Summary:
Zip code 29118 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, is served by a single elementary school, Marshall Elementary, which enrolls 625 students in grades PK-5 within the Orangeburg school district.
As the only elementary option in this area, Marshall Elementary is the focal point for local families. The school maintains a favorable student-teacher ratio of 16.1:1 and spends a substantial $13,038 per student annually. A clear strength is attendance: the chronic absenteeism rate of 17.2% is dramatically better than the district's 30.9% and even beats the state average of 22.3%. Academically, the school shows a concerning pattern in mathematics, where proficiency drops steadily from 38.1% in 3rd grade to just 26.1% in 5th grade, creating a widening gap with state averages as students advance. English Language Arts performance follows a U-shape, peaking at 49.4% in 4th grade before falling to 37.0% in 5th grade. Science proficiency improved significantly year-over-year, jumping from 26.6% to 37.1%.
For parents, the key takeaway is that Marshall Elementary is a school with strong attendance practices and some promising recent gains, but it faces persistent academic challenges. The school ranks in the bottom 10-12% of South Carolina elementary schools, though it has improved from a 0-star to a 1-star rating over the past two years. The disconnect between high per-student spending and low test scores suggests resources may not be translating into outcomes. The widening achievement gap in upper grades—particularly in math, where 5th graders trail the state by 23 points—indicates that students may need additional support as they progress. While the school's upward trajectory in state rankings and its excellent attendance record provide a foundation for improvement, parents should be aware that closing the gap with state averages will require sustained, targeted interventions, especially in mathematics.
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