Summary:
Zip code 29569 in Loris, South Carolina, is served by two elementary schools—Loris Elementary and Daisy Elementary—both part of the highly rated Horry 01 district, and both serving grades PK-5 with nearly identical funding and class sizes.
There is a striking academic divide between these two schools. Daisy Elementary is the clear leader, ranking in the 72nd percentile statewide (4 stars) and improving 133 spots over two years. Its 3rd-grade math proficiency (77.1%) is 18 points above the state average, and it outperforms Loris Elementary by 20-30 percentage points in most subjects. For example, 4th-grade ELA scores are 74% at Daisy versus 50% at Loris, and 4th-grade science is 61.5% versus 32.3%. Meanwhile, Loris Elementary has dropped to the 25th percentile (1 star) and shows a troubling pattern in math, with proficiency falling from 48.2% in 3rd grade to 32.1% by 5th grade. Its 4th-grade science score also plunged 16.5 points in one year.
Both schools spend about $15,400 per student and have student-teacher ratios near 13.5:1, making Daisy Elementary far more cost-effective. Chronic absenteeism is similar (19-21%) and near the district average. While Loris Elementary showed some year-over-year gains in 3rd-grade ELA, its overall trajectory is concerning. For parents, Daisy Elementary offers strong academics and rapid improvement, while Loris Elementary may need additional support, especially in upper-grade math and science. District leaders should examine what Daisy is doing differently to help close this gap.
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