Libertas Academy-Boiling Springs

Libertas Academy-Boiling Springs is a public charter elementary school in Simpsonville, SC, serving 703 students in grades K-7 under the Charter Institute at Erskine, and it has climbed to a 3-star rating (66th percentile statewide) after a significant improvement from the prior year.

The most remarkable thing about this school is how well it serves students who often struggle elsewhere. For students with disabilities, Libertas Academy ranks in the 96th percentile statewide (6th out of 154 schools) with a 5-star rating—a level of success that far exceeds nearby traditional public schools like Oakview Elementary or Monarch Elementary. Similarly, its low-income students rank in the 73rd percentile, a huge jump from the prior year. The school also saw a dramatic turnaround for boys, who went from the 44th to the 72nd percentile in a single year. With a favorable 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio and higher per-pupil spending ($13,130) than nearby district schools, Libertas appears to invest heavily in targeted support. However, there are two clear concerns. First, chronic absenteeism sits at 29.9%—nearly triple the district average and higher than any nearby school, including Mauldin Elementary (26.6%). Second, while English Language Arts proficiency is solid (61-68% across grades), math proficiency drops sharply from 73.2% in 3rd grade to just 37.8% in 6th grade, lagging state averages in the middle grades.

For parents, the competitive landscape matters. Libertas sits among some of the state's top elementary schools—Monarch Elementary, Oakview Elementary, and Bell's Crossing Elementary all rank in the 90th+ percentile. In 5th grade ELA, Monarch posts a 94.7% proficiency rate versus Libertas's 62.7%. Yet Libertas offers a unique value: no nearby school comes close to its outcomes for students with IEPs or economically disadvantaged learners. If your child needs extra support, this charter may be a better fit than the higher-ranked traditional schools nearby. If your child excels in math, however, you may want to look more closely at the middle-grade curriculum.