Summary:
Zip code 29321 in Buffalo, SC, is served by a single school, Buffalo Elementary, a PK-5 institution within the Union 01 district that enrolls 483 students.
For parents considering this area, Buffalo Elementary is the only educational option, so understanding its strengths and challenges is crucial. The school has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.4:1 and spends a substantial $14,327 per student, yet academic proficiency lags significantly behind state averages across all subjects and grade levels. For example, 3rd grade ELA proficiency is 43.3% versus 64.1% statewide, and 5th grade math proficiency is just 17.9% compared to 49.1% statewide. The school's state ranking has declined over three years, from the 10th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 6th percentile in 2025-2026, and it currently holds a 0-star rating. A notable bright spot is the school's remarkable 0.0% chronic absenteeism rate, which far exceeds the district (22.8%) and state (22.3%) averages, indicating that attendance is not a barrier to learning here.
One of the most concerning trends is the dramatic decline in 5th grade performance, with ELA proficiency dropping from 43.9% to 25.4% in a single year, suggesting possible instructional gaps or a challenging cohort. Additionally, the math achievement gap widens as students progress, reaching a 31.2 percentage point deficit by 5th grade. The only area where the school meets or exceeds district performance is 4th grade science (32.5% vs. 31.7% district), though it remains below the state average. Given the strong attendance and adequate resources, the persistent low achievement points to a need for targeted instructional interventions, particularly in mathematics and upper-elementary transition support, to reverse the school's declining trajectory.
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