Best Public Schools in Zip Code 29351

The 29351 zip code in South Carolina has only one public elementary school, Joanna Woodson Elementary, which serves grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 300 students. The school is part of the Laurens 56 school district, which is ranked 38 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Joanna Woodson Elementary has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 12:1, the school's academic performance appears to be underperforming compared to district and state averages. The school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics are generally lower than the Laurens 56 district and the state of South Carolina. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school's 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate was 51.7%, compared to 58.4% for the district and 61.8% for the state. The school also has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 22.5%, which is significantly higher than the state's target of 10% or less.

Additionally, Joanna Woodson Elementary serves a highly economically disadvantaged population, with 100% of its students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. This socioeconomic factor may be contributing to the school's academic challenges and could require targeted interventions and support to help students overcome these barriers to learning. Despite the relatively high spending per student of $16,674, the school's underperformance suggests that the resources may not be effectively translating into improved academic outcomes for the students.