The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Social studies. The lowest is 33% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Hemingway Elementary
Hemingway Elementary serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the small, rural town of Hemingway, South Carolina. It is a regular public school and the only elementary school in the town, sitting within the Williamsburg 01 school district. The student body is modest in size, and the school draws entirely from the immediate community, a town that has seen population decline and significant economic change in recent years.
In English language arts, the school’s performance is mixed across grades but shows a pattern of relative strength. In third grade, slightly more than half of students met the state standard, and by fifth grade that share rose to more than half. Fourth grade hovered around the halfway mark. These results suggest that ELA instruction is working reasonably well for a substantial portion of students, though a considerable number still fall short of proficiency. Math outcomes are less encouraging. In third grade less than half of students were proficient, by fourth grade about a third reached that level, and in fifth grade the share dropped to a small minority. Science results, available only for fourth grade, show about a third of students proficient. Social studies data is from several years ago and showed a strong majority meeting the standard, but since it is not current it should be treated as background only. The state made changes to the cut scores for ELA and science assessments in the most recent testing year, which means these results may not be directly comparable to past years, and participation rate information was not reported.
The student population is predominantly Black, with a modest share of white students and smaller numbers of students identifying as two or more races, Asian, or Hispanic. Every student in the school qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a reflection of the high poverty level in the Hemingway area. The town itself has experienced a shrinking population and the recent closure of a major factory, which added to longstanding economic challenges. Housing in the area is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, but the local economy offers limited opportunity.
As an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to consider; students will move on to middle and high school elsewhere in the district. At the district level, the high school graduation rate has been declining over several years, a trend families may want to track as their children get older. The district has restructured some of its other elementary schools into themed academies, but Hemingway Elementary remains a traditional elementary school with no specialized magnet or charter designation.
For a parent considering this school, the picture is one of a small, high-poverty rural school where English language arts is a relative bright spot but math and science need attention. The school’s size means smaller classes, which can be a benefit, but the economic challenges of the community may affect the resources available. A family moving to the area should expect to engage actively with the school to understand what academic support is provided in math and science, and to plan ahead for the transition to secondary grades in a district facing its own difficulties. The community offers a quiet, low-cost setting, but growth is not occurring and the local job market is thin.
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