Summary
Waterway Elementary is a PK-5 school in Little River, SC, serving 912 students as part of the highly rated Horry 01 school district. After years of solid performance, the school has recently experienced a notable dip in its state ranking, dropping from the 79th percentile to the 60th percentile in the most recent year—its lowest point in over a decade.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Waterway Elementary still has many strengths, but there are some clear areas to watch. The school excels in the early grades: 3rd graders score well above state averages in both reading (68.4% proficient vs. 64.1% statewide) and math (67.7% vs. 59.2%). However, by 5th grade, math proficiency falls to just 40.6%, well below both the district (54.3%) and state (49.1%) averages. This pattern suggests the school provides a strong foundation but struggles to maintain momentum in upper grades. On a positive note, chronic absenteeism is a relative strength at 16.0%, better than the district (19.4%) and state (22.3%) averages, which points to strong family engagement and a welcoming school culture.
Compared to nearby schools, Waterway's recent decline stands out. Ocean Drive Elementary, just 1.5 miles away, has improved to the 87th percentile with much stronger 5th grade reading scores (80.9% vs. Waterway's 61.6%). Ocean Bay Elementary, about 12 miles away, ranks in the 81st percentile with strong math scores across all grades. Waterway spends more per student ($13,091) than either of these higher-performing schools, which raises questions about resource allocation. The school also shows a significant gender gap—girls rank in the 67th percentile while boys rank in the 47th—and support for low-income students has dropped sharply. However, Hispanic students continue to perform well (68th percentile), and the school has historically served African American students exceptionally well, demonstrating its capacity to reverse its current trajectory.
Thank you for your feedback!