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Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle

Q: Is Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle a good school?

Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle ranks 321 st of 661 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-8

321^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 661 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 51% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle in Gray Court, SC, is a PK-8 school serving 623 students in the Laurens 55 district, where 100% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. The school has shown a strong upward trajectory, improving from a 2-star to a 3-star rating and jumping from the 35th to 51st percentile statewide over the past three years. This is particularly impressive given the high-poverty student body, with low-income students now performing in the 58th percentile statewide—a dramatic leap from the 31st percentile just two years ago.

One of the school's standout strengths is science achievement. In 4th grade, 66.7% of students scored proficient in science, far exceeding both the district (39.4%) and state (51.6%) averages. The middle school grades (6-8) also consistently outperform district peers in math by wide margins—for example, 6th grade math proficiency is 40.6% versus the district's 24.4%. The school has also made remarkable progress in reducing chronic absenteeism, dropping from 25.7% to 13.1%—better than both the district (17.7%) and state (22.3%) averages. Compared to Waterloo Elementary, the district's highest-performing school, Hickory Tavern shows more consistent performance across grade levels rather than dramatic swings.

However, there are notable equity challenges. Female students rank in the 42nd percentile while male students rank in the 56th, a gap that has persisted and widened over three years. Additionally, the school's overall success masks significant differences in outcomes for different student groups. The school spends $14,926 per student with a favorable 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio, and its efficient resource use delivers better results than some higher-spending district schools like Ford Elementary and E. B. Morse Elementary. With continued focus on closing these gaps, Hickory Tavern's positive momentum suggests it could become a consistently above-average school.

623

Students ?

12.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,047

Per pupil spending ?

60.5%

Directly certified for free meals (2023-24) ?

All students receive free meals (Community Eligibility, 2023-24)

163 Neely Ferry Road
Gray Court, SC 29645

(864) 575-2126

District: Laurens 55

Students who attend Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle usually attend:

High:

Laurens District 55 High

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.1%

African American:

6.9%

Hispanic:

6.1%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 48th percentile in 2016 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the South Carolina median (51st percentile)

Worth a look

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school50%

District avg41%

South Carolina avg54%

Elementary school

321^st of 661

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 49%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 48% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

181^st of 341

South Carolina public middle schools ?

Bottom 47%▼ down 19 pts since 2016

From top 34% (2016) to bottom 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 6Elementary Schools in the Laurens 55

60^th of 75Laurens 55 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	49.5	321 of 661	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2025	40.7	370 of 639	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.4	421 of 643	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	50.1	313 of 644	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.2	274 of 625	56.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	37.5	388 of 622	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.5	387 of 643	39.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	44.9	336 of 624	46.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	49.8	315 of 639	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	48.5	324 of 619	47.7%	★★☆☆☆
2015	48.6	322 of 638	49.5%	★★☆☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	60.7	58 of 189	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.2	79 of 161	50.9%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.5	349 of 599	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	29.0	418 of 580	27.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.4	440 of 568	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	51.7	280 of 580	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	54.9	255 of 573	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	32.2	370 of 554	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	33.4	414 of 588	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	38.4	364 of 570	36.1%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	55.5	274 of 634	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.8	318 of 612	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.2	416 of 602	30.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	57.2	241 of 608	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.0	198 of 600	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	45.3	319 of 580	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.9	335 of 600	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.4	290 of 588	50.7%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	55.4	262 of 591	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.4	288 of 585	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	46.5	308 of 571	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	46.0	307 of 582	47.3%	★★☆☆☆
2022	51.3	286 of 579	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	39.7	337 of 561	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	47.3	318 of 590	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.5	287 of 571	49.7%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	25.8	363 of 463	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.8	417 of 459	9.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	14.9	406 of 446	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	22.8	384 of 463	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	27.5	347 of 455	23.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.4	399 of 439	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	16.5	417 of 472	11.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	22.3	369 of 457	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	44.6	181 of 341	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	38.0	194 of 321	39.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	34.2	209 of 322	35.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	36.4	202 of 325	37.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.8	174 of 310	43.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	30.5	212 of 311	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	36.6	202 of 315	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	42.1	169 of 303	44.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	59.7	116 of 317	63.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	63.5	102 of 303	66.3%	★★★☆☆
2015	60.2	96 of 301	68.1%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2019	60.7	48 of 195	75.4%	★★★★☆
2018	46.2	98 of 194	49.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	41.7	180 of 310	41.9%	★★☆☆☆
2025	28.9	218 of 295	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	37.9	184 of 293	37.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	41.2	174 of 299	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	40.0	167 of 290	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	31.1	188 of 279	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.3	179 of 296	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.2	138 of 281	50.9%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.2	159 of 325	51.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	46.3	151 of 308	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	40.8	178 of 304	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.3	159 of 313	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2022	46.5	143 of 300	52.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	38.7	169 of 288	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	42.5	165 of 289	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	49.6	129 of 280	53.9%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.0	160 of 310	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	46.5	154 of 298	48.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	29.6	211 of 292	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	30.6	211 of 303	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	42.9	156 of 292	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.7	194 of 279	30.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	32.8	202 of 296	31.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	36.7	186 of 284	34.5%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	21.7	222 of 271	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	11.4	241 of 259	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	11.2	237 of 256	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	13.1	240 of 260	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.9	205 of 249	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	11.7	224 of 244	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	15.0	235 of 258	8.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.8	202 of 250	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆

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)

Elementary school

Disabled (2019)69th percentile+29 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)57th percentile+5 vs school

Male (2026)56th percentile+4 vs school

Female (2026)42nd percentile-10 vs school

White (2026)22nd percentile-30 vs school

Middle school

Disabled (2019)75th percentile+40 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)51st percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)48th percentile~ school

Female (2026)42nd percentile-5 vs school

White (2026)18th percentile-29 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

Science62%+10 vs state

English Language Arts54%-7 vs state

Mathematics42%-6 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Monday, April 29, 2019

Love this school! Teachers are very caring and supportive! Close Quote

Schools Near Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle

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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 (2026)
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	Directly certified (2023-24)	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
Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	163 Neely Ferry Road	Gray Court	29645	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 575-2126	623	51	12.2	60.5%	530 (85.1%)	43 (6.9%)	38 (6.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	49.5	321^st of 661 public elementary schools	51.4%		40.7	370^th of 639 public elementary schools	42.1%	49	60.0	65.1	52.1	48.5	51.5	49.3	49.1	53.9	37.7	40.6	42.5	30.8	66.7	57.8	$16,047	$1,713	$425	$2,138	$11,228	$2,681	$13,909
Ware Shoals Primary	Public	PK, KG-4	15269 Indian Mound Road	Ware Shoals	29692	Greenwood County	Greenwood 51	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 861-2261	385	29	13.2	69.0%	276 (71.7%)	54 (14.0%)	22 (5.7%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.5%)	35.7	425^th of 661 public elementary schools	35.7%		33.8	428^th of 639 public elementary schools	33.0%	3	57.7	61.9					40.9	44.4					42.9		$13,461	$1,460	$302	$1,761	$9,631	$2,069	$11,700
Gray Court-Owings Elementary/Middle	Public	PK, KG-8	9210 Highway 14	Gray Court	29645	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 876-2131	715	68	10.5	69.9%	379 (53.0%)	117 (16.4%)	176 (24.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	8 (1.1%)	33 (4.6%)	30.5	455^th of 661 public elementary schools	31.2%		16.6	553^rd of 639 public elementary schools	13.5%	98	58.7	48.0	38.9	37.5	49.3	44.1	62.7	44.0	31.9	23.4	19.7	30.8	46.6	37.5	$16,344	$1,399	$527	$1,926	$11,733	$2,686	$14,419
Laurens Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Henry Street	Laurens	29360	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 984-3067	465	45	10.3	68.5%	212 (45.6%)	183 (39.4%)	53 (11.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.2%)	20.2	534^th of 661 public elementary schools	19.2%		17.1	547^th of 639 public elementary schools	14.4%	13	50.0	53.5	54.4				34.4	36.7	26.5				23.9		$16,358	$1,722	$413	$2,135	$11,433	$2,790	$14,223
E. B. Morse Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Parkview Drive	Laurens	29360	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 984-7777	447	37	12.0	79.4%	164 (36.7%)	240 (53.7%)	28 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.7%)	20.5	533^rd of 661 public elementary schools	19.4%		24.1	496^th of 639 public elementary schools	22.4%	37	58.0	43.7	37.7				43.6	32.4	39.6				26.8		$15,877	$1,733	$459	$2,192	$10,947	$2,737	$13,685
Fork Shoals School	Public	PK, KG-5	916 McKelvey Road	Pelzer	29669	Anderson County	Greenville 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 355-5000	747	49	15.3	44.6%	522 (69.9%)	78 (10.4%)	89 (11.9%)	10 (1.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.2%)	53	292^nd of 661 public elementary schools	55.8%		62.2	240^th of 639 public elementary schools	62.4%	52	66.9	54.1	70.2				53.2	46.8	50.3				54.4		$12,493	$515	$469	$984	$10,689	$820	$11,509
Ford Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Lucas Avenue	Laurens	29360	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 984-3986	423	42	10.0	84.0%	121 (28.6%)	93 (22.0%)	186 (44.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (5.4%)	13.6	600^th of 661 public elementary schools	9.2%		8.5	612^th of 639 public elementary schools	4.2%	12	42.2	40.0	43.4				35.9	28.4	39.1				25.0		$16,194	$1,720	$479	$2,199	$11,298	$2,696	$13,995
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	59.4%	466 (44.2%)	356 (33.7%)	146 (13.8%)	7 (0.7%)	4 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	75 (7.1%)	68.8	200^th of 661 public elementary schools	69.7%		74.6	161^st of 639 public elementary schools	74.8%	39	74.7	69.0	70.4				67.6	49.5	52.5				65.5		$11,102	$537	$496	$1,032	$9,352	$717	$10,069
Honea Path Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	806 East Greer Street	Honea Path	29654	Anderson County	Anderson 02	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 369-7612	571	41	13.9	69.2%	403 (70.6%)	90 (15.8%)	22 (3.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	54 (9.5%)	62.4	242^nd of 661 public elementary schools	63.4%		69.9	196^th of 639 public elementary schools	69.3%	46	58.8	65.9	70.5				67.0	61.4	59.2				48.9		$14,140	$1,446	$676	$2,123	$10,554	$1,463	$12,017
Waterloo Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	10457 Highway 221 South	Waterloo	29384	Laurens County	Laurens 55	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 677-5610	254	30	8.5	82.5%	186 (73.2%)	39 (15.4%)	10 (3.9%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.7%)	63.7	233^rd of 661 public elementary schools	64.8%		66.5	214^th of 639 public elementary schools	66.5%	19	53.8	87.1	78.3				51.9	83.9	65.2				58.1		$18,372	$1,623	$495	$2,118	$12,900	$3,354	$16,254

Frequently Asked Questions about Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle

How many students attend Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle?

In the 2024-25 school year, 623 students attended Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle.

What is the racial makeup of Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle?

Students at Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle are 85% White, 7% African American, 6% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

Is Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle a good school?

Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle ranks 321^st of 661 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle attend?

Students who attend Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle usually go on to attend:

High : Laurens District 55 High

What district is Hickory Tavern Elementary/Middle in?

Laurens 55

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 school spending dataNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNewOct 12, 2026

2025–26 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresAug 10, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataNov 3, 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.