The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Newberry Elementary
Newberry Elementary serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade and is one of the elementary schools in the Newberry 01 school district, a regular public school in the city of Newberry. The school is located on Nance Street in a city that functions as the county seat of Newberry County, a small city with a historic downtown district that includes the Newberry Opera House, the county courthouse, and a branch of the Newberry College campus. The surrounding area includes countryside with vineyards, lakes, and forest preserves, and the city sits midway along the interstate corridor between Columbia and Greenville.
The student body is diverse. A majority of students are Black, a substantial share are Hispanic, and the remainder includes students who are white, two or more races, and Asian. Every student at Newberry Elementary qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a measure of the economic context families in the school community navigate. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those programs and supports.
State testing for the most recent year shows a range of results across subjects and grades. In English language arts, proficiency hovered around a modest level in third and fourth grades, then dipped lower in fifth grade. In math, proficiency rates were lower still across all tested grades, with a small share of students meeting the state’s bar. Science testing in fourth grade showed a similar pattern. Social studies data is from an older assessment year with a different proficiency criteria, making it not directly comparable to the current results, and that earlier year showed a portion of students meeting that standard. The state changed the cut scores for the English language arts and science assessments, so year-to-year trend comparisons are not reliable. The single year of data available provides the current picture: a school where a majority of students are not yet meeting proficiency benchmarks in reading and math, and where math performance in particular is an area for families to examine closely. A parent may want to ask the school about interventions and support strategies for students who are below grade level.
Newberry Elementary is a pre-K through fifth grade school, so there is no graduation rate to report. The school does not serve high school grades, so measures like AP or dual-credit pathways do not apply here. No data was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing, which leaves gaps in understanding the daily environment. The school’s charter and magnet status were not reported, and Title I status was not provided, though the universal free meal eligibility is a strong signal of the school’s economic context.
The district recently approved a budget with no property tax increase, a fact that could matter to families considering the area’s cost of living. At the same time, the district is in the middle of a significant consolidation: Whitmire Community School is closing and its students will be absorbed into other district schools, a structural change that reshapes enrollment patterns across the district but does not directly affect Newberry Elementary’s own attendance zone. That kind of district-level shift is worth noting for families who plan to stay in the district through middle or high school, as feeder patterns may evolve.
Housing values in the Newberry area are below both the state and national benchmarks. The typical home value places homeownership within reach compared to many other parts of the country, though rising mortgage rates add to monthly costs.
Overall, Newberry Elementary serves a high-poverty student population with diverse backgrounds in a small city that has a historic downtown and a college presence. The academic picture reflects a school where most students are not yet scoring proficient on state assessments, especially in math. A family considering this school will want to understand what supports are in place for students who are below grade level and what the school provides beyond the core curriculum, information that was not available in this data.
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