Shoally Creek Elementary, Boiling Springs SC

Original Research by School Decision on Shoally Creek Elementary

Shoally Creek Elementary is a regular public school in Boiling Springs, part of Spartanburg County School District 2, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It sits in a fast-growing suburban corner of the county, where the built environment is dominated by shopping centers along Highway 9 and McMillian Boulevard rather than a walkable downtown. Most residents commute by car, and the community has seen rapid population growth over the past two decades. Housing values and rents in the ZIP code are in line with the broader Upstate region, and the area remains predominantly a place where people own their homes. The district itself has a reputation locally for strong performance, but Shoally Creek stands out among elementary schools for its academic trajectory.

The student body is majority white, with a substantial Black population and a notable share of students who identify as two or more races. Asian, Hispanic, and Native American students each make up smaller but present groups. A very high proportion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a largely low-income community. Data on the number of students with individualized education plans and English learners was not available in the provided records, so a parent looking for that information would want to ask the school directly.

On state assessments, the school performs well overall, and when compared across districts in Spartanburg County, its combined proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it among the top tier. English language arts is a clear strength. In third and fourth grades, a substantial majority of students met or exceeded the standard, and even in fifth grade, where scores typically dip, more than half of students were proficient. Math results are more mixed. Third and fourth graders posted solid proficiency rates, but fifth-grade math fell below half, a pattern that parents may want to understand in context of the school’s curriculum or transition support. Science, tested only in fourth grade, showed a lower proficiency rate, a soft spot that families might discuss with teachers. Social studies data is from an older assessment and is not comparable to current testing.

Because Shoally Creek serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate, no chronic absenteeism metric available in the data, and no course access or discipline data to report. The academic trend data covers only a single year, so no trajectory can be drawn. What is clear from the 2024-25 results is that the school achieves solid outcomes in a high-poverty setting, particularly in reading, and that its math and science results offer areas for attention.

For a family considering this school, the picture is of an elementary school with capable instruction and a challenging economic profile. The peer environment reflects the wider Boiling Springs community, which is suburban, family-oriented, and increasingly diverse. The housing market has risen with the area’s growth, but remains more affordable than national benchmarks. The district has not recently been noted for major changes in policy or leadership, so families can expect stability in programming. Shoally Creek appears to be a school that serves its community well academically, while the high share of students in poverty means that wraparound supports and resources for low-income families are likely an important factor in how the school functions. A parent may want to inquire about enrichment programs, intervention services, and how the school addresses the fifth-grade dip in math and the lower science results.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 359%

School 59% · District 61% · ▼ 2 pts below district

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

Grade 462%

School 62% · District 64% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 547%

School 47% · District 60% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▲ 2 pts above state median · ▼ 8 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 373%

School 73% · District 66% · ▲ 7 pts above district

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

Grade 471%

School 71% · District 71%

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

Grade 552%

School 52% · District 70% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

Science

Grade 444%

School 44% · District 55% · ▼ 10 pts below district

even with state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 477%

School 77% · district not reported

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolSpartanburg 02, 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-income69%Higher-income83%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income69%Higher-income78%8 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income49%Higher-income64%14 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income55%Higher-income69%14 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income61%Higher-income67%5 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income43%Higher-income59%16 pp gap