Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 29801

Zip code 29801 in Aiken, SC is home to four elementary schools serving grades PK-5 within the Aiken 01 school district, which ranks in the middle of South Carolina districts with a 3-star rating.

For parents, the standout school in this area is clearly East Aiken School of the Arts, which ranks in the 71st percentile statewide (4 stars) and is the only school in the group to earn that distinction. It outperforms the state average in nearly every subject and grade level, with 71.8% of students proficient in English Language Arts and 58.6% in math. The most improved school is Oakwood-Windsor Elementary, which jumped 156 spots in the state rankings between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026, moving from a 2-star to a 3-star rating. Meanwhile, J. D. Lever Elementary and North Aiken Elementary both rank in the bottom quartile of the state, with 1-star ratings and proficiency rates well below district averages.

One of the most important takeaways is that spending does not predict success—North Aiken spends the most per student ($13,875) yet has the lowest academic performance, while East Aiken spends the least ($12,989) and achieves the best results. Chronic absenteeism is a major concern at three of the four schools, with rates between 31.7% and 34.1%, compared to East Aiken's 19.3%. Mathematics is the biggest challenge across all schools, with proficiency rates dropping dramatically in upper grades—for example, only 21.4% of 5th graders at North Aiken are proficient in math. The schools effectively form two tiers: East Aiken and Oakwood-Windsor perform at or above district averages, while J. D. Lever and North Aiken struggle significantly. Oakwood-Windsor's recent turnaround suggests that improvement is possible, and parents should consider attendance patterns and grade-level trends when evaluating these schools.