Jesse S. Bobo Elementary, Spartanburg SC

Original Research by School Decision on Jesse S. Bobo Elementary

Jesse S. Bobo Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in Spartanburg, South Carolina, as part of the Spartanburg 06 school district. The school sits on Powell Mill Road, in a residential area of this mid-sized Upstate city. Spartanburg itself functions as the county seat and a regional economic hub, with an economy that has shifted from historic textile manufacturing toward healthcare, higher education, and corporate headquarters such as Denny’s and Advance America. Downtown has seen a revitalization over the past decade, with new developments including a minor league ballpark and a Marriott hotel, while the broader city maintains a suburban character outside the core.

The student body at Bobo Elementary is diverse, with a large majority of Black students, a substantial share of Hispanic students, and smaller groups of White students and students identifying as two or more races. Every student at the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the high level of economic need in the surrounding community. The school has a modest enrollment for its grade band, with roughly balanced class sizes across the elementary grades. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.

On the South Carolina state assessments (SC Ready) for the most recent year, proficiency rates in both math and English language arts were low across all tested grades. Third-grade math and ELA each showed a moderate share of students scoring at the proficient level, but by fourth and fifth grades, the rates dropped notably. Science results for fourth grade were even lower. Because only one year of data is available, there is no trend to compare; the state also changed the cut scores for ELA and science in recent years, which affects comparability. Looking at Bobo Elementary’s overall performance across all tested subjects and grades, and placing it among other schools in Spartanburg County districts, it falls in the bottom quartile. This is a soft spot a prospective parent may want to investigate further with the school, particularly regarding how instruction is structured and what interventions are in place.

The broader community context matters here. Housing in the area around the school is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks, with home values and rents that are below many other parts of Spartanburg County. The local economy has multiple large employers, including the Spartanburg Regional healthcare system, the county government, the school district itself, and the nearby BMW plant in Greer. The city has a walkable downtown, college campuses, and civic anchors like Croft State Park and the new Fifth Third Park.

The Spartanburg 06 district brief did not surface any recent parent-relevant changes such as bond measures, construction projects, or curriculum shifts, so families may find the district’s offerings fairly stable at the moment. For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a high-poverty elementary school in a mid-sized, economically diverse city, with academic performance that is below the county average. A parent may want to ask about specific academic support programs, enrichment opportunities, and how the school addresses the needs of its student population before making a decision.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 339%

School 39% · District 50% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▼ 20 pts below county median

Grade 419%

School 19% · District 47% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 32 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

Grade 519%

School 19% · District 38% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 36 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 340%

School 40% · District 56% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

Grade 428%

School 28% · District 57% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 33 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 529%

School 29% · District 58% · ▼ 28 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Science

Grade 415%

School 15% · District 40% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 30 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 540%

School 40% · District 63% · ▼ 23 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 30 pts below county median

This schoolSpartanburg 06, 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.