Summary:
Zip code 29541 in Effingham, South Carolina, is served by two elementary schools—Dewey-Carter Elementary and Savannah Grove Elementary—both part of the Florence 01 district, which holds a mid-tier 3-star rating statewide.
For parents comparing the two, Dewey-Carter Elementary is currently the stronger and more stable choice. It has maintained a 3-star rating for three consecutive years, sitting around the 54th percentile statewide, while Savannah Grove Elementary dropped from a 3-star to a 2-star rating in the most recent year, falling 110 spots in the rankings. Dewey-Carter also outperforms Savannah Grove in most subjects, particularly in 3rd and 4th grade English Language Arts (71% vs. 56.6% in 3rd grade) and mathematics (64% vs. 48.9% in 3rd grade). Interestingly, Savannah Grove spends about $2,949 more per student ($16,581 vs. $13,632) and has a slightly lower student-teacher ratio (12.4:1 vs. 13.7:1), yet these advantages do not translate into better test scores—a spending paradox worth noting.
Both schools share some concerning trends. Chronic absenteeism is high at both (28.4% at Dewey-Carter and 26.8% at Savannah Grove), well above the state average of 22.3%. Fifth grade mathematics is a particular weak spot: Dewey-Carter’s proficiency collapses to just 33.7% (15 points below the state average), while Savannah Grove sits at 40.3%. However, there are bright spots—both schools match the state average in 4th grade science, and Savannah Grove’s 5th grade ELA proficiency (71.9%) actually exceeds the state average. The two schools show opposite grade-level patterns: Dewey-Carter excels early but declines by 5th grade, while Savannah Grove improves as students advance. For families, Dewey-Carter currently offers the more consistent academic record, but both schools face systemic challenges in upper-grade math and attendance that may require district-level intervention.
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