Summary:
Zip code 29684 in Starr, South Carolina, is served by two schools within the top-ranked Anderson 03 district, covering elementary and middle school grades (PK-8) with a combined enrollment of 1,141 students, though families must travel outside the area for high school.
Starr Elementary is the clear standout, ranking in the 86th percentile statewide and maintaining a 5-star rating. Its 4th grade is exceptional, with 83% proficiency in ELA and 82.9% in math—both far above state averages—and 4th grade science proficiency hits 79.2% versus 51.6% statewide. The school consistently outperforms state averages across all subjects and grade levels, though its ranking slipped slightly from the 92nd to 86th percentile. Starr-Iva Middle is solid but trails its elementary counterpart, ranking in the 77th percentile with a 4-star rating. The middle school shows dramatic math improvements, with 8th grade jumping from 34.7% to 52.1% proficiency and 7th grade rising from 42.4% to 56.7% in just one year. It also achieved a perfect 100% proficiency on the Algebra 1 EOCEP exam, far exceeding district and state averages.
The most notable concern is chronic absenteeism at Starr-Iva Middle, where 30.2% of students are chronically absent versus 22.3% statewide—a nearly 8-point gap that may explain its lower ranking compared to Starr Elementary, which has a healthier 21.2% rate. Both schools spend about $13,000 per student, with the elementary school maintaining a slightly better student-teacher ratio (14.5:1 vs. 15.7:1). Overall, this area offers a high-quality education within a top-5 district, with an exceptional elementary school and a middle school showing strong momentum in math, though attendance remains a key area for improvement.
Thank you for your feedback!