Summary:
Zip code 29301 in Spartanburg, SC, is served by 6 schools—5 elementary schools and 1 middle school—covering grades K-8, with no high school options in the immediate area, and includes a mix of traditional district schools and charter schools.
For families in this area, GREEN Charter School Spartanburg stands out as the clear top performer, ranking in the 48th percentile statewide while spending the least per student ($9,230) and maintaining the best student-teacher ratio (11.1:1). It also has the lowest chronic absenteeism among district schools at 19.8%, and its 5th grade ELA proficiency reaches 80%. Global Academy of School offers a strong middle school alternative, with 8th grade ELA at 73.8% and 6th grade math at 51.1%, both well above state averages. In contrast, the four Spartanburg 06 schools—Fairforest Middle, West View Elementary, Arcadia Elementary, and Jesse S. Bobo Elementary—all rank in the bottom 17th percentile or lower, with Jesse S. Bobo the most concerning at the 5th percentile, 31.9% chronic absenteeism, and just 16.4% 5th grade math proficiency.
Key takeaways: spending does not equal success—the two highest-spending schools (Arcadia at $16,621 and Jesse S. Bobo at $15,903) are the lowest performers, while the charter schools deliver 2-3x better cost-efficiency. Mathematics is a universal weakness across all schools, with proficiency gaps of 20-30 points behind ELA. Both charter schools, part of Limestone Charters Association and School Public Charter School District, outperform the district schools in academics, attendance, and efficiency. All four district schools show declining state rankings over three years, suggesting systemic challenges. With no high schools in the zip code, families should plan for a transition after 8th grade.
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