Summary:
Zip code 29107, encompassing the Neeses area of South Carolina, is served by a single elementary school, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary, which educates students in grades PK through 5 within the Orangeburg school district.
For parents, the most important takeaway is that Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary is a small school (179 students) that has shown dramatic improvement but still faces significant academic hurdles. The school has climbed from being ranked 637th out of 638 schools in the state (essentially last) in 2023-2024 to 585th out of 649 (10th percentile) in 2025-2026. While this is a remarkable turnaround, it means the school remains in the bottom 10% of South Carolina elementary schools. Test scores reveal a clear pattern: 3rd-grade students perform notably better than their older peers. For example, in the most recent year, 3rd-grade math proficiency was 46.2%, but that plummeted to just 19.4% in 4th grade and 26.0% in 5th grade. Similarly, ELA proficiency drops from 53.8% in 3rd grade to around 33% in 4th and 5th grades. This suggests a strong early-elementary foundation that struggles to carry through to upper grades.
Financially, the school spends a substantial $17,684 per student, well above state and national averages, yet this high investment has not yet translated into high achievement. A major concern is chronic absenteeism, with 25.4% of students missing significant school days—higher than the state average of 22.3%. This attendance issue is likely a key driver of the low test scores. In summary, Hunter-Kinard-Tyler Elementary is a school on an upward trajectory, but parents should be aware that it still has a long way to go, particularly in supporting students through the 4th and 5th-grade transition and tackling chronic absenteeism.
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