Philip Simmons Elementary

Q: Is Philip Simmons Elementary a good school?

Philip Simmons Elementary ranks 89 th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Philip Simmons Elementary is a public elementary school in Wando, South Carolina, serving 525 students in grades PK-4 and part of the Berkeley 01 school district. This high-performing school consistently ranks among the top 20% of elementary schools in the state, with students significantly outperforming their peers in the district and across South Carolina on standardized assessments.

Philip Simmons Elementary's academic excellence is evident in its strong performance across subjects. In 2023-2024, 73.5% of 3rd graders and 68.7% of 4th graders were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to just 50.1% and 55.8% for the district, and 53.8% and 57.2% for the state. In Mathematics, 69.6% of 3rd graders and 69.5% of 4th graders were proficient or better, far exceeding the district's 44.5% and 45%, and the state's 54.5% and 51%. The school's 4th grade students also outperformed their peers on the SCPASS Science assessment, with 50.5% proficient or better, compared to 40.2% for the district and 46.6% for the state.

While Philip Simmons Elementary's academic achievements are impressive, the school's student population differs significantly from the surrounding area. The school has a much higher percentage of White students (76.38%) compared to the district and state, and a lower percentage of African American (14.1%) and Hispanic (4.38%) students. Additionally, the school serves a more affluent community, with only 20.95% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, lower than the district and state averages. This socioeconomic factor, along with the school's higher spending per student ($11,966), may contribute to its strong academic performance and should be further explored to understand how these resources are utilized to support student learning.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

2095 Seven Sticks Drive
Wando, SC 29492

(843) 471-2580

District: Berkeley 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
89^th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,966

Students who attend Philip Simmons Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Philip Simmons Middle
High:	Philip Simmons High

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 545

Racial breakdown:

White:

76.7%

African American:

12.7%

Two or more races:

5.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 33.2%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Philip Simmons Elementary ranks better than 86.1% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 2^nd among 23 ranked elementary schools in the Berkeley 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 84.54. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (76.7%), African American (12.7%), two or more races (5.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 33.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Philip Simmons Elementary is 15.3, which is the 7^th best among 23 elementary schools in the Berkeley 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Philip Simmons Elementary employs 35.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Philip Simmons Elementary is $11,966, which is the 13^th highest among 23 elementary schools in the Berkeley 01 School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Philip Simmons Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Philip Simmons Elementary 89^th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Philip Simmons Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Male students:

White students:

Berkeley 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Berkeley 01 37^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Philip Simmons Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	78.15	127^th	643	80.2%
2021	79.15	122^nd	622	80.4%
2022	80.31	114^th	625	81.8%
2023	75.94	146^th	644	77.3%
2024	84.54	89^th	638	86.1%

See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	65.30	197^th	588	66.5%
2019	40.31	379^th	600	36.8%
2021	50.76	277^th	580	52.2%
2022	57.96	248^th	600	58.7%
2023	41.74	361^st	608	40.6%
2024	49.31	305^th	599	49.1%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	88.84	47^th	570	91.8%
2019	80.53	99^th	588	83.2%
2021	81.32	91^st	554	83.6%
2022	80.91	104^th	573	81.8%
2023	77.51	119^th	580	79.5%
2024	84.12	77^th	565	86.4%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	53.71	63^rd	174	63.8%
2024	57.46	57^th	143	60.1%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	77.74	116^th	571	79.7%
2019	72.37	150^th	590	74.6%
2021	70.77	146^th	561	74.0%
2022	74.70	141^st	579	75.6%
2023	68.40	174^th	582	70.1%
2024	81.95	92^nd	568	83.8%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.88	311^th	394	21.1%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	87.47	42^nd	457	90.8%
2019	78.35	76^th	472	83.9%
2021	59.84	177^th	439	59.7%
2022	68.35	134^th	455	70.5%
2023	70.98	132^nd	463	71.5%
2024	76.80	87^th	441	80.3%

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.

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Philip Simmons Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2017	202	65	4	12	1	0	13	297
2018	233	73	7	15	1	0	16	345
2019	275	81	8	16	1	0	23	404
2020	335	72	8	23	1	1	27	467
2021	316	64	5	24	0	0	22	431
2022	380	68	3	20	0	0	30	501
2023	401	74	0	23	0	0	27	525
2024	418	69	3	27	0	0	28	545

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 Philip Simmons Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	297	23.0	12.9	29.6
2018	345	23.0	15.0	26.4
2019	404	25.0	16.1	42.6
2020	467	29.0	16.1	18.4
2021	431	30.0	14.3	17.9
2022	501	30.4	16.4	16.6
2023	525	34.0	15.4	21
2024	545	35.5	15.3	33.2

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 Philip Simmons Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	297	23.0	12.9	29.6
2018	345	23.0	15.0	26.4
2019	404	25.0	16.1	42.6
2020	467	29.0	16.1	18.4
2021	431	30.0	14.3	17.9
2022	501	30.4	16.4	16.6
2023	525	34.0	15.4	21
2024	545	35.5	15.3	33.2

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 Philip Simmons Elementary

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$643 (6.0%)	$517 (4.8%)	$1,160 (10.7%)	$8,141 (75.4%)	$1,502 (13.9%)	$9,643 (89.3%)	$10,803
2020	$195 (1.7%)	$43 (0.4%)	$237 (2.0%)	$9,807 (83.2%)	$1,745 (14.8%)	$11,552 (98.0%)	$11,789
2021	$242 (3.2%)	$257 (3.4%)	$499 (6.5%)	$6,813 (89.4%)	$307 (4.0%)	$7,120 (93.5%)	$7,619
2022	$378 (3.3%)	$636 (5.6%)	$1,014 (9.0%)	$8,885 (78.7%)	$1,385 (12.3%)	$10,270 (91.0%)	$11,284
2023	$1,050 (8.8%)	$949 (7.9%)	$2,000 (16.7%)	$8,386 (70.1%)	$1,580 (13.2%)	$9,966 (83.3%)	$11,966

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Philip Simmons 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 127^th of 643 Elementary schools	Ranks 146^th of 644 Elementary schools	2.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Philip Simmons Elementary)	60.3	75	14.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Berkeley 01)	50.9	51.9	1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	49.7	53.5	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Philip Simmons Elementary)	61.6	75	13.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Berkeley 01)	52.9	46.5	6.4%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	57.7	53.6	4.1%
4th Grade Science (Philip Simmons Elementary)	73.7	50.5	23.2%
4th Grade Science (Berkeley 01)	53.6	40.2	13.4%
4th Grade Science (South Carolina)	52	46.6	5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Philip Simmons Elementary)	69.8	62.4	7.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Berkeley 01)	52.5	53.9	1.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	51.3	57.2	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Philip Simmons Elementary)	59.2	48.3	10.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Berkeley 01)	46.4	37.9	8.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	50.5	47	3.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	404	525	30%
African American	81	74	8.6%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	8	0	100%
Hispanic	16	23	43.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	275	401	45.8%
Two or More Races	23	27	17.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.6%	21%	21.6%

Schools Near Philip Simmons Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)						SC READY Mathematics (2024)						EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Philip Simmons Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	2095 Seven Sticks Drive	Wando	29492	Berkeley County	Berkeley 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 471-2580	545	36	15.3	33.2%	418 (76.7%)	69 (12.7%)	27 (5.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.1%)	84.5	89^th of 638 public elementary schools	86.1%		75.9	146^th of 644 public elementary schools	77.3%	57	73.5	68.7					69.6	69.5						$11,966	$1,050	$949	$2,000	$8,386	$1,580	$9,966
Belle Hall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	385 Egypt Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 849-2841	657	40	16.6	18.1%	539 (82.0%)	49 (7.5%)	35 (5.3%)	18 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.4%)	98.8	2^nd of 638 public elementary schools	99.7%		98.3	2^nd of 644 public elementary schools	99.7%		92.0	91.8	91.5				92.9	92.9	88.3					$13,427	$1,299	$809	$2,109	$9,387	$1,931	$11,318
Charles Pinckney Elementary	Public	3-5	3300 Thomas Cario Boulevard	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 856-4585	646	38	17.0	13.6%	549 (85.0%)	12 (1.9%)	39 (6.0%)	15 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.6%)	97.1	9^th of 638 public elementary schools	98.6%		97.3	7^th of 644 public elementary schools	98.9%	2	82.6	87.0	85.4				87.0	82.5	85.9					$12,155	$995	$966	$1,961	$7,976	$2,219	$10,195
Laurel Hill Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	3100 Thomas Cario Boulevard	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 849-2200	736	45	16.5	17.1%	593 (80.6%)	24 (3.3%)	61 (8.3%)	17 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (5.6%)								(n/a)														$14,588	$1,336	$830	$2,166	$9,766	$2,656	$12,422
Daniel Island School	Public	K-8	2365 Daniel Island Drive	Charleston	29492	Berkeley County	Berkeley 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 471-2301	1,146	73	15.6	7.3%	1,028 (89.7%)	21 (1.8%)	31 (2.7%)	19 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (4.1%)	97.2	7^th of 638 public elementary schools	98.9%		97.4	5^th of 644 public elementary schools	99.2%	2	86.2	87.0	82.9	83.4	89.0	87.6	90.4	82.9	77.8	75.2	74.6	62.0	98.7	$10,428	$698	$543	$1,241	$7,709	$1,478	$9,187
Jennie Moore Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2725 Bulrush Basket Lane	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 849-2815	999	63	15.9	21.4%	778 (77.9%)	97 (9.7%)	49 (4.9%)	29 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	44 (4.4%)	92.5	34^th of 638 public elementary schools	94.7%		88.7	71^st of 644 public elementary schools	89.0%	37	75.8	84.9	72.9				79.3	76.7	70.4					$13,284	$1,104	$973	$2,076	$9,108	$2,100	$11,208
Carolina Park Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	3650 Park Avenue Boulevard	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 856-8060	981	53	18.5	14.0%	807 (82.3%)	60 (6.1%)	43 (4.4%)	23 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (4.9%)	95.6	15^th of 638 public elementary schools	97.6%		95.1	19^th of 644 public elementary schools	97.0%	4	82.2	85.6	84.3				83.5	79.6	73.0					$11,963	$1,297	$752	$2,049	$7,911	$2,003	$9,914
James B. Edwards Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	885 Von Kolnitz Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 849-2805	763	50	15.4	23.6%	628 (82.3%)	57 (7.5%)	31 (4.1%)	9 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	36 (4.7%)	84.2	95^th of 638 public elementary schools	85.1%		90.6	52^nd of 644 public elementary schools	91.9%	43	64.8	85.2	71.3				64.1	77.8	58.5					$13,538	$1,062	$830	$1,892	$9,431	$2,215	$11,646
Mamie P. Whitesides Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1565 Rifle Range Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 849-2838	828	49	17.0	20.3%	681 (82.2%)	49 (5.9%)	51 (6.2%)	18 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (3.5%)	95.5	18^th of 638 public elementary schools	97.2%		95.3	17^th of 644 public elementary schools	97.4%	1	80.0	91.6	86.3				77.4	83.2	72.5					$12,549	$1,083	$775	$1,858	$8,715	$1,975	$10,691
North Charleston Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	4921 Durant Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 745-7107	307	35	8.7	100.0%	31 (10.1%)	198 (64.5%)	64 (20.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	20.2	520^th of 638 public elementary schools	18.5%		15.2	561^st of 644 public elementary schools	12.9%	41	37.9	31.1	41.0				44.8	21.7	33.4					$26,946	$5,137	$2,049	$7,186	$15,370	$4,391	$19,760

Frequently Asked Questions about Philip Simmons Elementary

What is the racial makeup of Philip Simmons Elementary?

Students at Philip Simmons Elementary are 77% White, 13% African American, 5% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic.

Is Philip Simmons Elementary a good school?

Philip Simmons Elementary ranks 89^th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Philip Simmons Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 545 students attended Philip Simmons Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Philip Simmons Elementary attend?

Students who attend Philip Simmons Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Philip Simmons Middle
High : Philip Simmons High

What district is Philip Simmons Elementary in?

Berkeley 01

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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.