13,203
Royall Elementary	Public	K-5	1101 Cheraw Drive	Florence	29501	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8167	512	40	12.8		216 (42.2%)	199 (38.9%)	38 (7.4%)	13 (2.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (8.6%)	83.2	93^rd of 640 public elementary schools	85.5%		95.3	22^nd of 638 public elementary schools	96.6%	71	66.6	83.4	86.0	70.3	69.2	72.1	56.4	$15,720	$1,184	$813	$1,997	$12,114	$1,610	$13,724
Carver Elementary	Public	K-5	515 North Cashua Drive	Florence	29501	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8156	615	44	14.1		245 (39.8%)	281 (45.7%)	21 (3.4%)	26 (4.2%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.3%)	80.8	110^th of 640 public elementary schools	82.8%		78.9	129^th of 638 public elementary schools	79.8%	19	70.4	78.7	67.5	69.9	73.7	59.4	72.9	$13,840	$675	$884	$1,559	$10,641	$1,641	$12,282
Delmae Heights Elementary	Public	K-5	1211 South Cashua Drive	Florence	29501	Florence County	Florence 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 664-8448	988	63	15.6		269 (27.2%)	458 (46.4%)	111 (11.2%)	57 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	93 (9.4%)	66.6	212^th of 640 public elementary schools	66.9%		68	199^th of 638 public elementary schools	68.8%	13	73.6	62.1	68.0	68.4	52.8	57.7	50.4	$12,415	$834	$941	$1,774	$9,161	$1,480	$10,641

Frequently Asked Questions about Theodore Lester Elementary

How many students attend Theodore Lester Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 362 students attended Theodore Lester Elementary.

What district is Theodore Lester Elementary in?

Florence 01

What schools do graduates of Theodore Lester Elementary attend?

Students who attend Theodore Lester Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Williams Middle
High : Wilson High

Is Theodore Lester Elementary a good school?

Theodore Lester Elementary ranks 311^th of 640 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Theodore Lester Elementary?

Students at Theodore Lester Elementary are 52% African American, 30% White, 9% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic.

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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.