Summary:
Zip code 29646 in Greenwood, South Carolina, is home to three elementary schools—Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary, Mathews Elementary, and Woodfields Elementary—all serving grades PK through 5 within the Greenwood 50 district, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the top 21% of South Carolina districts.
For parents, the standout choice is Mathews Elementary, which leads the group with a state rank of 108th (83rd percentile) and 4-star status. Its 2025-2026 ELA proficiency averages 84.7%, and its 4th grade Science score of 84% is more than 30 points above the state average. Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Elementary offers solid, consistent performance (69th percentile, 3 stars) with strong 3rd grade results, but its 4th grade Math proficiency dropped 19 points to 41.7%, and it operates with a higher student-teacher ratio (15.1) and lower spending per student ($13,765). Woodfields Elementary (66th percentile, 3 stars) shows the most volatility, with 4th grade Math falling to 42.1% and the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 21.7%, despite receiving nearly identical funding to Mathews.
Key takeaways: spending does not guarantee results—Mathews and Woodfields spend similarly ($19,054 vs. $18,849 per student), yet Mathews outperforms Woodfields across nearly every subject. Chronic absenteeism inversely tracks performance, with the two lower-absenteeism schools ranking higher. All three schools beat state averages in most categories, but the district-wide 4th grade Math dip (two of three schools dropped 15-19 points) suggests a systemic issue worth investigating. Mathews also shows a concerning decline by 5th grade, with Math proficiency falling to 50%. Overall, this zip code offers above-average elementary options, with Mathews as the clear academic leader.
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