Summary:
Zip code 29505 in Florence, SC, is served by four schools in the Florence 01 district, educating roughly 3,531 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades. The standout is South Florence High, which leads the area with a 93.1% graduation rate, a 0.6% dropout rate, and a 3-star rating that has improved from the 47th to the 57th percentile in two years. Its Algebra 1 proficiency (79.16%) far exceeds the state average, making it the clear academic anchor of the zip code. Southside Middle shows a notable strength in advanced math, posting a perfect 100% proficiency on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam, though its standard math scores (31-43%) lag behind, suggesting a focus on top students rather than broad success.
The two elementary schools, Greenwood Elementary and Wallace Gregg Elementary, are the weakest links academically, with rankings in the 22nd percentile or lower. Both struggle significantly in 5th-grade math—Greenwood at 26.9% and Wallace Gregg at just 18.5% proficiency, compared to the 49.1% state average. Interestingly, Wallace Gregg Elementary receives the highest per-student funding ($15,920) and has the best student-teacher ratio (10.4:1), yet posts the lowest scores, creating a resource-performance paradox. This suggests that money alone isn't solving the problem, especially given that Wallace Gregg also has a staggering 42% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly double the state average.
Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue across all four schools, ranging from 29% at Southside Middle to 32.2% at South Florence High, all exceeding the 22.3% state rate. This likely undermines academic gains, particularly at the elementary level. For parents, the picture is mixed: the high school is a proven success, the middle school excels in advanced math, but the elementary options require careful scrutiny, especially in math, and attendance issues should be a priority for any family considering this area.
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