Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

St. James Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-4

64^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 661 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 90% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

St. James Elementary is a high-performing public school in Myrtle Beach, SC, serving 884 students in grades PK through 4 as part of the highly ranked Horry 01 school district.

This school stands out for its consistent academic excellence and its remarkable success with all groups of students. St. James has earned a 5-star rating in four of the last five years and has ranked in the 90th percentile or higher statewide since 2022. What truly sets it apart is its ability to achieve outstanding results across different student populations. In the most recent school year, the school ranked #1 in the entire state for its Hispanic students, and it has ranked in the 95th percentile or higher for three straight years for students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Boys also perform exceptionally well, ranking in the 93rd percentile. This pattern of strong results across diverse groups shows that the school's teaching methods are effective for every child, not just some. The school also has a notably lower chronic absenteeism rate (13.2%) compared to the state average (22.3%), suggesting students are engaged and excited to come to school.

When compared to nearby options, St. James is a clear leader. It outperforms Burgess Elementary (just 1.5 miles away) in nearly every metric, with significantly higher test scores in both ELA and Math. It also edges out Seaside Elementary in 4th-grade proficiency rates. Interestingly, while Palmetto Academy of Learning and Success Charter has a slightly higher overall rank, its performance drops off in later grades, whereas St. James shows strong, consistent results across the grades it serves. St. James achieves all of this while spending less per student ($12,592) than several comparable schools like Forestbrook Elementary ($13,757) and Lakewood Elementary ($14,028), demonstrating both effectiveness and efficient use of resources.

884

Students ?

15.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,592

Per pupil spending ?

41.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

9711 St. James Road
Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

(843) 650-8220

District: Horry 01

Students who attend St. James Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	St. James Intermediate
	St. James Middle
High:	St. James High

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.5%

Hispanic:

11.1%

Two or more races:

7.4%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare St. James Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 83rd percentile in 2016 → 90th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Carolina average (77% vs 59% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 10% of South Carolina elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg64%

South Carolina avg59%

64^th of 661

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 10%▲ up 7 pts since 2016

From top 17% (2016) to top 10% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 28Elementary Schools in the Horry 01

9^th of 75Horry 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	88.5	64 of 661	90.3%	★★★★★
2025	89.5	51 of 639	92.0%	★★★★★
2024	89.6	61 of 643	90.5%	★★★★★
2023	90.1	59 of 644	90.8%	★★★★★
2022	86.9	76 of 625	87.8%	★★★★☆
2021	90.1	57 of 622	90.8%	★★★★★
2019	92.2	35 of 643	94.6%	★★★★★
2018	89.4	54 of 624	91.3%	★★★★★
2017	83.3	89 of 639	86.1%	★★★★☆
2016	79.1	106 of 619	82.9%	★★★★☆
2015	73.8	106 of 638	83.4%	★★★★☆
2014	74.6	133 of 630	78.9%	★★★★☆
2013	70.2	165 of 599	72.5%	★★★★☆
2012	72.8	142 of 594	76.1%	★★★★☆
2011	76.2	115 of 597	80.7%	★★★★☆
2010	68.0	174 of 589	70.5%	★★★★☆
2009	66.3	190 of 580	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	68.2	178 of 577	69.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	64.3	199 of 566	64.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	68.8	168 of 559	69.9%	★★★★☆
2005	63.9	217 of 557	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2004	71.7	152 of 550	72.4%	★★★★☆
2003	72.9	136 of 542	74.9%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	61.5	47 of 143	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	79.7	28 of 174	83.9%	★★★★☆
2022	79.4	22 of 151	85.4%	★★★★☆
2018	93.2	6 of 161	96.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	83.9	76 of 599	87.3%	★★★★☆
2025	83.5	72 of 580	87.6%	★★★★☆
2024	88.0	48 of 568	91.5%	★★★★★
2023	90.7	40 of 580	93.1%	★★★★★
2022	80.9	103 of 573	82.0%	★★★★☆
2021	90.3	42 of 554	92.4%	★★★★★
2019	89.5	41 of 588	93.0%	★★★★★
2018	94.4	18 of 570	96.8%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	67.3	34 of 196	82.7%	★★★★☆
2025	70.1	21 of 101	79.2%	★★★★☆
2021	73.3	31 of 147	78.9%	★★★★☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	99.1	1 of 159	99.4%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.0	34 of 634	94.6%	★★★★★
2025	90.3	31 of 612	94.9%	★★★★★
2024	91.3	26 of 602	95.7%	★★★★★
2023	96.8	5 of 608	99.2%	★★★★★
2022	92.1	26 of 600	95.7%	★★★★★
2021	96.9	5 of 580	99.1%	★★★★★
2019	97.3	3 of 600	99.5%	★★★★★
2018	94.1	11 of 588	98.1%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.3	41 of 591	93.1%	★★★★★
2025	92.0	31 of 585	94.7%	★★★★★
2024	88.4	52 of 571	90.9%	★★★★★
2023	86.4	67 of 582	88.5%	★★★★☆
2022	89.6	50 of 579	91.4%	★★★★★
2021	85.9	69 of 561	87.7%	★★★★☆
2019	92.1	32 of 590	94.6%	★★★★★
2018	79.8	103 of 571	82.0%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	69.2	148 of 463	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2025	78.3	83 of 459	81.9%	★★★★☆
2024	78.3	78 of 446	82.5%	★★★★☆
2023	77.4	98 of 463	78.8%	★★★★☆
2022	66.7	148 of 455	67.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	78.6	80 of 439	81.8%	★★★★☆
2019	82.6	57 of 472	87.9%	★★★★☆
2018	75.3	95 of 457	79.2%	★★★★☆

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)

Hispanic (2026)99th percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)95th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)93rd percentile+3 vs school

Female (2026)87th percentile-3 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)83rd percentile-8 vs school

White (2026)68th percentile-22 vs school

Disabled (2024)67th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts83%+18 vs state

Mathematics74%+18 vs state

Science73%+21 vs state

3.0

2 ratings

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate St. James Elementary

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near St. James Elementary

Load more schools when map is moved

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)		EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (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	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	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
St. James Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	9711 St. James Road	Myrtle Beach	29588	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 650-8220	884	56	15.9	41.2%	659 (74.5%)	43 (4.9%)	98 (11.1%)	15 (1.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	65 (7.4%)	88.5	64^th of 661 public elementary schools	90.3%		89.5	51^st of 639 public elementary schools	92.0%	13	78.6	86.7					77.5	70.4					72.7			$12,592	$971	$468	$1,439	$9,772	$1,381	$11,153
Burgess Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	9645 Scipio Lane	Myrtle Beach	29588	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 650-4600	697	44	15.8	56.7%	407 (58.4%)	53 (7.6%)	149 (21.4%)	20 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	67 (9.6%)	70.7	189^th of 661 public elementary schools	71.4%		64.4	228^th of 639 public elementary schools	64.3%	39	75.4	71.4					66.4	56.3					58.6			$13,554	$972	$492	$1,464	$10,531	$1,559	$12,090
Seaside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	1605 Woodland Drive	Murrells Inlet	29576	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 650-3490	398	32	12.4	58.0%	313 (78.6%)	14 (3.5%)	36 (9.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (8.3%)	79.9	125^th of 661 public elementary schools	81.1%		81	107^th of 639 public elementary schools	83.3%	18	73.2	84.1					67.6	65.8					63.4			$16,330	$1,441	$404	$1,845	$12,815	$1,670	$14,484
Lakewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1675 Highway 396	Myrtle Beach	29575	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 650-6768	866	61	14.3	55.9%	536 (61.9%)	73 (8.4%)	135 (15.6%)	10 (1.2%)	5 (0.6%)	7 (0.8%)	100 (11.5%)	74.2	165^th of 661 public elementary schools	75.0%		77.2	139^th of 639 public elementary schools	78.2%	26	77.8	72.9	70.1				65.1	58.3	59.1				64.6			$14,028	$1,225	$551	$1,776	$10,759	$1,493	$12,252
Socastee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4223 Socastee Boulevard	Myrtle Beach	29588	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 650-2606	850	60	14.1	100.0%	275 (32.4%)	101 (11.9%)	406 (47.8%)	3 (0.4%)	4 (0.5%)	11 (1.3%)	50 (5.9%)	68.7	202^nd of 661 public elementary schools	69.4%		59.4	256^th of 639 public elementary schools	59.9%	54	61.1	71.8	67.2				60.2	69.5	53.2				67.3			$14,216	$1,759	$629	$2,388	$10,258	$1,570	$11,828
Forestbrook Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4000 Panthers Parkway	Myrtle Beach	29579	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 236-8100	930	60	15.5	49.6%	563 (60.5%)	72 (7.7%)	199 (21.4%)	10 (1.1%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	83 (8.9%)	80.5	120^th of 661 public elementary schools	81.8%		79.4	120^th of 639 public elementary schools	81.2%		75.8	77.4	77.0				73.5	63.9	63.0				62.0			$13,757	$1,413	$550	$1,963	$10,113	$1,681	$11,794
Palmetto Academy of Learning and Success Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	3021 Fred Nash Boulevard	Myrtle Beach	29577	Horry County	Horry 01	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 293-1725	320	22	14.5	6.2%	258 (80.6%)	10 (3.1%)	27 (8.4%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.9%)	85.4	82^nd of 661 public elementary schools	87.6%		91	43^rd of 639 public elementary schools	93.3%	39	88.8	94.3	91.0	75.0	83.4	86.7	83.4	82.9	54.6	44.5	55.5	46.7	57.1	69.5	86.7	$10,311	$775	$2,067	$2,841	$7,118	$352	$7,470
Palmetto Bays Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8900 Highway 544	Myrtle Beach	29588	Horry County	Horry 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 236-6200	556	41	13.5	100.0%	237 (42.6%)	68 (12.2%)	189 (34.0%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (9.7%)	46.1	344^th of 661 public elementary schools	48.0%		57.6	267^th of 639 public elementary schools	58.2%	77	61.8	54.4	58.8				58.4	43.2	46.3				53.1			$15,549	$2,127	$712	$2,839	$10,989	$1,721	$12,710
Bridgewater Academy Charter	Public, Charter	K-8	191 River Landing Boulevard	Myrtle Beach	29579	Horry County	Horry 01	Yes	No	No	Yes	(843) 236-3689	125	18	6.9	26.6%	51 (40.8%)	49 (39.2%)	16 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (7.2%)								(n/a)																$19,311	$2,752	$488	$3,239	$10,439	$5,633	$16,072
Pine Island Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	250 Ronald McNair Blvd.	Myrtle Beach	29579	Horry County	Horry 01	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(843) 488-8001	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	59.7	254^th of 661 public elementary schools	61.6%					(n/a)	68.8	64.5	67.7				64.3	45.4	58.1				48.7

Frequently Asked Questions about St. James Elementary

What district is St. James Elementary in?

Horry 01

How many students attend St. James Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 884 students attended St. James Elementary.

Is St. James Elementary a good school?

Yes. St. James Elementary ranks in the top 9.7% of South Carolina elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of St. James Elementary attend?

Students who attend St. James Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : St. James Intermediate
Middle : St. James Middle
High : St. James High

What is the racial makeup of St. James Elementary?

Students at St. James Elementary are 75% White, 11% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 5% African American, 2% Asian.

Rate St. James Elementary!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

SCSouth Carolina Elementary School Rankings

SCSouth Carolina District Rankings

Schools in Myrtle Beach, SC

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for St. James Elementary!

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.