Summary:
Zip code 29646 in Greenwood, SC, is served by a single public high school, Emerald High, which enrolls 887 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the Greenwood 50 school district.
For parents considering Emerald High, the most encouraging news is a dramatic improvement in its state ranking, jumping from a 1-star rating (179th of 235 schools) in 2024-2025 to a 3-star rating (124th of 245 schools) in 2025-2026. This leap is driven by strong test score gains, particularly in English. Proficiency in English 2 reached 84%, slightly above the state average, while English 1 scores improved from 49% to nearly 60% in just one year. The school also boasts an exceptionally low dropout rate of just 0.5%, far better than the state's 2.1% average. However, there are areas of concern. The graduation rate of 81.7% trails both the district (83.8%) and state (86.7%) averages, creating a paradox where students stay enrolled but many do not finish on time. Additionally, chronic absenteeism sits at 23.6%, slightly above the state average, meaning nearly one in four students misses substantial instructional time despite not dropping out.
Academically, the school shows a clear strength in language arts but struggles in social studies, with U.S. History proficiency at 53.4% versus the state's 62.6%. With a student-teacher ratio of 16.6:1 and per-student spending of $16,305, resources are moderate, yet they have not translated into above-average graduation outcomes. The lack of free/reduced lunch data makes it difficult to fully assess the socioeconomic context, but the combination of rising test scores, a very low dropout rate, and persistent absenteeism suggests a school that is improving academically while still facing challenges in keeping all students consistently engaged and on track to graduate.
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