The top reported proficiency rate is 78% in Social studies. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on St. Stephen Elementary
St. Stephen Elementary is a regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the small, rural town of St. Stephen, located in northern Berkeley County, South Carolina. The town itself sits at the crossroads of US Highway 52 and SC Highway 45, a low-density settlement historically tied to agriculture, forest products, and light manufacturing, and it lies near Lake Moultrie and the western edge of Francis Marion National Forest. The school is part of the Berkeley 01 district, which has been one of the fastest-growing in the state, adding new students each year and recently approving a large bond referendum that funds new elementary and middle schools, safety upgrades, and technology improvements. That bond has prompted attendance-zone redistricting in parts of the district, though it is not clear from available information how those changes directly affect attendance boundaries for St. Stephen Elementary.
The school enrolls a modest number of students, serving each grade from PK through fifth with sections that vary in size. Every student in the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic need across the student body. In terms of racial and ethnic composition, a majority of students are Black, followed by a substantial share who are white, with smaller groups of students who are two or more races or Hispanic. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the data we have.
On state assessments, reading and math results show a mixed picture that varies by grade level. In third grade, roughly half of students scored proficient or above in both English language arts and math. Fourth grade results were softer: about a third of students reached proficiency in math, and about the same share in science. By fifth grade, proficiency rates climbed, with more than half of students scoring proficient in both ELA and math. An older set of results from a social studies test in fifth grade showed a high share of students meeting the bar, but that test was administered under a different scoring system several years ago, so it is not directly comparable to current measures. The state changed its cut scores for ELA and science in recent years, which means the trend lines for those subjects are not fully comparable with prior years; the data shows only a single year for both math and ELA, so no trend can be drawn.
Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and data on chronic absenteeism and discipline were not available in the profiles we reviewed. No program offerings were listed in the data provided.
The school sits within a district that is investing heavily in new facilities to accommodate growth. The bond referendum, passed by voters, is funding two new elementary schools, a new middle school, and expansions at existing schools across the county, along with district-wide safety and security upgrades. Property taxes rose modestly as a result. For families at St. Stephen Elementary, the bond signals that the district is addressing capacity pressures, but it is not known whether this school itself will see changes or remain largely as it is.
The town of St. Stephen is auto-dependent, with a traditional crossroads downtown and a low population density. No current major employers were identified from available sources, though the town has historic ties to industry. Civic anchors include the nearby Lake Moultrie recreation area, Francis Marion National Forest, and two sites on the National Register of Historic Places. School facilities are part of the Berkeley County district, and the town is small enough that most civic functions are likely near the center, but no specific information on school location relative to downtown was available.
For a parent considering this school, the academic results suggest that student performance varies by grade and subject, with some grades showing solid proficiency in reading and math while others, particularly fourth grade, show softer outcomes. The high economic need across the school community may mean that there are additional support programs in place, though the data we have does not detail those. The district's rapid growth and recent bond-funded construction are important contextual factors; families may want to ask about how those changes affect long-term planning for this school, including any potential shifts in attendance zones or facility upgrades.
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