Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 29307

Zip code 29307 in Spartanburg, SC, is home to three elementary schools serving grades PK-5: Drayton Mills Elementary, Jesse Boyd Elementary, and Cannons Elementary, with enrollments ranging from 389 to 810 students across two different districts.

Cannons Elementary stands out as the academic leader, achieving the highest proficiency rates in math (70.2%) and science (62.1%) while tying for the top ELA score (71.1%) with Jesse Boyd Elementary. Despite having the smallest enrollment, Cannons spends the most per student ($18,776) and has earned 4-star ratings for three consecutive years. Jesse Boyd Elementary offers the best value, matching Cannons in ELA while spending $4,469 less per student and maintaining the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (13.3%)—less than half of Drayton Mills Elementary's 30.0%. Drayton Mills Elementary, the largest school, trails significantly in all academic areas, with particular concern in 5th-grade math where only 38.5% of students are proficient—26.6 points below Cannons.

District affiliation plays a notable role: Spartanburg 03, which includes Cannons, ranks 10th of 75 districts in SC, while Spartanburg 07, home to Drayton Mills and Jesse Boyd, ranks 33rd. However, the gap between Jesse Boyd and Drayton Mills—14 points in ELA and 9.3 points in math—shows school-level factors matter as much as district resources. All three schools show positive momentum, with Drayton Mills making the largest improvement (37th to 47th percentile), Cannons rising to the 79th percentile, and Jesse Boyd holding steady in the 70th percentile. For parents, Cannons offers the strongest overall academics, Jesse Boyd provides excellent efficiency and attendance, while Drayton Mills presents challenges but shows recent progress worth monitoring.