Schools in Zip Code 29847

Zip code 29847 (Trenton, South Carolina) is served by two elementary schools—Douglas Elementary and Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy—with a combined enrollment of 333 students across grades PK-8, and no standalone middle or high schools in the area.

For parents comparing the two schools, Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy stands out for its better attendance and cost efficiency. Its chronic absenteeism rate is 14.0%, well below the state average of 22.3%, and it spends $11,533 per student compared to Douglas Elementary's $17,829. Bettis Prep also ranks higher at the district level (32nd vs. 39th percentile). However, Douglas Elementary has a larger enrollment (215 vs. 118 students) and offers a broader grade span (PK-5 vs. K-8). In 3rd grade testing, Douglas actually outperforms Bettis Prep in both ELA (46.7% vs. 28.5% proficient) and Math (43.4% vs. 33.3%), despite Bettis Prep's better overall efficiency metrics.

One of the most notable trends is Douglas Elementary's dramatic improvement in state ranking, moving from the 4th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 16th percentile in 2025-2026—a 12-point jump in just two years. However, its test scores remain volatile year to year, and it still trails both its Edgefield 01 district and state averages in nearly every subject. For example, 4th grade Math proficiency is 30.3% versus the district's 56.5%. Chronic absenteeism at Douglas (23.9%) also exceeds state averages, which may be a contributing factor. Meanwhile, Bettis Preparatory Leadership Academy only has test data for 3rd grade, limiting full assessment of its K-8 program. Both schools fall below state proficiency averages in all tested subjects, so families should weigh grade-level offerings, improvement trajectories, and attendance patterns when making a decision.