James Simons Montessori

Summary:

James Simons Montessori is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Charleston, South Carolina, part of the Charleston 01 school district, which is ranked 24th out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

James Simons Montessori has shown significant academic improvement in recent years, now ranking 144th out of 638 elementary schools in South Carolina with a 4-star rating. Its students consistently outperform the district and state in English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments, with 77.2% of 3rd graders, 85.7% of 4th graders, and 77.3% of 5th graders proficient or better in ELA, compared to 59%, 63.8%, and 62.2% for the district, respectively. However, the school still faces challenges in addressing achievement gaps among its diverse student population, particularly for African American and low-income students.

When compared to nearby schools like Harbor View Elementary and Orange Grove Charter School, which consistently rank among the top elementary schools in the state, James Simons Montessori stands out as a relatively high-performing school. The school's Montessori approach and increased per-student spending may have contributed to its academic improvements, but continued investment and targeted interventions will be crucial to addressing the remaining achievement gaps.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 741 King Street
       Charleston, SC  29403


(843) 724-7763

District: Charleston 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
144th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $20,866 Help


Students who attend James Simons Montessori usually attend:

Middle:    Simmons Pinckney Middle
High:    Burke High

Student/teacher ratio:  15.0 Help
Number of students:  371

Racial breakdown:

White:
56.9%
African American:
30.7%
Hispanic:
6.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details James Simons Montessori ranks better than 77.4% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 18th among 44 ranked elementary schools in the Charleston 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.56. (See more...)
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Compare Details James Simons Montessori ranks better than 75.1% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.74. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56.9%), African American (30.7%), Hispanic (6.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Simons Montessori is 15. 30 elementary schools in the Charleston 01 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare James Simons Montessori employs 24.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Simons Montessori is $20,866, which is the 17th highest among 44 elementary schools in the Charleston 01 School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

James Simons Montessori was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks James Simons Montessori 81st of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See James Simons Montessori in the ranking list.)

Charleston 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Charleston 01 24th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for James Simons Montessori

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Rank History for all elementary school students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 27.26 433rd 542 20.1%
2004 23.70 463rd 550 15.8%
2005 21.48 483rd 557 13.3%
2006 22.33 478th 559 14.5%
2007 20.16 496th 566 12.4%
2008 12.92 539th 577 6.6%
2009 14.73 535th 580 7.8%
2010 21.30 522nd 589 11.4%
2011 40.53 404th 597 32.3%
2012 38.48 413th 594 30.5%
2013 32.48 455th 599 24.0%
2014 23.91 536th 630 14.9%
2015 22.54 548th 638 14.1%
2016 15.68 558th 619 9.9%
2017 7.18 623rd 639 2.5%
2018 16.13 547th 624 12.3%
2019 14.34 573rd 643 10.9%
2021 42.76 356th 622 42.8%
2022 56.15 265th 625 57.6%
2023 62.26 233rd 644 63.8%
2024 76.56 144th 638 77.4%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 7.39 583rd 588 0.9%
2019 8.25 584th 600 2.7%
2021 17.82 494th 580 14.8%
2022 22.75 484th 600 19.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 9.20 556th 588 5.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.06 498th 571 12.8%
2019 29.90 422nd 590 28.5%
2021 44.96 311th 561 44.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.19 398th 412 3.4%
2019 12.24 408th 421 3.1%
2021 23.41 300th 350 14.3%
2022 32.96 276th 393 29.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

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

Rank History for James Simons Montessori

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Rank History for all middle school students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 17.91 199th 225 11.6%
2004 32.19 168th 230 27.0%
2005 37.28 160th 230 30.4%
2006 6.99 222nd 231 3.9%
2007 40.26 160th 236 32.2%
2008 8.10 235th 244 3.7%
2009 31.29 195th 249 21.7%
2010 7.69 249th 261 4.6%
2011 4.96 263rd 269 2.2%
2012 23.04 231st 271 14.8%
2013 58.41 117th 276 57.6%
2014 21.88 244th 291 16.2%
2015 22.37 246th 301 18.3%
2016 15.90 268th 303 11.6%
2017 6.26 312th 317 1.6%
2018 6.87 297th 303 2.0%
2019 5.69 311th 315 1.3%
2021 22.88 238th 311 23.5%
2022 13.18 283rd 310 8.7%
2023 44.30 173rd 325 46.8%
2024 68.74 81st 325 75.1%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.93 265th 280 5.4%
2022 17.39 269th 300 10.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at James Simons Montessori

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.02 234th 237 1.3%
2019 10.03 249th 252 1.2%
2022 32.96 177th 249 28.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American 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.

James Simons Montessori Test Scores
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Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for James Simons Montessori

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 0 910 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 910
1989 2 930 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 932
1990 3 933 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 936
1991 0 782 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 782
1992 1 747 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 748
1993 0 760 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 760
1994 2 684 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 686
1995 1 681 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 682
1996 1 681 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 682
1997 1 661 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 662
1998 1 601 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 603
1999 2 585 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 587
2000 2 560 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 562
2001 1 496 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 497
2002 1 485 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 487
2003 1 485 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 487
2004 0 462 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 462
2005 2 431 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 435
2006 4 418 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 423
2007 2 377 0 0 1 n/a n/a 0 380
2008 3 355 3 0 1 n/a n/a 0 362
2009 4 312 3 0 1 n/a n/a 0 320
2010 4 273 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 280
2011 4 210 5 0 0 0 1 0 220
2012 2 184 4 0 0 0 2 0 192
2013 2 191 1 0 0 0 0 0 194
2014 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 204 204
2015 64 199 1 1 2 0 3 0 270
2016 92 245 2 2 2 0 4 0 347
2017 85 251 0 3 1 0 6 0 346
2018 162 230 0 5 0 0 4 0 401
2019 170 208 1 6 0 0 6 0 391
2020 200 185 1 8 0 0 8 0 402
2021 194 177 4 10 0 0 7 0 392
2022 204 147 4 13 0 0 8 0 376
2023 192 131 5 17 0 0 15 0 360
2024 211 114 4 24 0 0 18 0 371

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 James Simons Montessori

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 910 42.3 21.5 n/a
1989 932 44.5 20.9 n/a
1990 936 46.9 19.9 n/a
1991 782 39.5 19.7 73
1992 748 40.7 18.3 77.9
1993 760 38.6 19.7 75.1
1994 686 39.0 17.6 74.5
1995 682 38.0 17.9 82.6
1996 682 38.0 17.9 82.6
1997 662 42.0 15.8 85
1998 603 38.0 15.9 88.9
1999 587 40.0 14.7 90.5
2000 562 40.0 14.1 89.5
2001 497 34.0 14.6 90.7
2002 487 34.5 14.1 89.7
2003 487 34.5 14.1 89.7
2004 462 32.5 14.2 86.8
2005 435 31.0 14.0 91.3
2006 423 28.6 14.8 88.7
2007 380 39.0 9.7 90
2008 362 26.0 13.9 75.4
2009 320 30.0 10.7 84.1
2010 280 22.4 12.5 90.4
2011 220 25.5 8.6 85.5
2012 192 24.5 7.8 88.5
2013 194 20.2 9.6 94.3
2014 204 n/a n/a n/a
2015 270 20.0 13.5 60
2016 347 24.0 14.4 64.3
2017 346 24.9 13.8 100
2018 401 23.3 17.2 100
2019 391 25.4 15.3 100
2020 402 28.2 14.2 100
2021 392 26.1 15.0 100
2022 376 28.4 13.2 100
2023 360 25.6 14.0 100
2024 371 24.6 15.0 100

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 James Simons Montessori

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 910 42.3 21.5 n/a
1989 932 44.5 20.9 n/a
1990 936 46.9 19.9 n/a
1991 782 39.5 19.7 73
1992 748 40.7 18.3 77.9
1993 760 38.6 19.7 75.1
1994 686 39.0 17.6 74.5
1995 682 38.0 17.9 82.6
1996 682 38.0 17.9 82.6
1997 662 42.0 15.8 85
1998 603 38.0 15.9 88.9
1999 587 40.0 14.7 90.5
2000 562 40.0 14.1 89.5
2001 497 34.0 14.6 90.7
2002 487 34.5 14.1 89.7
2003 487 34.5 14.1 89.7
2004 462 32.5 14.2 86.8
2005 435 31.0 14.0 91.3
2006 423 28.6 14.8 88.7
2007 380 39.0 9.7 90
2008 362 26.0 13.9 75.4
2009 320 30.0 10.7 84.1
2010 280 22.4 12.5 90.4
2011 220 25.5 8.6 85.5
2012 192 24.5 7.8 88.5
2013 194 20.2 9.6 94.3
2014 204 n/a n/a n/a
2015 270 20.0 13.5 60
2016 347 24.0 14.4 64.3
2017 346 24.9 13.8 100
2018 401 23.3 17.2 100
2019 391 25.4 15.3 100
2020 402 28.2 14.2 100
2021 392 26.1 15.0 100
2022 376 28.4 13.2 100
2023 360 25.6 14.0 100
2024 371 24.6 15.0 100

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 James Simons Montessori

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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 $798 (6.8%) $507 (4.3%) $1,305 (11.1%) $8,246 (70.4%) $2,161 (18.5%) $10,407 (88.9%) $11,712
2020 $641 (5.2%) $574 (4.7%) $1,215 (9.9%) $8,935 (72.5%) $2,166 (17.6%) $11,102 (90.1%) $12,317
2021 $594 (4.8%) $464 (3.8%) $1,058 (8.6%) $9,479 (77.1%) $1,757 (14.3%) $11,235 (91.4%) $12,293
2022 $782 (4.4%) $941 (5.3%) $1,722 (9.7%) $13,351 (75.3%) $2,665 (15.0%) $16,016 (90.3%) $17,738
2023 $1,755 (8.4%) $1,672 (8.0%) $3,428 (16.4%) $14,819 (71.0%) $2,620 (12.6%) $17,439 (83.6%) $20,866

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

Impact of COVID-19 on James Simons Montessori

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 573rd of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 233rd of 644 Elementary schools
 52.9%
Ranks 311th of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 173rd of 325 Middle schools
 45.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James Simons Montessori)38.983.8
 44.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Charleston 01)51.859.2
 7.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James Simons Montessori)30.664.9
 34.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Charleston 01)58.261.3
 3.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (James Simons Montessori)29.245.9
 16.7%
   4th Grade Science (Charleston 01)50.451.1
 0.7%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James Simons Montessori)39.166.7
 27.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Charleston 01)52.463.1
 10.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (James Simons Montessori)26.950
 23.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Charleston 01)52.954.2
 1.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James Simons Montessori)21.658.1
 36.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Charleston 01)43.561.5
 18%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (James Simons Montessori)18.938.7
 19.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Charleston 01)45.454.9
 9.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)45.444.6
 0.8%
6th Grade Science (James Simons Montessori)13.636
 22.4%
   6th Grade Science (Charleston 01)49.452.9
 3.5%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (James Simons Montessori)13.656
 42.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Charleston 01)47.662.6
 15%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (James Simons Montessori)13.624
 10.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Charleston 01)4848.4
 0.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students391360
 7.9%
African American208131
 37%
American Indian00
Asian15
 400%
Hispanic617
 183.3%
Pacific Islander00
White170192
 12.9%
Two or More Races615
 150%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near James Simons Montessori









Frequently Asked Questions about James Simons Montessori

Students at James Simons Montessori are 57% White, 31% African American, 6% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Students who attend James Simons Montessori usually go on to attend:

Middle : Simmons Pinckney Middle
High : Burke High

In the 2023-24 school year, 371 students attended James Simons Montessori.

James Simons Montessori ranks 144th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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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