Laurens 56, SC - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Laurens 56

Laurens 56 is the smaller of two public school districts serving Laurens County in upstate South Carolina, covering the town of Clinton and surrounding communities including Joanna, Cross Hill, and Waterloo. The district enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with a student population that is roughly evenly split between white students and Black students, alongside smaller shares of Hispanic students and students who identify with two or more races. The district operates six schools: a child development center, three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school.

The strongest academic showing is in elementary English language arts. Proficiency rates in third and fourth grade reading land well above half of students tested, and the pattern holds through middle school with the majority of sixth and seventh graders meeting the bar. In math the picture is more uneven. Third and fourth graders post proficiency rates around half of students tested, but by sixth grade that share drops to roughly a third, and by eighth grade it falls further to about one in five students. Science scores, available for fourth and sixth grades, show a similar decline between those two grade levels. A parent watching the transition from elementary to middle school might notice a downward trend in math that could bear asking the district about. The district has not reported a graduation rate, and no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or course access was available for this review.

State testing comparisons among districts in Laurens County were not possible because the county has only two districts and the cohort was too small for a meaningful ranking. That means the numbers here stand on their own, not against a local neighbor.

Housing in the area is notably affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. Home values vary widely by zip code, ranging from small-town prices in Whitmire to more expensive pockets near Chappells, but the district-wide weighted average sits well below the South Carolina median. Rents are modest as well, and the overall cost of housing consumes a relatively low share of estimated local household income. A family moving to the area for affordability will find a market where a mortgage payment is generally cheaper than renting.

The district brief turned up no parent-relevant changes of lasting impact within the recent span searched. No major boundary adjustments, program launches, leadership transitions, or referenda were reported publicly in that period. Because the brief found little, this narrative simply notes the gap. A parent considering Laurens 56 may want to contact the district directly for the most current developments on curriculum, staffing, or facility plans.

This district fits a family looking for a small upstate South Carolina setting with a clear elementary reading program, a student body that reflects the broader racial diversity of the area, and housing costs considerably lower than the state average. Families who place a priority on continued math achievement through middle school will want to understand what support the district offers for students as they move into upper grades. The absence of a reported graduation rate is a meaningful gap; a parent with a secondary student should verify that figure with the district.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

2,706

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 7%

Black 36%

White 50%

Asian 1%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

56%

67%

Gr 4

62%

78%

Gr 5

51%

67%

Gr 6

51%

67%

Gr 7

48%

81%

Gr 8

40%

66%

Math

Gr 3

44%

72%

Gr 4

49%

70%

Gr 5

35%

70%

Gr 6

27%

60%

Gr 7

23%

56%

Gr 8

19%

45%

Science

Gr 4

49%

70%

Gr 6

42%

53%

Schools in this District

6 schools are officially reported under this district.

M. S. Bailey Child Development Center

Clinton Elementary

Joanna Woodson Elementary

Clinton High

Clinton Middle

Eastside Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

49%

Grade 3

52%

Grade 4

41%

Grade 5

32%

Grade 6

30%

Grade 7

22%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

58%

Grade 3

64%

Grade 4

53%

Grade 5

54%

Grade 6

55%

Grade 7

43%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

52%

Grade 4

44%

Grade 6

Social Studies

2 grades reported

64%

Grade 5

52%

Grade 7

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$172,474

Year-over-year change-3.7%

Range across 9 ZIP codes$77K to $266K

vs. state typical0.57x

vs. national typical0.47x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (9 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
29325	Clinton	$162K	-3.9%	53.8%
29332	Cross Hill	$224K	-4.3%	15.4%
29370	Cross Hill	$181K	-4.9%	12.7%
29355	Clinton	$203K	-1.0%	7.4%
29178	Whitmire	$77K	-2.5%	6.4%
29351	Joanna	$113K	-4.8%	1.6%
29037	Chappells	$266K	+0.0%	1.2%
29384	Waterloo	$189K	-3.7%	0.8%
29360	Laurens	$185K	-3.8%	0.6%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$886/mo

ZIP code rents (1 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
29360	Laurens	$886	—	0.6%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$870/mo

Home price / national median income2.1x

Annual rent / national median income12.7%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$16/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$305,174 (+0.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.