Keowee Elementary, Seneca SC - Test Scores & Data

Original Research by School Decision on Keowee Elementary

Keowee Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Oconee County school district, located on the outskirts of Seneca near the shores of Lake Keowee. The school's enrollment is relatively small and its student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Hispanic students and a small number of Black students represented. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a broad economic mix including many families who need support.

The school's academic results, from South Carolina's SC Ready assessments, show a picture of solid performance across tested subjects and grades. In mathematics, proficiency levels run steadily above the midpoint in each tested grade, with third graders and fifth graders posting stronger outcomes than fourth graders. English language arts results are similarly robust, and here fifth graders stand out with a high rate of proficiency that suggests strong preparation for the transition to middle school. Science testing, which occurs in fourth grade, also shows a strong showing. The overall reading from this data is that Keowee Elementary is delivering consistent academic results that sit at a healthy level, with particular strength in the upper elementary grades. Because the state changed cut scores for ELA and science assessments in recent years, direct comparisons to earlier results are not available, so this single year's data is the best available picture.

The school has no graduation rate because it serves only elementary grades. State testing data for social studies was provided from the 2018-19 school year, but that assessment is no longer administered in the same form, so that older result offers limited context for the current program.

Seneca, the city where Keowee Elementary is located, has grown from its railroad-town origins into a destination shaped by the major lakes created by dam projects in the mid-20th century. Lake Keowee lies immediately adjacent to the school's attendance zone, and the area has attracted retirees and new residents, with retirement communities built in the surrounding region. Some residents have organized to advocate for balanced growth, reflecting tensions between development and the natural environment that many families moving to the area will encounter. The historic downtown has maintained a pedestrian-friendly core with shops and restaurants, and the city's civic anchors include parks and a civic center on the other side of town from the school. The drive from the school to downtown is short, but the school itself sits on a campus road away from the main commercial corridors. Public transit was not identified in available records, so families will likely need a car for school-related travel.

The district-level context for Keowee Elementary concerns Oconee 01, the county school district that operates it. The district brief was searched but did not return actionable information about recent bond measures or strategic priorities, so those are left out rather than guessed.

For a family considering this school, the profile is straightforward: a suburban-rural elementary school with a small enrollment, consistent academic results at a solid level, and a student body that is mostly white and includes many households with lower incomes. The upper grades at this school show a particularly strong track record in reading and math, which is a useful signal for parents concerned about the middle school transition. The housing market in the school's zip code is notably above the state median, reflecting the lakefront appeal and the area's draw for retirees and remote workers. Families should weigh the school's academic strengths against the fact that it draws from a relatively narrow demographic band and that the surrounding community is in a period of growth that brings both new amenities and development pressures. There is no data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or special education services, so those are questions a parent would want to raise directly with the school.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 376%

School 76% · District 59% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 464%

School 64% · District 56% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 13 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 568%

School 68% · District 48% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 374%

School 74% · District 66% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 467%

School 67% · District 60% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 585%

School 85% · District 62% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

Science

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 56% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 12 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 574%

School 74% · District 68% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

This schoolOconee 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-income55%Higher-income92%37 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income58%Higher-income80%22 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income81%Higher-income90%9 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income59%Higher-income92%33 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income49%Higher-income84%36 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income63%Higher-income75%12 pp gap