Limestone-Central Elementary

Summary:

Limestone-Central Elementary is a public elementary school in Gaffney, South Carolina, serving 490 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Cherokee 01 School District, which is ranked 55 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Limestone-Central Elementary faces significant academic challenges, consistently underperforming compared to state and district averages on standardized tests. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 23.1% of 3rd-grade students were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 41.6% in the district and 53.8% statewide. The school has a low statewide ranking, consistently placing in the bottom half of South Carolina elementary schools, and has a 1 or 2-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating below-average performance. Limestone-Central struggles to meet the needs of its diverse student population, with subgroups such as African American students and students from low-income families performing in the bottom quartile of the state.

While Limestone-Central Elementary has a relatively high per-student spending of $13,995 and a low student-teacher ratio, these resources do not appear to be effectively translating into better outcomes for students. Nearby schools, such as Blacksburg Elementary, Grassy Pond Elementary, and Corinth Elementary, which are also part of the Cherokee 01 district, consistently outperform Limestone-Central on standardized tests and have higher statewide rankings.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 727 Pacolet Highway
       Gaffney, SC  29340


(864) 206-6620

District: Cherokee 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
599th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $13,995 Help


Students who attend Limestone-Central Elementary usually attend:

High:    Gaffney High

Student/teacher ratio:  12.9 Help
Number of students:  475

Racial breakdown:

White:
49.3%
African American:
37.3%
Hispanic:
9.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Limestone-Central Elementary ranks worse than 93.9% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Cherokee 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.02. (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 Racial makeup is: White (49.3%), African American (37.3%), Hispanic (9.7%). (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 Limestone-Central Elementary is 12.9, which is the 4th best among 8 elementary schools in the Cherokee 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Limestone-Central Elementary employs 36.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Limestone-Central Elementary is $13,995. 5 elementary schools in the Cherokee 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Limestone-Central Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Limestone-Central Elementary 599th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Limestone-Central Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
White students:


Cherokee 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Cherokee 01 55th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Limestone-Central Elementary?

Rank History for Limestone-Central Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 55.35 269th 542 50.4%
2004 55.11 269th 550 51.1%
2005 46.78 332nd 557 40.4%
2006 36.42 399th 559 28.6%
2007 35.93 414th 566 26.9%
2008 30.17 454th 577 21.3%
2009 41.33 378th 580 34.8%
2010 38.95 400th 589 32.1%
2011 32.02 457th 597 23.5%
2012 29.97 471st 594 20.7%
2013 41.08 386th 599 35.6%
2014 45.24 379th 630 39.8%
2015 41.47 376th 638 41.1%
2016 39.17 387th 619 37.5%
2017 39.98 384th 639 39.9%
2018 31.87 429th 624 31.3%
2019 32.16 440th 643 31.6%
2021 34.64 406th 622 34.7%
2022 17.98 517th 625 17.3%
2023 12.95 574th 644 10.9%
2024 10.02 599th 638 6.1%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.66 377th 588 35.9%
2019 36.81 408th 600 32.0%
2021 42.64 341st 580 41.2%
2022 21.95 490th 600 18.3%
2023 12.19 573rd 608 5.8%
2024 11.30 568th 599 5.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 37.73 371st 570 34.9%
2019 25.05 463rd 588 21.3%
2021 27.67 407th 554 26.5%
2022 12.15 512th 573 10.6%
2023 11.26 538th 580 7.2%
2024 11.72 525th 565 7.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 0.01 109th 109 0.0%
2023 2.16 102nd 105 2.9%
2024 0.01 82nd 82 0.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 27.33 428th 571 25.0%
2019 37.95 381st 590 35.4%
2021 37.94 354th 561 36.9%
2022 23.01 454th 579 21.6%
2023 12.51 520th 582 10.7%
2024 8.34 541st 568 4.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.36 223rd 412 45.9%
2019 34.22 302nd 421 28.3%
2021 50.97 151st 350 56.9%
2022 17.44 364th 393 7.4%
2023 12.43 380th 394 3.6%
2024 15.79 352nd 369 4.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Limestone-Central Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 15.23 407th 457 10.9%
2019 25.32 376th 472 20.3%
2021 26.95 337th 439 23.2%
2022 8.04 433rd 455 4.8%
2023 6.10 451st 463 2.6%
2024 5.33 430th 441 2.5%
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.

Limestone-Central 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
Friday, November 8, 2019

Open Quote Majority of the teachers here are impatient, show favoritism, refuse to help children who need extra help, and some are even dishonest. Teachers here speak to their students as if they are less than human. These teachers are not held accountable for their actions, and place the blame on the children for their shortcomings. If your child doesn’t not learn audibly or at least visually it will be extremely difficult for them to succeed at this school. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Limestone-Central Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1999 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 492 492
2000 239 203 3 0 0 n/a n/a 0 445
2001 204 144 2 1 3 n/a n/a 0 354
2002 226 147 2 6 0 n/a n/a 2 383
2003 226 147 2 6 0 n/a n/a 2 383
2004 233 144 1 3 0 n/a n/a 2 383
2005 249 171 6 4 0 n/a n/a 6 436
2006 243 175 4 3 0 n/a n/a 6 431
2007 268 188 5 3 0 n/a n/a 0 464
2008 271 186 3 6 0 n/a n/a 5 471
2009 260 179 1 2 0 n/a n/a 6 448
2010 230 173 1 2 0 n/a n/a 2 408
2011 227 157 0 2 2 1 0 0 389
2012 232 169 1 2 0 1 2 0 407
2013 250 152 2 2 1 1 2 0 410
2014 269 155 1 10 1 0 2 0 438
2015 246 186 1 14 0 0 1 0 448
2016 261 177 1 19 0 0 3 0 461
2017 261 188 1 19 0 0 4 0 473
2018 246 157 4 16 0 0 7 0 430
2019 227 163 1 19 0 0 12 0 422
2020 190 159 0 21 1 0 22 0 393
2021 141 143 0 26 1 0 16 0 327
2022 260 167 1 43 1 0 19 0 491
2023 264 158 1 47 1 1 18 0 490
2024 234 177 2 46 0 1 15 0 475

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 Limestone-Central Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 492 28.0 17.6 44.3
2000 445 29.0 15.3 45.6
2001 354 24.0 14.8 47.7
2002 383 24.0 16.0 51.2
2003 383 24.0 16.0 51.2
2004 383 25.0 15.3 52.2
2005 436 25.0 17.4 55.6
2006 431 26.0 16.6 55.5
2007 464 40.0 11.6 56.9
2008 471 30.5 15.4 55.2
2009 448 28.0 16.0 57
2010 408 25.0 16.3 67.2
2011 389 25.0 15.5 68.4
2012 407 26.0 15.6 66.1
2013 410 27.0 15.1 67.8
2014 438 28.0 15.6 72.4
2015 448 27.0 16.5 70.5
2016 461 28.0 16.4 80.5
2017 473 28.7 16.4 100
2018 430 30.0 14.3 100
2019 422 30.0 14.0 100
2020 393 26.0 15.1 100
2021 327 27.0 12.1 100
2022 491 36.8 13.3 100
2023 490 37.8 12.9 100
2024 475 36.8 12.9 100

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 Limestone-Central Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1999 492 28.0 17.6 44.3
2000 445 29.0 15.3 45.6
2001 354 24.0 14.8 47.7
2002 383 24.0 16.0 51.2
2003 383 24.0 16.0 51.2
2004 383 25.0 15.3 52.2
2005 436 25.0 17.4 55.6
2006 431 26.0 16.6 55.5
2007 464 40.0 11.6 56.9
2008 471 30.5 15.4 55.2
2009 448 28.0 16.0 57
2010 408 25.0 16.3 67.2
2011 389 25.0 15.5 68.4
2012 407 26.0 15.6 66.1
2013 410 27.0 15.1 67.8
2014 438 28.0 15.6 72.4
2015 448 27.0 16.5 70.5
2016 461 28.0 16.4 80.5
2017 473 28.7 16.4 100
2018 430 30.0 14.3 100
2019 422 30.0 14.0 100
2020 393 26.0 15.1 100
2021 327 27.0 12.1 100
2022 491 36.8 13.3 100
2023 490 37.8 12.9 100
2024 475 36.8 12.9 100

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 Limestone-Central 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 $1,175 (12.7%) $616 (6.6%) $1,791 (19.3%) $4,981 (53.6%) $2,514 (27.1%) $7,495 (80.7%) $9,286
2020 $1,171 (12.1%) $434 (4.5%) $1,605 (16.6%) $7,109 (73.5%) $953 (9.9%) $8,062 (83.4%) $9,668
2021 $1,617 (14.1%) $441 (3.8%) $2,058 (17.9%) $8,414 (73.2%) $1,026 (8.9%) $9,441 (82.1%) $11,498
2022 $2,152 (14.9%) $1,160 (8.0%) $3,313 (23.0%) $9,923 (68.8%) $1,188 (8.2%) $11,111 (77.0%) $14,424
2023 $1,521 (10.9%) $1,860 (13.3%) $3,381 (24.2%) $9,478 (67.7%) $1,135 (8.1%) $10,613 (75.8%) $13,995

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Limestone-Central 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 440th of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 574th of 644 Elementary schools
 20.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Limestone-Central Elementary)44.333.8
 10.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cherokee 01)43.741.5
 2.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Limestone-Central Elementary)55.726.3
 29.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Cherokee 01)49.240.9
 8.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Limestone-Central Elementary)4221
 21%
   4th Grade Science (Cherokee 01)43.426.1
 17.3%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Limestone-Central Elementary)4234.2
 7.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Cherokee 01)43.441
 2.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Limestone-Central Elementary)30.415.8
 14.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Cherokee 01)38.426.8
 11.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Limestone-Central Elementary)3138.1
 7.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Cherokee 01)33.142.3
 9.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Limestone-Central Elementary)2419.5
 4.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Cherokee 01)32.824.5
 8.3%
   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 Students422490
 16.1%
African American163158
 3.1%
American Indian01
Asian11
Hispanic1947
 147.4%
Pacific Islander01
White227264
 16.3%
Two or More Races1218
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Limestone-Central Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Limestone-Central Elementary

Students who attend Limestone-Central Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Gaffney High

In the 2023-24 school year, 475 students attended Limestone-Central Elementary.

Students at Limestone-Central Elementary are 49% White, 37% African American, 10% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Limestone-Central Elementary ranks in the bottom 6.1% of South Carolina elementary schools.


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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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