The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Social studies. The lowest is 15% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Arcadia Elementary
Arcadia Elementary is a regular public school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, serving kindergarten through fifth grade within Spartanburg School District 6. For a parent or resident looking at this school, the data gives a clear picture of a school that leans heavily into its role as a community institution, though the academic results show a mixed pattern that warrants a close look.
The student body is notable in its composition. Every single student enrolled qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, making this a school serving a population with concentrated economic need. The majority of students are Hispanic, with smaller shares of Black and White students and a modest presence of Asian and multiracial students. For a family considering the school, the peer environment is one where socioeconomic diversity is narrow, a fact that can affect everything from fundraising to parent volunteer availability to the types of academic challenges a school can mount.
Academically, the state testing results from the most recent year show a school where performance varies significantly by grade and subject, and the overall picture sits below the midpoint when compared to other elementary schools in Spartanburg County. In third grade, about two in five students met the state's proficiency bar in both math and English language arts, a rate that might be described as middling. In fourth grade, those numbers dropped notably, with roughly one in six students proficient in math and one in five in reading. This is a sharp dip for a single grade cohort and raises a natural question for a parent about what is happening in that grade. Fifth grade rebounded, where roughly half of students were proficient in English and more than a third in math, showing that the school can produce better results. In science, which is tested in fourth grade, the proficiency rate was low, with about one in seven students meeting the mark. Social studies data is from an older year, so it does not offer a current comparison. Because the state made changes to its cut scores for English and science, comparing these results to prior years is not straightforward. Still, the pattern of a tough fourth grade is something a parent may want to discuss with the school.
The school itself is a traditional elementary school with no charter or magnet designation. Information on Title I status, disciplinary rates, course access, staffing ratios, and attendance was not available in the data, so a picture of what happens inside the building beyond test scores is incomplete. Spartanburg School District 6 has no recent, publicly reported changes such as bond measures, curriculum shifts, or construction projects that would alter the day-to-day experience for families, based on what could be found.
The housing context around the school shows that the local market offers a relatively affordable entry point. Home values and rents in the area are below national benchmarks, and the estimated rent burden for a median-income household is modest, though the number of renters versus owners is not specified. Spartanburg itself is a mid-sized city that has seen a downtown revitalization in the last decade, with new developments like a minor league baseball stadium and a Marriott hotel. Major employers include the regional healthcare system, the school district itself, Wofford College, and the BMW plant in nearby Greer. The city has a walkable downtown core with bike lanes and historic anchors, though the area immediately around a school on the outskirts may have a different character.
For a family trying to decide if Arcadia Elementary fits, the main considerations are a school that is fully committed to supporting a low-income student population, but whose academic results in the middle elementary years raise flags that deserve a conversation. The housing market makes it accessible, and the broader city offers a stable, growing regional economy. A parent should ask the school directly about supports in fourth grade and how they address the dips seen in testing data.
See more original research from School Decision →