James Island Elementary

Summary:

James Island Elementary is a public elementary school serving 582 students in grades PK-5 in Charleston, South Carolina, which is part of the Charleston 01 School District.

James Island Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with 63.4% White, 28.87% African American, and smaller percentages of other racial groups. Academically, the school's performance is generally on par with or slightly below the Charleston 01 district and state averages, with some variations across grade levels and subject areas. For example, 4th grade English Language Arts proficiency is higher than the district and state, while 5th grade Math proficiency is lower. The school's socioeconomic status, as measured by the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, has fluctuated in recent years, ranging from 28.73% to 53.09%, which is lower than some nearby schools like Mitchell Elementary and Stono Park Elementary, which have 100% free/reduced-lunch rates.

James Island Elementary's statewide ranking among South Carolina elementary schools has varied from 179 to 251 over the past several years, with a current ranking of 208 out of 638 schools, placing it in the middle to upper-middle range compared to other elementary schools in the state. The school's performance on state assessments varies significantly across different student subgroups, with White students consistently outperforming the state and district averages, while the performance of African American and low-socioeconomic status students lags behind. Additionally, the school's ranking for its Gifted and Talented program is relatively low, indicating that this may be an area for improvement.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1872 Grimball Road
       Charleston, SC  29412


(843) 762-8240

District: Charleston 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
208th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $17,302 Help


Students who attend James Island Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Camp Road Middle
High:    James Island Charter High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.0 Help
Number of students:  616

Racial breakdown:

White:
64.9%
African American:
26.9%
Two or more races:
4.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.2% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare James Island Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James Island Elementary ranks better than 67.4% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 21st 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 66.13. (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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (64.9%), African American (26.9%), two or more races (4.1%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Island Elementary is 16. 40 elementary schools in the Charleston 01 School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare James Island Elementary employs 38.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Island Elementary is $17,302, which is the 24th highest among 44 elementary schools in the Charleston 01 School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James Island Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks James Island Elementary 208th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See James Island Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Charleston 01:

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


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Your rating for James Island Elementary?

Rank History for James Island Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 60.47 226th 550 58.9%
2005 71.56 141st 557 74.7%
2006 68.29 171st 559 69.4%
2007 65.81 183rd 566 67.7%
2008 50.99 320th 577 44.5%
2009 59.66 243rd 580 58.1%
2010 61.82 219th 589 62.8%
2011 68.41 185th 597 69.0%
2012 63.48 224th 594 62.3%
2013 55.56 297th 599 50.4%
2014 57.88 279th 630 55.7%
2015 51.84 287th 638 55.0%
2016 67.96 179th 619 71.1%
2017 64.05 208th 639 67.4%
2018 63.34 215th 624 65.5%
2019 60.53 251st 643 61.0%
2021 65.63 202nd 622 67.5%
2022 68.00 188th 625 69.9%
2023 61.51 234th 644 63.7%
2024 66.13 208th 638 67.4%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.57 256th 588 56.5%
2019 53.95 290th 600 51.7%
2021 48.88 291st 580 49.8%
2022 39.46 374th 600 37.7%
2023 43.34 347th 608 42.9%
2024 46.56 321st 599 46.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.28 185th 570 67.5%
2019 58.09 247th 588 58.0%
2021 55.29 234th 554 57.8%
2022 64.79 195th 573 66.0%
2023 54.00 264th 580 54.5%
2024 52.37 273rd 565 51.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 39.34 120th 147 18.4%
2023 43.30 87th 105 17.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.80 238th 571 58.3%
2019 58.88 243rd 590 58.8%
2021 70.24 147th 561 73.8%
2022 65.50 197th 579 66.0%
2023 63.48 206th 582 64.6%
2024 67.01 182nd 568 68.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.63 170th 412 58.7%
2019 57.83 156th 421 62.9%
2021 46.60 176th 350 49.7%
2022 32.40 280th 393 28.8%
2024 20.40 336th 369 8.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at James Island Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.47 165th 457 63.9%
2019 53.12 232nd 472 50.8%
2021 69.75 122nd 439 72.2%
2022 68.46 132nd 455 71.0%
2023 56.94 210th 463 54.6%
2024 63.14 173rd 441 60.8%
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.

James Island 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: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Open Quote Do yourselves a favor, and if you can get your kids into another school, do so. Close Quote



Enrollment information for James Island 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 245 194 8 9 1 n/a n/a 1 458
2005 256 192 9 5 2 n/a n/a 1 465
2006 242 188 7 7 7 n/a n/a 1 452
2007 247 197 6 7 6 n/a n/a 0 463
2008 271 212 5 12 6 n/a n/a 2 508
2009 289 208 10 12 8 n/a n/a 5 532
2010 287 214 13 11 8 n/a n/a 5 538
2011 274 180 8 14 1 0 22 0 499
2012 237 186 6 10 0 0 14 0 453
2013 276 172 9 9 0 0 17 0 483
2014 251 200 9 12 0 0 25 0 497
2015 265 204 4 11 2 0 20 0 506
2016 301 202 4 7 2 1 20 0 537
2017 308 205 5 9 2 0 26 0 555
2018 318 203 9 8 2 0 24 0 564
2019 299 192 8 11 2 0 22 0 534
2020 329 175 10 10 1 1 30 0 556
2021 287 157 8 9 1 1 21 0 484
2022 334 155 9 13 0 1 17 0 529
2023 369 168 5 18 0 1 21 0 582
2024 400 166 4 19 0 2 25 0 616

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 Island Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 0 0.0 0.0 n/a
2003 0 0.0 0.0 n/a
2004 458 29.0 15.8 40.3
2005 465 28.9 16.1 41.4
2006 452 31.5 14.3 42.8
2007 463 49.6 9.3 45.6
2008 508 31.8 16.0 35.8
2009 532 31.8 16.7 45.5
2010 538 30.6 17.5 40
2011 499 32.0 15.5 49.3
2012 453 28.0 16.1 51
2013 483 31.0 15.5 49.7
2014 497 34.0 14.6 50.5
2015 506 32.0 15.8 43.7
2016 537 32.0 16.7 47.3
2017 555 31.0 17.9 100
2018 564 34.0 16.5 100
2019 534 34.6 15.4 43.1
2020 556 36.6 15.1 39.2
2021 484 37.0 13.0 40.9
2022 529 39.5 13.3 28.7
2023 582 37.5 15.5 53.1
2024 616 38.5 16.0 44.2

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 James Island Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 0 0.0 0.0 n/a
2003 0 0.0 0.0 n/a
2004 458 29.0 15.8 40.3
2005 465 28.9 16.1 41.4
2006 452 31.5 14.3 42.8
2007 463 49.6 9.3 45.6
2008 508 31.8 16.0 35.8
2009 532 31.8 16.7 45.5
2010 538 30.6 17.5 40
2011 499 32.0 15.5 49.3
2012 453 28.0 16.1 51
2013 483 31.0 15.5 49.7
2014 497 34.0 14.6 50.5
2015 506 32.0 15.8 43.7
2016 537 32.0 16.7 47.3
2017 555 31.0 17.9 100
2018 564 34.0 16.5 100
2019 534 34.6 15.4 43.1
2020 556 36.6 15.1 39.2
2021 484 37.0 13.0 40.9
2022 529 39.5 13.3 28.7
2023 582 37.5 15.5 53.1
2024 616 38.5 16.0 44.2

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 James Island 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 $993 (9.1%) $424 (3.9%) $1,418 (13.1%) $7,534 (69.4%) $1,912 (17.6%) $9,446 (87.0%) $10,863
2020 $1,074 (9.2%) $442 (3.8%) $1,516 (12.9%) $8,289 (70.8%) $1,907 (16.3%) $10,196 (87.1%) $11,712
2021 $795 (6.9%) $385 (3.3%) $1,181 (10.3%) $8,451 (73.4%) $1,881 (16.3%) $10,332 (89.7%) $11,513
2022 $1,263 (7.5%) $953 (5.6%) $2,216 (13.1%) $12,039 (71.3%) $2,631 (15.6%) $14,670 (86.9%) $16,886
2023 $2,544 (14.7%) $1,016 (5.9%) $3,560 (20.6%) $11,178 (64.6%) $2,563 (14.8%) $13,742 (79.4%) $17,302

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

Impact of COVID-19 on James Island 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 251st of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 234th of 644 Elementary schools
 2.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James Island Elementary)59.568.2
 8.7%
   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 Island Elementary)61.460.3
 1.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Charleston 01)58.261.3
 3.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (James Island Elementary)44.545.5
 1%
   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 Island Elementary)47.253.3
 6.1%
   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 Island Elementary)52.740.3
 12.4%
   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 Island Elementary)45.662.4
 16.8%
   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 Island Elementary)40.352
 11.7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Charleston 01)45.454.9
 9.5%
   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 Students534582
 9%
African American192168
 12.5%
American Indian20
 100%
Asian85
 37.5%
Hispanic1118
 63.6%
Pacific Islander01
White299369
 23.4%
Two or More Races2221
 4.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients43.1%53.1%
 10%


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Frequently Asked Questions about James Island Elementary

Students at James Island Elementary are 65% White, 27% African American, 4% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

James Island Elementary ranks 208th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 616 students attended James Island Elementary.

Students who attend James Island Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Camp Road Middle
High : James Island Charter 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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