Top Rankings
Laurens 55 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 8 public elementary schools serving 3,666 students in Laurens 55 School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in South Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Laurens 55 School District have an average math proficiency score of 22% (versus the South Carolina public elementary school average of 39%), and reading proficiency score of 30% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 48% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the South Carolina public elementary school average of 53% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (SC)
# Schools
9 Schools
965 Schools
# Students
5,206 Students
551,243 Students
# Teachers
419 Teachers
39,892 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
12:1
12:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Laurens 55 School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 76 school districts in South Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 80% has decreased from 81% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#63 out of 81 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
25%
41%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
38%
52%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
35%
50%
Graduation Rate
80%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.64
0.67
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
n/a
2%
% Hispanic
17%
13%
% Black
28%
31%
% White
51%
47%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
7%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $14,732 in this school district is less than the state median of $15,220. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,865 is less than the state median of $14,817. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$77 MM
$12,084 MM
Spending
$72 MM
$11,764 MM
Revenue / Student
$14,732
$15,220
Spending / Student
$13,865
$14,817
Best Laurens 55 School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Hickory Tavern Elementary Middle School
(Math: 27% | Reading: 40%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
163 Neely Ferry Road
Gray Court, SC 29645
(864) 575-2126
Gray Court, SC 29645
(864) 575-2126
Grades: PK-8
| 621 students
Rank: #22.
Laurens Elementary School
(Math: 34% | Reading: 33%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
301 Henry Street
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-3067
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-3067
Grades: PK-5
| 499 students
Rank: #33.
E. B. Morse Elementary School
(Math: 26% | Reading: 30%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
200 Parkview Drive
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-7777
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-7777
Grades: PK-5
| 432 students
Rank: #44.
Waterloo Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 30-34%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
10457 Highway 221 South
Waterloo, SC 29384
(864) 677-5610
Waterloo, SC 29384
(864) 677-5610
Grades: PK-5
| 257 students
Rank: #55.
Gray Court-owings Elementary Middle School
(Math: 21% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
9210 Highway 14
Gray Court, SC 29645
(864) 876-2131
Gray Court, SC 29645
(864) 876-2131
Grades: PK-8
| 755 students
Rank: #66.
Laurens Middle School
(Math: 18% | Reading: 29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1035 West Main Street
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-2400
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-2400
Grades: 6-8
| 395 students
Rank: #77.
Ford Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 20-24%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
601 Lucas Avenue
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-3986
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-3986
Grades: PK-5
| 418 students
Rank: #88.
Sanders Middle School
(Math: 12% | Reading: 23%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
609 Green Street
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-0354
Laurens, SC 29360
(864) 984-0354
Grades: 6-8
| 289 students
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