New Prospect Elementary, Inman SC

Original Research by School Decision on New Prospect Elementary

New Prospect Elementary is a regular public school in Inman, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade as part of Spartanburg County School District 1. Because the school does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school offers a full pre-K to middle-elementary span, meaning students who start here will move on to a separate intermediate or middle school after sixth grade.

Academically, the school’s state test results present a picture of consistent strength across subjects. In English language arts, a solid majority of students scored at or above the proficient level at every tested grade, with the share climbing as students advanced. Math results were somewhat lower but still above the midpoint, with proficiency rates in the upper half across all tested grades. Science scores, available for fourth and sixth graders, were notably high, especially at the sixth-grade level where a large majority of students met the proficiency bar. An older social studies test from a previous year also showed strong results, though changes in the assessment since then mean those numbers are not directly comparable. Because the state made cut-score changes for ELA and science in the most recent testing year, it is not yet possible to compare this year’s results with prior years reliably. Overall, the school’s combined proficiency index across all tested subjects and grades placed it among the top tier of Spartanburg County’s districts.

The student body is moderate in size for a school serving this grade range. The population is predominantly white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a significant portion of families are working with moderate incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source information.

The school sits in Inman, a small city in the Upstate region that has grown steadily over the past decade. Its historic downtown, centered on South Main Street and Mill Street, hosts a library branch, City Hall, and seasonal community events such as a summer concert series and an annual Harvest Day festival. The city was historically known for peach farming and textile mills; the former Inman Mills plant has been converted into loft apartments. Most residents commute by car, and the city is part of the larger Spartanburg metropolitan area. A proposed rail trail, the Saluda Grade Trail, would eventually run north from Inman’s downtown, and local leaders describe the community as growing and focused on revitalization. Housing values in the area are roughly in line with state averages, and the housing market has shown modest appreciation. The broader district, Spartanburg 01, did not report any major lasting changes such as recent referendums, curriculum shifts, or property tax adjustments in publicly available information.

For a family considering this school, the academic picture is favorable: students are performing well above county averages in reading and science, and math is solid. The school serves a primarily white, middle-income population with a notable share of lower-income families. Inman itself offers a small-town feel with a historic core and an outward-commuting pattern. Those looking for a school with strong baseline results in a growing Upstate community will find a good fit here. A parent may want to ask the school about support services for students with disabilities and English learners, since that information was not disclosed in the available data.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 350%

School 50% · District 66% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 467%

School 67% · District 53% · ▲ 14 pts above district

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

Grade 565%

School 65% · District 56% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 10 pts above county median

Grade 659%

School 59% · District 49% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 364%

School 64% · District 69% · ▼ 5 pts below district

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

Grade 467%

School 67% · District 61% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 569%

School 69% · District 64% · ▲ 5 pts above district

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

Grade 674%

School 74% · District 63% · ▲ 11 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Science

Grade 473%

School 73% · District 48% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 24 pts above county median

Grade 681%

School 81% · District 59% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 37 pts above state median · ▲ 32 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 588%

School 88% · District 82% · ▲ 6 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

This schoolSpartanburg 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-income65%Higher-income60%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income87%35 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income70%Higher-income83%13 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income46%Higher-income60%14 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income52%Higher-income74%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income57%Higher-income65%9 pp gap