The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Social studies. The lowest is 14% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Jackson School
Jackson School is a regular public elementary school in Camden, South Carolina, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Kershaw County School District, which is the only school district in the county. The school enrolls a student body typical of a mid-sized elementary school for this grade band. Every student at Jackson qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the economic profile of the families the school serves.
The student population is diverse. Slightly more than two-fifths of students are Black, roughly a quarter are White, and a similar share are Hispanic. Students who identify as two or more races make up a modest portion, while Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are each present in very small numbers. No American Indian or Alaska Native students were reported. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
State assessment results from the 2024-25 school year provide a snapshot of academic performance. In mathematics, the share of students scoring proficient or above varied by grade: third grade had a proficiency rate above a third, fourth grade had a rate below a fifth, and fifth grade landed around a quarter. In English language arts, proficiency rates were roughly a third of third graders, a quarter of fourth graders, and about a third of fifth graders. Science testing in fourth grade showed a lower proficiency rate, around one in seven students. A social studies assessment from the 2018-19 school year, now several years old and from a different test, showed a higher proficiency rate. Because the state changed cut scores in both ELA and science in recent years, these results may not be directly comparable to earlier years. Only one year of data was available for the current assessments, so no trend could be established. Overall, the proficiency rates across subjects and grades place this school in a range that families may want to examine more closely in light of their own academic expectations.
The school does not serve high school grades, so it has no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing ratios, and course access were not present in the materials reviewed. Jackson is not a charter or magnet school, and it operates as a regular public school under the district.
Camden, where the school is located, is a historic town and the county seat. It is known as the Steeplechase Capital of the World and has a strong equestrian culture, including the annual Carolina Cup. The town has an older demographic profile. After the closure of a major manufacturing plant years ago, Camden has drawn new employers including automotive parts and appliance manufacturers, as well as a large distribution center. Housing in the area is valued around the national median, with rents at a level that makes renting less costly monthly than buying at current mortgage rates. No recent district-level changes, such as boundary adjustments or program launches, were found in available sources.
Jackson School serves a community where economic need is universal and the student body is racially and ethnically diverse. Academic proficiency on state tests is below what many families might consider strong, particularly in math and science. The school does not have publicly available data on several common measures such as chronic absenteeism or special education enrollment. A parent considering this school should feel comfortable asking for more detail on these topics. For families who value a neighborhood elementary school embedded in a small city with a distinct historical and equestrian identity, Jackson is that local option.
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