Summary:
Zip code 29702 in Blacksburg, SC, is served by four public schools within the Cherokee 01 district, enrolling roughly 1,531 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades.
The standout performer is Blacksburg High, which made a dramatic leap from the 34th to the 61st percentile in a single year, now earning a 3-star rating. It boasts a 91% graduation rate, a low 1.2% dropout rate, and exceeds state averages in English 2 and U.S. History proficiency. In contrast, Blacksburg Middle shows a puzzling dichotomy: a perfect 100% proficiency rate on the Algebra 1 exam, yet consistently below-average math scores in grades 6-8, suggesting the advanced course is reserved for a select group. Blacksburg Elementary is the only school with chronic absenteeism below the state average (19.5% vs. 22.3%), and it shows strong grade-over-grade ELA improvement, though its math scores lag. Blacksburg Primary serves the youngest students (PK-2) and has the highest per-student spending at $5,370.
Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue, with three of four schools exceeding 29%—notably Blacksburg Middle at 35.3% and Blacksburg High at 34.2%. Spending is higher at the elementary level ($5,284-$5,370) than secondary ($4,522-$4,841), which is unusual. Year-over-year data shows significant volatility, such as a 25-point drop in 4th grade math at Blacksburg Elementary and a 28.6-point gain in 7th grade math at the middle school. While the district ranks in the bottom quarter of South Carolina, Blacksburg High proves individual schools can outperform their district's overall standing, offering a model for improvement despite persistent math gaps and attendance challenges.
Thank you for your feedback!