Summary:
Zip code 29906 in Beaufort, SC is served by four elementary schools within the Beaufort 01 district, collectively educating about 2,362 students across grades PK-8, with two schools serving PK-5 and two serving PK-8 or K-8.
For parents, the standout choice is Riverview Charter School, which ranks in the 87th percentile statewide (4 stars) and dramatically outperforms its peers. It posts an average ELA proficiency of 80.6% and math proficiency of 64.8%, exceeding district averages by roughly 20 and 17 points respectively. Its chronic absenteeism rate is just 10.1%, less than half the district rate, and it achieves these results while spending the least per student ($18,820). In contrast, the three traditional public schools struggle significantly. Broad River Elementary ranks in the 24th percentile, Robert Smalls Leadership Academy in the 14th, and Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary in the 11th, all with 1-star ratings. Their average ELA proficiency ranges from 42.0% to 51.6%, and math proficiency from 26.1% to 38.7%.
A striking pattern emerges: chronic absenteeism strongly tracks with performance. Riverview's 10.1% absenteeism corresponds to its top ranking, while Shanklin's 32.1% absenteeism (the highest) aligns with its lowest outcomes. Notably, Shanklin spends the most per student ($25,040) with the lowest student-teacher ratio (8.8:1) yet achieves the weakest results, while Riverview spends the least with the highest ratio (13.2:1) and excels. This suggests that additional funding and smaller classes alone don't drive success. Robert Smalls shows some improvement in 8th grade math (26.6%) and 7th grade ELA (47.7%), but science proficiency lags across all schools, with even Riverview's 4th grade science at 67%. For families, the choice is clear: Riverview offers exceptional academics, while the other three schools face significant challenges that may require targeted attendance and instructional interventions.
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