The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in English language arts. The lowest is 29% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Stono Park Elementary
Stono Park Elementary serves preschool through fifth grade in the West Ashley section of Charleston, part of the Charleston 01 school district. The school sits in a part of the city that is a mix of older residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors, distinct from the historic tourist core of the downtown peninsula. The city itself is a growing metro area anchored by the Port of Charleston, Boeing, the Medical University of South Carolina, and a technology sector sometimes called Silicon Harbor, with tourism shaping much of the local economy. Housing in the school’s zip code is substantially more expensive than the state benchmark, and rent is also above the average, which means families looking to live in this attendance zone should expect a higher cost of entry.
The student body is small for an elementary school serving these grades. The largest single grade group by far is preschool, with enrollment across kindergarten through fifth grade falling into modest-sized classes. The school enrolls a student population that is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students, and smaller groups of students who are two or more races, Hispanic, and Asian. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a high-poverty context. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so it is not possible to describe the share of students receiving those supports.
On state assessments, Stono Park Elementary shows a mixed picture. In English language arts, the share of students scoring proficient or above hovers near the middle of the range across grades three, four, and five, with no single grade level standing far above the others. In math, the results are softer, with proficiency declining as grade level increases; fifth grade math proficiency is lower than the earlier grades. In fourth grade science, the proficient share is below what many families would expect, and a parent may want to ask the school about its science instruction and support. Social studies data comes from an earlier year under a different assessment, so it is not directly comparable to current results. Because South Carolina changed cut scores in recent years for English language arts and science, and changed the science assessment name, year-to-year comparisons are not reliable here. The overall picture is of a school where a sizable portion of students are meeting benchmarks in reading, but math and science outcomes are areas where the school is working from a lower base. The school’s testing cohort in each grade is small, which means a handful of students can shift the proficiency rate noticeably.
The district itself does not appear to have undergone any major recent parent-relevant changes such as boundary adjustments, bond campaigns, or curriculum overhauls, at least based on what was publicly available. The school has no special charter or magnet designation, and it operates as a regular neighborhood elementary school. Because the school serves only through fifth grade, there is no graduation rate to report.
For a family already living in the West Ashley area or considering a move there, Stono Park Elementary is a neighborhood school serving a high-poverty community where housing costs are high. The school’s small size and early-childhood emphasis mean that families with preschool-age children may find a built-in pathway, but elementary grades are modest in size, which can mean more individualized attention or, depending on the year, less flexibility in class placement. The academic results suggest that a family whose child needs strong math or science support will want to engage early with the school about what interventions are in place. The school’s strong suit in reading is a foundation to build on, but the gaps in math and science are real and worth investigating directly with the principal or instructional staff.
See more original research from School Decision →