McLees Elementary

Summary:

McLees Elementary is a public elementary school in Anderson, South Carolina, serving 592 students in grades PK-5 and part of the Anderson 05 school district, which is ranked 20 out of 75 districts in the state.

McLees Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with 60.64% White, 19.76% African American, 7.77% Hispanic, and 10.98% two or more races. The school has shown mixed academic performance, with its overall ranking fluctuating between 179th and 365th out of over 600 South Carolina elementary schools. However, it has consistently ranked in the top 50 for African American students, indicating strong academic achievement for this subgroup. The school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with 100% of students qualifying in the last two school years, suggesting a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population. Despite this, McLees Elementary has seen a steady increase in its per-student spending, from $9,757 in 2019-2020 to $12,005 in 2022-2023.

Compared to the district and state averages, McLees Elementary generally performs on par or slightly above in English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency, particularly in the lower grades. This suggests the school is providing a solid educational foundation for its diverse student population. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from 173rd in 2013-2014 to 260th in 2023-2024, indicating that while the school is maintaining its academic standards, other schools in the state may be improving at a faster rate. When compared to nearby schools, such as Concord Elementary and Flat Rock Elementary, McLees Elementary generally performs on par or slightly better in terms of academic proficiency, but some schools in the Anderson 03 district outperform it, particularly in the higher grades.


Detail:

Public, Magnet PK, KG-5

 4900 Dobbins Bridge Road
       Anderson, SC  29626


(864) 716-3600

District: Anderson 05

SchoolDigger Rank:
260th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,005 Help


Students who attend McLees Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Robert Anderson Middle
High:    Westside High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.4 Help
Number of students:  592

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.6%
African American:
19.8%
Two or more races:
11.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare McLees Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details McLees Elementary ranks better than 59.2% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 5th among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Anderson 05 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.69. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details McLees Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Anderson 05 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at McLees Elementary is $12,005. 7 elementary schools in the Anderson 05 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

McLees Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks McLees Elementary 260th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See McLees Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Anderson 05:

SchoolDigger ranks Anderson 05 20th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for McLees Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at McLees Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 76.02 121st 550 78.0%
2005 80.12 83rd 557 85.1%
2006 77.33 98th 559 82.5%
2007 65.66 184th 566 67.5%
2008 64.63 204th 577 64.6%
2009 51.46 303rd 580 47.8%
2010 60.79 232nd 589 60.6%
2011 60.41 244th 597 59.1%
2012 62.96 229th 594 61.4%
2013 64.94 207th 599 65.4%
2014 69.92 173rd 630 72.5%
2015 54.35 268th 638 58.0%
2016 49.73 314th 619 49.3%
2017 43.32 365th 639 42.9%
2018 48.44 316th 624 49.4%
2019 67.15 200th 643 68.9%
2021 69.66 179th 622 71.2%
2022 67.53 194th 625 69.0%
2023 60.29 243rd 644 62.3%
2024 58.69 260th 638 59.2%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at McLees Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 48.92 294th 588 50.0%
2019 72.82 140th 600 76.7%
2021 70.23 152nd 580 73.8%
2022 71.24 147th 600 75.5%
2023 59.91 226th 608 62.8%
2024 57.96 246th 599 58.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at McLees Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 47.05 302nd 570 47.0%
2019 57.49 251st 588 57.3%
2021 65.25 187th 554 66.2%
2022 62.85 205th 573 64.2%
2023 55.67 259th 580 55.3%
2024 48.53 292nd 565 48.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at McLees Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.76 308th 571 46.1%
2019 72.93 146th 590 75.3%
2021 68.95 150th 561 73.3%
2022 67.88 181st 579 68.7%
2023 59.58 225th 582 61.3%
2024 64.29 195th 568 65.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at McLees Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 45.64 227th 412 44.9%
2019 79.28 53rd 421 87.4%
2021 89.65 17th 350 95.1%
2022 82.13 41st 393 89.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at McLees Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.72 341st 457 25.4%
2019 47.86 270th 472 42.8%
2021 58.46 184th 439 58.1%
2022 55.76 214th 455 53.0%
2023 45.43 267th 463 42.3%
2024 43.84 273rd 441 38.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

McLees Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Saturday, October 13, 2012

Open Quote McLees Academy of Leadership is a wonderful school. It has caring adults and responsible respectful children. Close Quote



Enrollment information for McLees Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 0
2003 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 0
2004 403 190 2 7 0 n/a n/a 0 602
2005 392 200 4 19 0 n/a n/a 0 615
2006 420 221 4 8 0 n/a n/a 0 653
2007 426 252 7 17 0 n/a n/a 0 702
2008 425 236 10 19 0 n/a n/a 1 691
2009 437 247 11 23 0 n/a n/a 2 720
2010 430 191 15 21 0 n/a n/a 1 658
2011 418 165 7 15 0 0 32 0 637
2012 435 178 8 17 1 0 20 0 659
2013 443 151 9 18 1 0 19 0 641
2014 441 152 7 22 0 0 29 0 651
2015 434 144 6 27 0 0 31 0 642
2016 424 147 7 28 1 0 34 0 641
2017 419 137 2 32 1 0 36 0 627
2018 418 125 2 33 1 0 45 0 624
2019 410 129 1 41 1 0 44 0 626
2020 414 129 3 31 1 0 48 0 626
2021 370 129 3 33 1 0 59 0 595
2022 359 120 3 47 0 0 48 0 577
2023 359 117 5 46 0 0 65 0 592

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at McLees Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 0 n/a n/a n/a
2003 0 n/a n/a n/a
2004 602 37.2 16.2 56.1
2005 615 41.2 14.9 55.8
2006 653 47.2 13.8 55
2007 702 62.0 11.3 58.8
2008 691 52.2 13.2 58.3
2009 720 42.2 17.1 60.7
2010 658 44.0 14.9 62.1
2011 637 40.0 15.9 65.1
2012 659 39.0 16.8 63.7
2013 641 42.0 15.2 62.6
2014 651 40.0 16.2 65.6
2015 642 40.0 16.0 65
2016 641 39.0 16.4 62.2
2017 627 37.0 16.9 100
2018 624 41.0 15.2 100
2019 626 40.4 15.4 61.5
2020 626 42.9 14.5 99.5
2021 595 42.4 14.0 68.7
2022 577 43.3 13.3 100
2023 592 41.0 14.4 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio McLees Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 0 n/a n/a n/a
2003 0 n/a n/a n/a
2004 602 37.2 16.2 56.1
2005 615 41.2 14.9 55.8
2006 653 47.2 13.8 55
2007 702 62.0 11.3 58.8
2008 691 52.2 13.2 58.3
2009 720 42.2 17.1 60.7
2010 658 44.0 14.9 62.1
2011 637 40.0 15.9 65.1
2012 659 39.0 16.8 63.7
2013 641 42.0 15.2 62.6
2014 651 40.0 16.2 65.6
2015 642 40.0 16.0 65
2016 641 39.0 16.4 62.2
2017 627 37.0 16.9 100
2018 624 41.0 15.2 100
2019 626 40.4 15.4 61.5
2020 626 42.9 14.5 99.5
2021 595 42.4 14.0 68.7
2022 577 43.3 13.3 100
2023 592 41.0 14.4 100

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for McLees Elementary

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $553 (6.3%) $299 (3.4%) $852 (9.7%) $7,102 (80.8%) $842 (9.6%) $7,943 (90.3%) $8,795
2020 $509 (5.2%) $321 (3.3%) $830 (8.5%) $7,911 (81.1%) $1,016 (10.4%) $8,927 (91.5%) $9,757
2021 $559 (5.4%) $322 (3.1%) $881 (8.4%) $8,422 (80.6%) $1,145 (11.0%) $9,567 (91.6%) $10,448
2022 $680 (5.9%) $361 (3.1%) $1,041 (9.0%) $9,349 (81.2%) $1,117 (9.7%) $10,466 (91.0%) $11,507
2023 $789 (6.6%) $612 (5.1%) $1,401 (11.7%) $9,435 (78.6%) $1,169 (9.7%) $10,603 (88.3%) $12,005

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McLees Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 200th of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 243rd of 644 Elementary schools
 6.6%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (McLees Elementary)5653.5
 2.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Anderson 05)45.157.9
 12.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (McLees Elementary)6662.5
 3.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Anderson 05)5560.1
 5.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (McLees Elementary)52.548.4
 4.1%
   4th Grade Science (Anderson 05)52.446.8
 5.6%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (McLees Elementary)50.559.8
 9.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Anderson 05)50.859.1
 8.3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (McLees Elementary)53.537.1
 16.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Anderson 05)51.348.7
 2.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (McLees Elementary)46.358.8
 12.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Anderson 05)42.755.4
 12.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (McLees Elementary)60.956.3
 4.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Anderson 05)48.145.3
 2.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)45.444.6
 0.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students626592
 5.4%
African American129117
 9.3%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian15
 400%
Hispanic4146
 12.2%
Pacific Islander00
White410359
 12.4%
Two or More Races4465
 47.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients61.5%100%
 38.5%


Schools Near McLees Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about McLees Elementary

McLees Elementary ranks 260th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 592 students attended McLees Elementary.

Students at McLees Elementary are 61% White, 20% African American, 11% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic.

Students who attend McLees Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Robert Anderson Middle
High : Westside High


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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