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James M. Brown Elementary

Q: Is James M. Brown Elementary a good school?

James M. Brown Elementary ranks 433 rd of 661 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

433^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 661 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

James M. Brown Elementary is a PK-5 school in Walhalla, SC, serving 558 students within the Oconee 01 school district, a district that ranks in the top quarter of the state. However, this school currently performs well below its district peers, ranking in the 34th percentile statewide, while its closest neighbor, Walhalla Elementary (just 3 miles away), ranks in the 79th percentile. The school serves a high-needs population, with 100% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and it spends more per student ($16,672) than many higher-performing schools in the area, including Northside Elementary and Fair-Oak Elementary.

Academically, the gaps are most pronounced in math. For example, only 36.9% of 3rd graders and 34.8% of 5th graders are proficient in math, compared to district averages of 60.8% and 52.5%, respectively. English Language Arts scores are also below average, though the gap is smaller. Despite these challenges, there is a clear story of improvement. The school’s overall rank has climbed from the 23rd percentile in 2024-2025 to the 34th percentile in 2025-2026, with notable gains in 4th-grade math (from 35.7% to 51.3% proficiency) and 4th-grade ELA (from 43.4% to 60.8%). The school also shows relative strength with its low-income students, ranking in the 46th percentile for that subgroup, which is better than its overall performance.

One growing concern is chronic absenteeism, which has risen from 16.8% in 2022-2023 to 22.3% in 2024-2025—now matching the state average but significantly higher than nearby Walhalla Elementary (13.7%) and Tamassee-Salem Elementary (15.9%). The school has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 10.5:1 and higher-than-average spending, yet results have not yet caught up to its peers. The positive trajectory suggests recent interventions may be working, but sustaining that momentum while addressing absenteeism will be key to closing the achievement gap with neighboring schools.

558

Students ?

10.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,672

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

225 Coffee Road
Walhalla, SC 29691

(864) 886-4470

District: Oconee 01

Students who attend James M. Brown Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Walhalla Middle
High:	Walhalla High

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.7%

Hispanic:

34.1%

African American:

3.2%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare James M. Brown Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 32nd percentile in 2016 → 34th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 10 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (48% vs 58% meeting standards)

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

!Mathematics scores 13 pts below the South Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg61%

South Carolina avg58%

433^rd of 661

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▲ up 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

10^th of 10Elementary Schools in the Oconee 01

18^th of 75Oconee 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	34.1	433 of 661	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	25.2	490 of 639	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.1	437 of 643	32.0%	★★☆☆☆
2023	30.3	446 of 644	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	29.8	441 of 625	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.3	475 of 622	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.7	482 of 643	25.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	26.6	467 of 624	25.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	29.9	459 of 639	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	34.9	418 of 619	32.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	35.4	431 of 638	32.4%	★★☆☆☆
2014	45.2	380 of 630	39.7%	★★☆☆☆
2013	32.8	453 of 599	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	33.5	445 of 594	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	28.8	478 of 597	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	26.0	492 of 589	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	34.7	419 of 580	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	51.6	316 of 577	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	60.8	230 of 566	59.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	66.9	186 of 559	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2005	68.3	176 of 557	68.4%	★★★☆☆
2004	67.2	176 of 550	68.0%	★★★☆☆
2003	58.3	240 of 542	55.7%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	58.3	54 of 143	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.1	79 of 174	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	24.6	121 of 151	19.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.9	102 of 122	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	21.8	161 of 189	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	23.3	133 of 161	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	37.3	65 of 106	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	26.2	82 of 104	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.2	76 of 79	3.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	23.9	65 of 84	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	29.5	62 of 84	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	18.3	89 of 104	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	18.9	73 of 82	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	32.1	411 of 599	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2025	24.2	454 of 580	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	41.6	346 of 568	39.1%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.6	363 of 580	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2022	37.8	363 of 573	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	22.4	438 of 554	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.3	461 of 588	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	25.9	439 of 570	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	33.4	114 of 159	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	16.1	142 of 156	9.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.1	106 of 114	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	15.5	103 of 115	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	23.9	94 of 115	18.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	27.5	66 of 86	23.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.5	99 of 116	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	14.4	95 of 104	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	46.6	342 of 634	46.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	32.0	436 of 612	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	43.0	352 of 602	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.8	396 of 608	34.9%	★★☆☆☆
2022	35.3	400 of 600	33.3%	★★☆☆☆
2021	26.7	440 of 580	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.8	474 of 600	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	32.9	416 of 588	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	34.8	395 of 591	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	25.5	444 of 585	24.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	21.8	454 of 571	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.9	467 of 582	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.8	459 of 579	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	21.6	437 of 561	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.6	430 of 590	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	28.7	417 of 571	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	22.4	382 of 463	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.9	397 of 459	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.3	356 of 446	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	19.0	394 of 463	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.3	408 of 455	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	6.9	425 of 439	3.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	12.0	440 of 472	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	13.8	427 of 457	6.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Disabled (2024)62nd percentile+30 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)46th percentile+12 vs school

English Language Learner (2026)39th percentile+4 vs school

Male (2026)33rd percentile~ school

Female (2026)31st percentile-3 vs school

Hispanic (2026)28th percentile-6 vs school

White (2026)17th percentile-17 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts55%-9 vs state

Science49%-3 vs state

Mathematics41%-13 vs state

★

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Schools Near James M. Brown 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 (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 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
James M. Brown Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	225 Coffee Road	Walhalla	29691	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 886-4470	558	53	10.5	100.0%	333 (59.7%)	18 (3.2%)	190 (34.1%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	12 (2.2%)	34.1	433^rd of 661 public elementary schools	34.5%		25.2	490^th of 639 public elementary schools	23.3%	57	52.3	60.8	52.1	36.9	51.3	34.8	48.6	$16,672	$1,910	$307	$2,217	$12,571	$1,883	$14,454
Walhalla Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	508 Fowler Road	West Union	29696	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4480	612	45	13.6	65.3%	471 (77.0%)	8 (1.3%)	111 (18.1%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.1%)	77.8	136^th of 661 public elementary schools	79.4%		76.3	147^th of 639 public elementary schools	77.0%	11	74.7	77.6	72.7	62.6	71.3	69.8	57.5	$14,023	$650	$382	$1,032	$11,169	$1,822	$12,991
Westminster Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	206 Hamilton Street	Westminster	29693	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 886-4520	385	36	10.6	75.1%	332 (86.2%)	12 (3.1%)	32 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	46.4	340^th of 661 public elementary schools	48.6%		61.7	244^th of 639 public elementary schools	61.8%	96	67.6	55.7	69.1	61.5	37.1	50.9	34.3	$16,331	$1,298	$404	$1,701	$12,351	$2,279	$14,630
Orchard Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	600 Toccoa Highway	Westminster	29693	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 886-4515	360	38	9.4	100.0%	314 (87.2%)	17 (4.7%)	21 (5.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.7%)	70	193^rd of 661 public elementary schools	70.8%		63	236^th of 639 public elementary schools	63.1%	43	73.9	74.4	60.0	65.2	58.2	61.4	67.5	$16,612	$2,424	$413	$2,838	$11,650	$2,124	$13,774
Keowee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7051 Keowee School Road	Seneca	29672	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4475	305	28	10.8	60.4%	267 (87.5%)	5 (1.6%)	21 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	82.4	107^th of 661 public elementary schools	83.8%		82.8	98^th of 639 public elementary schools	84.7%	9	78.0	71.4	77.6	78.0	67.4	74.1	59.2	$14,852	$1,007	$310	$1,317	$11,262	$2,273	$13,535
Northside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	710 North Townville Street	Seneca	29678	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4445	616	49	12.4	68.3%	342 (55.5%)	117 (19.0%)	93 (15.1%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (9.3%)	65.4	220^th of 661 public elementary schools	66.7%		60.6	249^th of 639 public elementary schools	61.0%	29	70.1	68.8	68.3	60.8	60.5	44.9	64.6	$13,983	$404	$286	$690	$11,413	$1,880	$13,293
Tamassee-Salem Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9950 North Highway 11	Tamassee	29686	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4540	204	18	11.2	75.1%	176 (86.3%)	3 (1.5%)	16 (7.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.4%)	72.4	174^th of 661 public elementary schools	73.7%		48	319^th of 639 public elementary schools	50.1%	145	77.5	79.2	62.5	64.6	70.8	46.9	75.0	$19,609	$1,339	$349	$1,688	$15,560	$2,361	$17,921
Blue Ridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	995 South Oak Street	Seneca	29678	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(864) 886-4550	579	52	11.1	100.0%	260 (44.9%)	123 (21.2%)	103 (17.8%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	85 (14.7%)	45.6	348^th of 661 public elementary schools	47.4%		34.4	420^th of 639 public elementary schools	34.3%	72	67.8	56.0	57.3	53.6	44.0	45.3	50.0	$16,602	$2,670	$344	$3,014	$11,452	$2,136	$13,588
Ravenel Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	150 Ravenel School Road	Seneca	29678	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4450	530	41	12.9	73.0%	298 (56.2%)	122 (23.0%)	53 (10.0%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	48 (9.1%)	71.3	182^nd of 661 public elementary schools	72.5%		63.7	233^rd of 639 public elementary schools	63.5%	51	78.6	68.4	66.0	74.2	65.8	54.2	55.7	$14,435	$689	$294	$983	$11,304	$2,148	$13,452
Fair-Oak Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1964 Oakway Road	Westminster	29693	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4505	583	47	12.4	74.5%	496 (85.1%)	11 (1.9%)	39 (6.7%)	2 (0.3%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (5.3%)	56.8	267^th of 661 public elementary schools	59.6%		61.9	242^nd of 639 public elementary schools	62.1%	25	64.1	71.2	52.1	64.1	57.8	40.4	62.2	$13,935	$828	$290	$1,117	$10,953	$1,865	$12,818

Frequently Asked Questions about James M. Brown Elementary

How many students attend James M. Brown Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 558 students attended James M. Brown Elementary.

Is James M. Brown Elementary a good school?

James M. Brown Elementary ranks 433^rd of 661 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of James M. Brown Elementary?

Students at James M. Brown Elementary are 60% White, 34% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of James M. Brown Elementary attend?

Students who attend James M. Brown Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Walhalla Middle
High : Walhalla High

What district is James M. Brown Elementary in?

Oconee 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.