Summary:
Zip code 29717 is home to a single elementary school, Hickory Grove-Sharon Elementary, which serves grades PK through 6 within the York 01 school district, offering a small, community-focused educational setting for families in the area.
For parents considering this school, the most encouraging news is its clear upward trajectory. Over the past three years, Hickory Grove-Sharon Elementary has improved its state ranking from the 34th percentile to a projected 51st percentile, signaling that the school is moving from below-average to above-average standing. This progress is supported by a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.8 and per-student spending of $14,293, which suggests smaller class sizes and adequate resources. Academically, the school shows notable strengths, particularly in 6th grade, where students outperform the district by wide margins in both English Language Arts (61.8% vs. 49.2%) and Science (49% vs. 37.3%). Third-grade ELA (64.2%) and math (56.7%) are also solid, with math nearly matching the state average.
However, there are significant concerns to weigh. The most pressing issue is chronic absenteeism, which sits at 29.4%—well above the state average of 22.3% and a major barrier to learning. Additionally, 5th-grade ELA is a stark weak point, with only 46.3% of students meeting standards compared to the state's 63.6%, a dramatic drop from other grade levels in the same subject. Math performance in 4th and 5th grades also lags behind state averages. While the school is clearly improving and excels in preparing 6th graders for middle school, parents should be aware of the absenteeism challenge and the specific 5th-grade ELA gap when evaluating this school.
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