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Gadsden Elementary

Public Grades PK, KG-5

Summary

Gadsden Elementary is a public elementary school in Gadsden, South Carolina, serving 132 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Richland 01 school district, which is ranked 53 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Gadsden Elementary has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (90.91%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 63.54% to 82.8% African American students. The school consistently underperforms the Richland 01 district and the state of South Carolina in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 36.3% of 3rd graders and 28.5% of 5th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 45.2% and 45.8% for the district, and 53.8% and 55.7% for the state, respectively. Despite a relatively low student-teacher ratio and high per-student spending, Gadsden Elementary's performance has declined over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 263 out of 630 schools in 2013-2014 to 576 out of 638 schools in 2023-2024.

While the surrounding schools in the Richland 01 district, such as South Kilbourne Elementary, Meadowfield Elementary, and Annie Burnside Elementary, also struggle academically, Gadsden Elementary consistently performs worse than these schools, suggesting that there may be unique challenges or factors contributing to the school's underperformance. The school's 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating that all students come from low-income households, may be a contributing factor to the school's academic struggles.

133

Students ?

8.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$38,976

Per pupil spending ?

100%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1660 South Goodwin Circle
Gadsden, SC 29052

(803) 353-2231

District: Richland 01

Students who attend Gadsden Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Southeast Middle
High:	Lower Richland High

Racial breakdown:

African American:

91.0%

White:

4.5%

Two or more races:

3.8%

See top rated South Carolina public schools

Compare Gadsden Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2013 → 10th in 2024

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 9 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the South Carolina average (28% vs 52% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 62 percentile points since 2013

!Mathematics scores 27 pts below the South Carolina average

Students meeting standards (2023-2024) ?

This school28%

District avg43%

South Carolina avg52%

Not ranked this year

Gadsden Elementary did not have enough recent test-score data to be ranked. Check the trend below for past years.

52^nd of 75Richland 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
2024	12.0	576 of 638	9.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	14.0	567 of 644	12.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.7	487 of 625	22.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.0	445 of 643	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2018	13.6	564 of 624	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	27.1	475 of 639	25.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	33.4	434 of 619	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2015	24.8	523 of 638	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	60.0	263 of 630	58.3%	★★★☆☆
2013	69.4	169 of 599	71.8%	★★★★☆
2012	55.6	294 of 594	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	52.8	316 of 597	47.1%	★★☆☆☆
2010	58.4	256 of 589	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	86.9	40 of 580	93.1%	★★★★★
2008	71.0	143 of 577	75.2%	★★★★☆
2007	37.4	404 of 566	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	19.4	495 of 559	11.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	32.8	412 of 557	26.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	30.9	418 of 550	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2003	23.5	454 of 542	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	28.8	288 of 369	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	65.7	121 of 421	71.3%	★★★★☆
2018	32.2	314 of 412	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	21.0	507 of 608	16.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	30.5	431 of 600	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	45.5	346 of 600	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	15.3	548 of 588	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

African American (2024)22nd percentile+12 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2023)17th percentile+5 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2023-2024) ?

English Language Arts32%-22 vs state

Mathematics23%-27 vs state

★

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Schools Near Gadsden Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SC READY English Language Arts (2025)						SC READY Mathematics (2025)						SC READY Science (2025)		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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Gadsden Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1660 South Goodwin Circle	Gadsden	29052	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 353-2231	133	15	8.8		6 (4.5%)	121 (91.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.8%)								(n/a)															$38,976	$4,017	$1,824	$5,842	$28,572	$4,562	$33,134
Webber School	Public	PK, KG-5	140 Webber School Road	Eastover	29044	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 353-8771	209	21	10.1		28 (13.4%)	139 (66.5%)	15 (7.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (12.9%)	47.6	323^rd of 640 public elementary schools	49.5%		35.8	407^th of 638 public elementary schools	36.2%	84	58.8	69.0	62.0				50.0	55.1	27.5				44.8		$27,762	$3,778	$1,592	$5,370	$18,470	$3,921	$22,391
Hopkins Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	6120 Cabin Creek Road	Hopkins	29061	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 783-5541	284	23	12.6		21 (7.4%)	234 (82.4%)	14 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (5.3%)	46.8	328^th of 640 public elementary schools	48.8%		59.5	255^th of 638 public elementary schools	60.0%	73	56.0	53.7	69.3				48.0	51.2	66.7				26.8		$27,792	$3,418	$1,566	$4,985	$19,870	$2,938	$22,808
Horrell Hill Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	517 Horrell Hill Road	Hopkins	29061	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 783-5545	565	37	15.2		71 (12.6%)	351 (62.1%)	100 (17.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.3%)	23.3	503^rd of 640 public elementary schools	21.4%		23	495^th of 638 public elementary schools	22.4%	8	41.3	42.9	55.2				37.5	24.7	44.8				33.8		$18,359	$1,989	$1,236	$3,224	$12,680	$2,454	$15,134
Sandy Run School	Public	PK, KG-8	450 Old Swamp Road	Swansea	29160	Calhoun County	Calhoun 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 655-2746	559	45	12.5		304 (54.4%)	211 (37.7%)	32 (5.7%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	25.4	487^th of 640 public elementary schools	23.9%		25.3	481^st of 638 public elementary schools	24.6%	6	51.8	48.3	41.5	50.0	45.9	46.7	30.3	25.9	26.5	44.4	26.3	17.7	39.7	26.0	$16,927	$1,849	$438	$2,286	$12,014	$2,626	$14,640
Mill Creek Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	925 Universal Drive	Columbia	29209	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 783-5553	353	23	15.3		10 (2.8%)	319 (90.4%)	7 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.2%)	11.5	587^th of 640 public elementary schools	8.3%		26.3	472^nd of 638 public elementary schools	26.0%	115	40.4	34.1	49.1				28.1	23.4	25.5				21.3		$20,636	$1,533	$1,784	$3,317	$14,355	$2,964	$17,319
Caughman Road Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7725 Caughman Road	Columbia	29209	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 783-5534	715	53	13.4		75 (10.5%)	466 (65.2%)	91 (12.7%)	17 (2.4%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.6%)	61 (8.5%)	21.5	519^th of 640 public elementary schools	18.9%		19	531^st of 638 public elementary schools	16.8%	12	54.2	51.9	44.9				54.1	24.8	19.8				19.1		$18,150	$1,820	$1,179	$3,000	$12,765	$2,385	$15,150
Annie Burnside Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	7300 Patterson Road	Columbia	29209	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 783-5530	306	22	13.9		12 (3.9%)	234 (76.5%)	21 (6.9%)	9 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	28 (9.2%)	55.3	273^rd of 640 public elementary schools	57.3%		31.5	435^th of 638 public elementary schools	31.8%	162	59.5	76.6	61.5				45.2	46.8	40.4				68.0		$21,729	$2,670	$1,285	$3,955	$15,150	$2,623	$17,773
St. Matthews K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	135 Saints Avenue	Saint Matthews	29135	Calhoun County	Calhoun 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 655-2750	509	42	12.1		76 (14.9%)	375 (73.7%)	49 (9.6%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	24	499^th of 640 public elementary schools	22.0%		19.5	528^th of 638 public elementary schools	17.2%	29	57.6	42.2	48.3	50.0	52.1	53.4	37.3	33.3	17.2	32.6	8.3	18.9	28.9	30.5	$18,017	$2,279	$584	$2,863	$12,446	$2,708	$15,155
Meadowfield Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	525 Galway Lane	Columbia	29209	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 738-5549	615	42	14.6		120 (19.5%)	361 (58.7%)	73 (11.9%)	11 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (8.1%)	37.2	398^th of 640 public elementary schools	37.8%		23.8	492^nd of 638 public elementary schools	22.9%	94	62.5	49.5	60.9				51.9	39.1	34.1				34.5		$18,615	$1,846	$1,229	$3,076	$13,091	$2,448	$15,540

Frequently Asked Questions about Gadsden Elementary

What schools do graduates of Gadsden Elementary attend?

Students who attend Gadsden Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Southeast Middle
High : Lower Richland High

What district is Gadsden Elementary in?

Richland 01

How many students attend Gadsden Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 133 students attended Gadsden Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Gadsden Elementary?

Students at Gadsden Elementary are 91% African American, 5% White, 4% Two or more races.

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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.