Broad River Elementary, Beaufort SC

Original Research by School Decision on Broad River Elementary

Broad River Elementary is a regular public school in Beaufort, South Carolina, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It operates under the Beaufort 01 school district. The school sits in a community defined by a historic downtown and a strong military presence, anchored by nearby Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, as well as a significant tourism and hospitality sector.

The student body is diverse. Black students make up the largest share, followed by a substantial population of Hispanic students and a smaller but still significant share of white students. A meaningful portion of the student body also identifies as two or more races. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which reflects the concentrated economic need the school serves.

On state assessments, performance varies noticeably by grade and subject. In English language arts, a majority of third and fourth graders scored proficient; fifth graders did so at a higher rate than any other tested grade at the school. This creates a profile where reading proficiency generally strengthens as students move through the upper elementary grades, with fifth grade posting a solid result. In math, the picture is more uneven. Third graders achieved a majority proficient, but the rates for fourth and fifth graders were lower, with only about a third of students in each of those grades scoring proficient. Science results for fourth graders also hovered around that same lower mark. A parent looking at these numbers may want to follow up with the school about how math instruction and intervention are structured across the upper grades.

Because Broad River Elementary serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report. Chronic absenteeism data and civil rights metrics were not available in the data provided. The school’s charter and magnet status were not indicated, and Title I status was not specified, though the universal free and reduced-price lunch rate strongly suggests it receives federal Title I funding.

Housing in the area reflects a mix familiar in coastal South Carolina. Home values are higher than the state average, while rents have risen over the past year. The typical household income nationwide falls below the level needed to comfortably afford a mortgage at current interest rates in this area, and renting requires a larger-than-average share of household income. This is a relatively expensive corner of the state to live in, which matters for families deciding whether to live within the school’s attendance zone.

The search for recent district-wide changes or strategic initiatives turned up little of lasting impact, so no narrative about a broader district direction is available here. That absence is noted as a gap in what a parent might want to explore by contacting the district directly.

Broad River Elementary offers a diverse, high-need student environment in a historic and economically vibrant part of South Carolina. Its academic picture is strongest in reading, particularly by fifth grade, while math and science proficiency is an area where many students fall short of the state’s proficiency benchmark. A family considering this school would benefit from a close conversation with the principal about how the school supports students who are not yet meeting those benchmarks.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 353%

School 53% · District 57% · ▼ 4 pts below district

even with state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 54% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 533%

School 33% · District 52% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 352%

School 52% · District 60% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

Grade 454%

School 54% · District 63% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Grade 563%

School 63% · District 62% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

Science

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 48% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 68% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 11 pts below county median

This schoolBeaufort 01, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income56%Higher-income42%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income50%Higher-income65%15 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income51%Higher-income54%3 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income29%Higher-income40%11 pp gap