Felton Laboratory Charter School, Orangeburg SC

Original Research by School Decision on Felton Laboratory Charter School

Felton Laboratory Charter School is a K-8 charter school in Orangeburg, South Carolina, operating as part of the statewide SC Public Charter School District, which serves as its authorizer rather than a traditional geographic school system. The school serves kindergarten through eighth grade and is classified as a regular school, not a special-purpose or alternative program.

Orangeburg is the county seat of Orangeburg County, a small city that is home to two historically Black universities, Claflin University and South Carolina State University, along with Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College. These institutions give the city a strong educational and institutional character. The downtown area centers on Russell Street, and the city has been engaged in revitalization efforts through the Downtown Orangeburg Revitalization Association, including a planned pedestrian bridge project. The population has been relatively flat to slightly declining in recent years. Major employers include the universities, the Regional Medical Center, and county government.

The school serves a student body that is overwhelmingly Black, with small shares of students who are two or more races, Asian, Hispanic, and white. Every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is small for a K-8 institution.

State test results from the most recent school year show a clear pattern across subjects and grade levels. In English language arts, the school posted proficiency rates that were solid to strong in the lower and middle grades. Third graders had a high proficiency rate, as did fifth and seventh graders. Fourth, sixth, and eighth graders also showed proficiency rates that were solidly within a moderate to strong range, though the fourth-grade rate was lower than the others. In math, proficiency rates were notably lower across every grade level, with only fifth and eighth graders reaching a moderate rate while third, fourth, sixth, and seventh grade rates were all markedly lower. In science, the fourth and sixth grade proficiency rates were moderate. The state changed its proficiency cut scores for English language arts and science in recent years, so direct comparisons to earlier years are not straightforward. A single social studies assessment from several years prior showed a moderate proficiency rate in fifth grade and a strong one in seventh grade, though that data is older and based on a different assessment.

A multi-year view of the school's overall proficiency rates in English language arts and math shows only two data points, both from the most recent year, so no trend can be established. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate. Discipline data, attendance data, and teacher staffing information were not available. The school's student population is entirely eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, which a parent may want to discuss with the school to understand what supports are in place. The comparison with other schools in Orangeburg County could not be drawn because the cohort of comparable schools was too small.

For a family considering this school, the picture is one of a small charter elementary and middle school serving a student body that is entirely low-income and predominantly Black. The strongest academic performance is in English language arts across most grades, while math proficiency is an area where the school's results are consistently lower. A parent looking into this school might want to ask about math instruction, intervention strategies, and any recent changes to the curriculum or support programs. The school's location in Orangeburg puts it within a city with two universities and a range of community anchors, but the school itself does not extend past eighth grade, so families will need to plan for high school placement separately.

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Academic performance

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

Math

Grade 329%

School 29% · District 50% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 24 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 420%

School 20% · District 44% · ▼ 25 pts below district

▼ 31 pts below state median · ▼ 7 pts below county median

Grade 539%

School 39% · District 36% · ▲ 3 pts above district

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

Grade 621%

School 21% · District 35% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 13 pts below state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 717%

School 17% · District 32% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 24% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 6 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 376%

School 76% · District 59% · ▲ 17 pts above district

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

Grade 442%

School 42% · District 60% · ▼ 18 pts below district

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

Grade 570%

School 70% · District 58% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 9 pts above state median · ▲ 25 pts above county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 62% · ▼ 12 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 773%

School 73% · District 64% · ▲ 10 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 29 pts above county median

Grade 854%

School 54% · District 59% · ▼ 5 pts below district

even with state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

Science

Grade 433%

School 33% · District 43% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▲ 7 pts above county median

Grade 641%

School 41% · District 50% · ▼ 9 pts below district

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 546%

School 46% · District 66% · ▼ 20 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median

Grade 768%

School 68% · District 65% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 4 pts above state median

This schoolSC Public Charter School District, 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.