Summary:
Zip code 29105 is home to exactly one high school, Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/ High, a combined middle and high school serving grades 6 through 12 in the rural community of Monetta, South Carolina, with a total enrollment of 460 students.
As the sole high school in the area, Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/ High is the standard-bearer for the community, and its performance tells a mixed story. The school is part of the Aiken 01 district, which ranks in the middle of the pack statewide. On the positive side, the school's graduation rate of 88.2% exceeds both the district and state averages, and its student-teacher ratio of 12.4:1 is favorable. The school also shows a notable strength in Algebra 1, where 80.39% of students are proficient—well above the state average of 73.95%. However, the school's overall state ranking has dropped significantly, falling from 135th to 196th in the state over the past year, and it currently holds a 1-star rating.
The most concerning findings are in middle school mathematics and U.S. History. Eighth-grade math proficiency sits at just 19.7%, less than half the state average of 44.2%, and U.S. History proficiency is a mere 39.4% compared to the state's 62.57%. While math scores have improved dramatically year-over-year (8th grade math tripled from 5.6% to 19.7%), the starting points were so low that students are still far behind. The school also has a dropout rate of 3.3%, higher than both district and state averages, despite its solid graduation rate. On a brighter note, chronic absenteeism at 21.8% is better than the district average, and English 2 proficiency (71.43%) shows students can improve significantly during high school. For parents, this school offers a supportive environment with strong attendance and small class sizes, but targeted academic support in math and history will be essential for student success.
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