Summary
Manchester Elementary is a public elementary school located in Pinewood, South Carolina, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 388 students. The school is part of the Sumter 01 School District, which is ranked 67 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.
Manchester Elementary consistently performs below the state and district averages in standardized test scores for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 46.9% of 3rd graders, 50% of 4th graders, and 49.4% of 5th graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state averages of 61.8%, 63.5%, and 62.5%, respectively. In Mathematics, the proficiency rates were even lower, with only 28.1% of 3rd graders, 33.3% of 4th graders, and 26.7% of 5th graders meeting or exceeding the standards, compared to the state averages of 56.3%, 53.7%, and 48.1%. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 22.5% to 35.8% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average.
When comparing Manchester Elementary to the nearby schools in the Sumter 01 district, it becomes clear that the school is underperforming. For example, Alice Drive Elementary, which is only 14 miles away, consistently outperforms Manchester Elementary in both ELA and Mathematics, with proficiency rates that are 20-30 percentage points higher. Despite the school's low performance, Manchester Elementary spends more per student ($14,260 in 2023-2024) compared to the higher-performing nearby schools, such as Millwood Elementary ($10,569 per student) and Pocalla Springs Elementary ($11,950 per student), suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be the sole solution.
Thank you for your feedback!