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Plain Elementary

Q: Is Plain Elementary a good school?

Plain Elementary ranks 96 th of 649 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

96^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 649 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 85% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Plain Elementary is a K-5 school in Simpsonville, SC, serving 975 students within the Greenville 01 school district, and it has earned a 4-star rating for the past decade, consistently ranking in the 85th to 93rd percentile statewide.

What truly sets Plain Elementary apart is its exceptional success with Hispanic students, ranking in the top 5% statewide for three consecutive years, including a #1 ranking in 2023-2024. The school also excels with students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, ranking in the 90th percentile or higher in recent years. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low at 13.5%, compared to 22.5% for the district and 22.3% for the state, indicating strong student engagement. In English Language Arts, proficiency is consistently high across all grade levels—80.9% in 3rd grade, 82.5% in 4th, and 77.2% in 5th—exceeding state averages by nearly 17 percentage points in 3rd grade. While math scores are above district averages, there is a slight dip in upper elementary grades, and performance with African American students has shown some year-to-year variability, an area that may benefit from additional focus.

Compared to nearby schools, Plain Elementary significantly outperforms Simpsonville Elementary (1.14 miles away) and Mauldin Elementary (5.28 miles away), with proficiency rates 13-20 percentage points higher in math and science. It also far exceeds Robert E. Cashion Elementary (4.01 miles away), which shows proficiency rates 20-30 points lower. While Bell's Crossing Elementary (5.09 miles away) ranks slightly higher overall, Plain Elementary's subgroup performance—especially with Hispanic students—is notably stronger. With moderate per-student spending of $11,520, Plain Elementary achieves strong results efficiently, making it a model of educational equity and a great option for families seeking a diverse, high-performing school.

975

Students ?

17.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,520

Per pupil spending ?

50.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

506 Neely Ferry Road
Simpsonville, SC 29681

(864) 355-7700

District: Greenville 01

Students who attend Plain Elementary usually attend:

High:

Hillcrest High

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.3%

African American:

17.1%

Hispanic:

14.5%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Plain Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 93rd percentile in 2016 → 85th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Carolina average (73% vs 58% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 15% of South Carolina elementary schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 8 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school73%

District avg68%

South Carolina avg58%

96^th of 649

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 15%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From top 7% (2016) to top 15% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

19^th of 51Elementary Schools in the Greenville 01

11^th of 75Greenville 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	83.7	96 of 649	85.2%	★★★★☆
2025	85.4	82 of 640	87.2%	★★★★☆
2024	83.2	98 of 638	84.6%	★★★★☆
2023	85.9	85 of 644	86.8%	★★★★☆
2022	88.2	68 of 625	89.1%	★★★★☆
2021	86.8	75 of 622	87.9%	★★★★☆
2019	85.6	80 of 643	87.6%	★★★★☆
2018	86.6	67 of 624	89.3%	★★★★☆
2017	82.5	94 of 639	85.3%	★★★★☆
2016	88.8	41 of 619	93.4%	★★★★★
2015	81.7	77 of 638	87.9%	★★★★☆
2014	82.9	66 of 630	89.5%	★★★★☆
2013	80.1	89 of 599	85.1%	★★★★☆
2012	76.2	115 of 594	80.6%	★★★★☆
2011	75.4	122 of 597	79.6%	★★★★☆
2010	71.4	147 of 589	75.0%	★★★★☆
2009	69.7	164 of 580	71.7%	★★★★☆
2008	68.6	176 of 577	69.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	70.7	154 of 566	72.8%	★★★★☆
2006	73.2	134 of 559	76.0%	★★★★☆
2005	75.0	115 of 557	79.4%	★★★★☆
2004	73.4	143 of 550	74.0%	★★★★☆
2003	81.6	83 of 542	84.7%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	66.4	95 of 379	74.9%	★★★★☆
2025	84.7	27 of 381	92.9%	★★★★★
2024	69.5	80 of 369	78.3%	★★★★☆
2023	76.9	56 of 394	85.8%	★★★★☆
2022	80.9	50 of 393	87.3%	★★★★☆
2021	91.4	13 of 350	96.3%	★★★★★
2019	83.3	41 of 421	90.3%	★★★★★
2018	83.8	33 of 412	92.0%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.0	38 of 154	75.3%	★★★★☆
2025	84.2	17 of 147	88.4%	★★★★☆
2024	78.2	26 of 143	81.8%	★★★★☆
2023	84.5	22 of 174	87.4%	★★★★☆
2022	80.1	20 of 151	86.8%	★★★★☆
2021	71.5	26 of 122	78.7%	★★★★☆
2019	80.2	30 of 189	84.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	81.8	87 of 589	85.2%	★★★★☆
2025	83.3	76 of 581	86.9%	★★★★☆
2024	80.8	97 of 565	82.8%	★★★★☆
2023	87.5	67 of 580	88.4%	★★★★☆
2022	86.5	71 of 573	87.6%	★★★★☆
2021	83.0	83 of 554	85.0%	★★★★☆
2019	78.1	118 of 588	79.9%	★★★★☆
2018	83.5	79 of 570	86.1%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	68.3	25 of 101	75.2%	★★★★☆
2024	74.9	8 of 82	90.2%	★★★★★
2021	60.1	81 of 147	44.9%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	92.5	7 of 155	95.5%	★★★★★
2025	91.7	13 of 156	91.7%	★★★★★
2024	96.2	1 of 115	99.1%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	84.4	64 of 624	89.7%	★★★★☆
2025	87.8	42 of 613	93.1%	★★★★★
2024	80.9	81 of 599	86.5%	★★★★☆
2023	84.5	62 of 608	89.8%	★★★★☆
2022	90.5	33 of 600	94.5%	★★★★★
2021	86.3	55 of 580	90.5%	★★★★★
2019	83.4	64 of 600	89.3%	★★★★☆
2018	89.3	39 of 588	93.4%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	82.0	89 of 583	84.7%	★★★★☆
2025	83.9	76 of 586	87.0%	★★★★☆
2024	82.2	89 of 568	84.3%	★★★★☆
2023	80.0	105 of 582	82.0%	★★★★☆
2022	86.6	66 of 579	88.6%	★★★★☆
2021	87.3	61 of 561	89.1%	★★★★☆
2019	88.2	56 of 590	90.5%	★★★★★
2018	86.2	67 of 571	88.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	79.3	75 of 454	83.5%	★★★★☆
2025	76.5	95 of 460	79.3%	★★★★☆
2024	78.2	79 of 441	82.1%	★★★★☆
2023	81.1	71 of 463	84.7%	★★★★☆
2022	83.3	64 of 455	85.9%	★★★★☆
2021	80.0	70 of 439	84.1%	★★★★☆
2019	77.8	80 of 472	83.1%	★★★★☆
2018	75.3	96 of 457	79.0%	★★★★☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)95th percentile+10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)90th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2026)85th percentile~ school

Male (2026)85th percentile~ school

White (2026)83rd percentile~ school

Disabled (2026)75th percentile-10 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)75th percentile-12 vs school

African American (2026)75th percentile-10 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts80%+16 vs state

Science69%+18 vs state

Mathematics66%+12 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, October 23, 2017

Wonderful school with excellent administration! Highly recommended!! Close Quote

Schools Near Plain 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	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
Plain Elementary	Public	K-5	506 Neely Ferry Road	Simpsonville	29681	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-7700	975	56	17.2		578 (59.3%)	167 (17.1%)	141 (14.5%)	14 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (7.6%)	83.7	96^th of 649 public elementary schools	85.2%		85.4	82^nd of 640 public elementary schools	87.2%	14	80.9	82.5	77.2				70.6	63.1	64.0				69.4		$11,520	$1,315	$549	$1,864	$9,044	$612	$9,656
Simpsonville Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Morton Avenue	Simpsonville	29681	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-8300	798	49	16.4		379 (47.5%)	193 (24.2%)	145 (18.2%)	18 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	58 (7.3%)	76	148^th of 649 public elementary schools	77.2%		76.6	145^th of 640 public elementary schools	77.3%	3	79.8	69.8	79.1				75.8	55.2	61.3				54.3		$11,916	$950	$538	$1,488	$9,797	$631	$10,428
Greenbrier Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	853 Log Shoals Road	Greenville	29607	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-5300	876	55	15.8		320 (36.5%)	308 (35.2%)	158 (18.0%)	22 (2.5%)	3 (0.3%)	7 (0.8%)	58 (6.6%)	76.8	143^rd of 649 public elementary schools	78.0%		76.7	144^th of 640 public elementary schools	77.5%	1	69.8	79.6	73.6				73.8	57.8	54.1				71.9		$12,096	$1,505	$618	$2,123	$9,326	$647	$9,973
Bethel Elementary	Public	K-5	111 Bethel School Road	Simpsonville	29681	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-4100	915	57	16.0		490 (53.6%)	224 (24.5%)	124 (13.6%)	15 (1.6%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	57 (6.2%)	78.7	130^th of 649 public elementary schools	80.0%		77.4	136^th of 640 public elementary schools	78.8%	6	70.2	78.5	71.1				61.7	76.4	62.5				73.6		$11,733	$1,095	$597	$1,691	$9,430	$612	$10,041
Bryson Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	703 Bryson Drive	Simpsonville	29681	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-3600	1,038	61	17.1		443 (42.7%)	277 (26.7%)	218 (21.0%)	19 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	79 (7.6%)	82.4	106^th of 649 public elementary schools	83.7%		79.2	124^th of 640 public elementary schools	80.6%	18	74.2	75.0	79.9				73.6	63.5	70.9				68.3		$10,255	$1,057	$514	$1,570	$8,098	$587	$8,684
Robert E. Cashion Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1500 Fork Shoals Road	Greenville	29605	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 355-8000	964	58	16.5		248 (25.7%)	465 (48.2%)	174 (18.0%)	14 (1.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	60 (6.2%)	41.5	386^th of 649 public elementary schools	40.5%		50	309^th of 640 public elementary schools	51.7%	77	66.7	56.1	47.5				60.5	40.0	40.2				50.3		$12,321	$1,909	$842	$2,751	$8,958	$612	$9,570
Libertas Academy-Boiling Springs	Public, Charter	K-8	300 Rainbow Lake Rd	Boiling Springs	29316	Spartanburg County	Charter Institute at Erskine	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(864) 580-6171	703	49	14.3		533 (75.8%)	48 (6.8%)	54 (7.7%)	10 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (8.3%)	64.5	223^rd of 649 public elementary schools	65.6%		47	325^th of 640 public elementary schools	49.2%	102	68.1	68.4	62.7	61.1	61.5	77.5	73.2	56.8	50.0	37.8	47.7	53.4	56.8	60.0	$13,130	$141	$533	$674	$7,037	$5,420	$12,457
Fountain Inn Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	608 Fairview Street	Fountain Inn	29644	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-5100	1,055	59	17.8		466 (44.2%)	356 (33.7%)	146 (13.8%)	7 (0.7%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	75 (7.1%)	69	196^th of 649 public elementary schools	69.8%		74.6	161^st of 640 public elementary schools	74.8%	35	74.7	69.0	70.4				67.6	49.5	52.5				65.5		$11,012	$1,073	$609	$1,682	$8,707	$623	$9,330
Bell's Crossing Elementary	Public	K-5	804 Scuffletown Road	Simpsonville	29681	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-3800	877	55	15.9		627 (71.5%)	64 (7.3%)	105 (12.0%)	28 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (6.0%)	88.4	65^th of 649 public elementary schools	90.0%		92.6	32^nd of 640 public elementary schools	95.0%	33	88.9	78.5	79.6				85.6	66.7	66.3				71.5		$12,315	$982	$461	$1,443	$10,233	$639	$10,872
Ruldolph G. Gordon School at Jones Mill	Public	K-8	1507 Scuffletown Road	Simpsonville	29681	Greenville County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-0200	1,621	96	16.9		1,162 (71.7%)	189 (11.7%)	166 (10.2%)	35 (2.2%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	61 (3.8%)	87.1	74^th of 649 public elementary schools	88.6%		89.4	52^nd of 640 public elementary schools	91.9%	22	82.1	82.5	84.9	65.0	74.8	73.7	75.3	67.7	75.3	54.8	66.7	70.9	77.1	70.0	$11,535	$974	$564	$1,539	$9,331	$665	$9,996

Frequently Asked Questions about Plain Elementary

Is Plain Elementary a good school?

Plain Elementary ranks 96^th of 649 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Plain Elementary attend?

Students who attend Plain Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Hillcrest High

What is the racial makeup of Plain Elementary?

Students at Plain Elementary are 59% White, 17% African American, 14% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Plain Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 975 students attended Plain Elementary.

What district is Plain Elementary in?

Greenville 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.