St. John's Elementary

Summary:

St. John's Elementary is a public elementary school in Darlington, South Carolina, serving 535 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Darlington 01 school district, which is ranked 41 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One key differentiating factor for St. John's Elementary is its higher percentage of African American students (55.14%) compared to the surrounding schools, which range from 38.71% to 69.33% African American. However, the school's test scores are generally lower than the state and district averages across various grade levels and subjects. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate was 50%, compared to the state average of 53.8% and the district average of 46.1%. Additionally, St. John's Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom half of South Carolina elementary schools, with a ranking of 406 out of 638 schools in the 2023-2024 school year, placing it in the bottom 36% of elementary schools in the state.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 11.9 to 12.8 over the past few years, and a higher per-student spending of $16,143 in 2022-2023, the school's performance remains below average. This suggests that additional resources alone may not be the sole solution, and a comprehensive approach addressing the unique needs of the school and its student population is necessary to drive meaningful improvements. When comparing St. John's Elementary to nearby schools in the Florence 01 and Darlington 01 districts, it becomes clear that the school is underperforming relative to its peers, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 140 Park Street
       Darlington, SC  29532


(843) 398-5130

District: Darlington 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
406th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $16,143 Help


Students who attend St. John's Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Darlington Middle
High:    Darlington High

Student/teacher ratio:  11.5 Help
Number of students:  567

Racial breakdown:

African American:
54.1%
White:
31.6%
Two or more races:
10.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare St. John's Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details St. John's Elementary ranks worse than 63.6% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 5th among 8 ranked elementary schools in the Darlington 01 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.88. (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: African American (54.1%), White (31.6%), two or more races (10.9%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Darlington 01 School District. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at St. John's Elementary is 11.5, which is the 5th best among 8 elementary schools in the Darlington 01 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare St. John's Elementary employs 49 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at St. John's Elementary is $16,143, which is the 5th highest among 8 elementary schools in the Darlington 01 School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

St. John's Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks St. John's Elementary 406th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See St. John's 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:


Darlington 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Darlington 01 41st of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for St. John's Elementary

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Rank History for all students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 27.86 429th 542 20.8%
2004 25.68 447th 550 18.7%
2005 38.96 382nd 557 31.4%
2006 44.03 355th 559 36.5%
2007 47.15 337th 566 40.5%
2008 45.94 349th 577 39.5%
2009 46.21 340th 580 41.4%
2010 59.34 250th 589 57.6%
2011 52.56 321st 597 46.2%
2012 55.98 293rd 594 50.7%
2013 45.18 358th 599 40.2%
2014 50.69 343rd 630 45.6%
2015 41.63 373rd 638 41.5%
2016 39.45 383rd 619 38.1%
2017 20.43 534th 639 16.4%
2018 24.49 479th 624 23.2%
2019 41.09 391st 643 39.2%
2021 30.35 432nd 622 30.5%
2022 25.82 462nd 625 26.1%
2023 25.62 484th 644 24.8%
2024 35.88 406th 638 36.4%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 24.20 483rd 588 17.9%
2019 43.16 358th 600 40.3%
2021 29.88 422nd 580 27.2%
2022 25.20 469th 600 21.8%
2023 27.96 467th 608 23.2%
2024 46.61 320th 599 46.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.28 495th 570 13.2%
2019 34.50 407th 588 30.8%
2021 24.71 421st 554 24.0%
2022 28.56 413th 573 27.9%
2023 26.66 437th 580 24.7%
2024 27.67 417th 565 26.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.24 100th 161 37.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.36 400th 571 29.9%
2019 44.66 341st 590 42.2%
2021 33.96 375th 561 33.2%
2022 24.48 446th 579 23.0%
2023 22.85 461st 582 20.8%
2024 41.09 342nd 568 39.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.31 363rd 412 11.9%
2019 40.19 272nd 421 35.4%
2021 44.45 189th 350 46.0%
2022 33.78 265th 393 32.6%
2023 39.48 243rd 394 38.3%
2024 57.45 136th 369 63.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at St. John's Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.46 363rd 457 20.6%
2019 39.04 310th 472 34.3%
2021 37.43 290th 439 33.9%
2022 47.51 259th 455 43.1%
2023 30.43 343rd 463 25.9%
2024 36.22 313th 441 29.0%
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.

St. John's 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
Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Open Quote Special Needs students get little to no help. Bullying is rampant and not taken seriously or addressed by staff like it should be. The entire atmosphere is depressing. This is the third school my children have attended and it’s the only school they have hated. Close Quote



Enrollment information for St. John's Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 331 347 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 678
1989 372 371 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 744
1990 394 390 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 784
1991 364 394 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 759
1992 313 375 2 1 1 n/a n/a 0 692
1993 316 364 2 3 0 n/a n/a 0 685
1994 296 342 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 647
1995 321 322 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 651
1996 321 322 2 6 0 n/a n/a 0 651
1997 326 362 1 2 0 n/a n/a 0 691
1998 289 405 2 7 0 n/a n/a 0 703
1999 330 443 2 8 0 n/a n/a 0 783
2000 333 506 1 10 0 n/a n/a 0 850
2001 379 530 4 2 0 n/a n/a 0 915
2002 395 518 0 12 5 n/a n/a 1 931
2003 395 518 0 12 5 n/a n/a 1 931
2004 401 515 1 5 4 n/a n/a 1 927
2005 368 521 1 7 3 n/a n/a 0 900
2006 368 507 1 8 3 n/a n/a 0 887
2007 282 403 1 12 0 n/a n/a 0 698
2008 251 394 1 8 1 n/a n/a 5 660
2009 261 397 1 12 1 n/a n/a 4 676
2010 264 362 2 14 0 n/a n/a 4 646
2011 285 335 0 20 0 0 6 0 646
2012 261 344 1 17 0 0 7 0 630
2013 262 362 1 14 1 0 11 0 651
2014 255 322 1 14 0 0 13 0 605
2015 263 368 1 19 0 1 19 0 671
2016 245 342 4 21 0 0 22 0 634
2017 281 345 4 11 0 0 25 0 666
2018 259 328 5 15 0 0 23 0 630
2019 240 311 6 21 0 1 38 0 617
2020 231 291 5 14 0 0 52 0 593
2021 166 262 5 13 1 0 44 0 491
2022 167 283 4 10 0 0 61 0 525
2023 169 295 2 16 0 0 53 0 535
2024 179 307 3 16 0 0 62 0 567

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 St. John's Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 678 41.7 16.2 n/a
1989 744 50.5 14.7 n/a
1990 784 52.0 15.0 n/a
1991 759 50.7 14.9 47.2
1992 692 49.2 14.0 53
1993 685 46.0 14.9 53
1994 647 46.0 14.1 59.4
1995 651 47.0 13.9 55.8
1996 651 47.0 13.9 55.8
1997 691 53.0 13.0 64.7
1998 703 52.0 13.5 63.3
1999 783 53.0 14.8 69.3
2000 850 57.0 14.9 67.3
2001 915 58.0 15.8 65.8
2002 931 58.0 16.1 67.6
2003 931 58.0 16.1 67.6
2004 927 54.0 17.2 69.2
2005 900 53.0 17.0 71.1
2006 887 55.0 16.1 71.5
2007 698 74.0 9.4 71.8
2008 660 42.0 15.7 71.6
2009 676 42.0 16.1 75.4
2010 646 36.3 17.8 78.7
2011 646 35.0 18.4 76.9
2012 630 34.0 18.5 77.5
2013 651 35.6 18.2 81.6
2014 605 37.6 16.0 79.7
2015 671 39.0 17.2 93.3
2016 634 37.0 17.1 100
2017 666 40.0 16.6 100
2018 630 43.0 14.6 100
2019 617 40.0 15.4 100
2020 593 39.0 15.2 100
2021 491 41.0 11.9 100
2022 525 41.0 12.8 100
2023 535 42.0 12.7 100
2024 567 49.0 11.5 100

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 St. John's Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 678 41.7 16.2 n/a
1989 744 50.5 14.7 n/a
1990 784 52.0 15.0 n/a
1991 759 50.7 14.9 47.2
1992 692 49.2 14.0 53
1993 685 46.0 14.9 53
1994 647 46.0 14.1 59.4
1995 651 47.0 13.9 55.8
1996 651 47.0 13.9 55.8
1997 691 53.0 13.0 64.7
1998 703 52.0 13.5 63.3
1999 783 53.0 14.8 69.3
2000 850 57.0 14.9 67.3
2001 915 58.0 15.8 65.8
2002 931 58.0 16.1 67.6
2003 931 58.0 16.1 67.6
2004 927 54.0 17.2 69.2
2005 900 53.0 17.0 71.1
2006 887 55.0 16.1 71.5
2007 698 74.0 9.4 71.8
2008 660 42.0 15.7 71.6
2009 676 42.0 16.1 75.4
2010 646 36.3 17.8 78.7
2011 646 35.0 18.4 76.9
2012 630 34.0 18.5 77.5
2013 651 35.6 18.2 81.6
2014 605 37.6 16.0 79.7
2015 671 39.0 17.2 93.3
2016 634 37.0 17.1 100
2017 666 40.0 16.6 100
2018 630 43.0 14.6 100
2019 617 40.0 15.4 100
2020 593 39.0 15.2 100
2021 491 41.0 11.9 100
2022 525 41.0 12.8 100
2023 535 42.0 12.7 100
2024 567 49.0 11.5 100

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 St. John's 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 $1,025 (10.0%) $411 (4.0%) $1,436 (14.0%) $7,832 (76.2%) $1,008 (9.8%) $8,839 (86.0%) $10,276
2020 $1,009 (9.5%) $484 (4.6%) $1,493 (14.1%) $7,957 (75.1%) $1,141 (10.8%) $9,097 (85.9%) $10,590
2021 $1,218 (9.7%) $509 (4.1%) $1,727 (13.8%) $9,527 (76.1%) $1,260 (10.1%) $10,787 (86.2%) $12,514
2022 $2,269 (16.2%) $959 (6.9%) $3,228 (23.1%) $9,415 (67.4%) $1,327 (9.5%) $10,742 (76.9%) $13,971
2023 $2,838 (17.6%) $1,414 (8.8%) $4,252 (26.3%) $10,401 (64.4%) $1,491 (9.2%) $11,892 (73.7%) $16,143

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

Impact of COVID-19 on St. John's 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 391st of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 484th of 644 Elementary schools
 14.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (St. John's Elementary)31.629.4
 2.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Darlington 01)36.542.7
 6.2%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (St. John's Elementary)64.535.9
 28.6%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Darlington 01)49.746
 3.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (St. John's Elementary)56.126
 30.1%
   4th Grade Science (Darlington 01)48.640.3
 8.3%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (St. John's Elementary)48.344.9
 3.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Darlington 01)41.452
 10.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (St. John's Elementary)51.826
 25.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Darlington 01)48.939.7
 9.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (St. John's Elementary)28.251.6
 23.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Darlington 01)28.344.9
 16.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (St. John's Elementary)21.437.5
 16.1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Darlington 01)35.734.2
 1.5%
   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 Students617535
 13.3%
African American311295
 5.1%
American Indian00
Asian62
 66.7%
Hispanic2116
 23.8%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White240169
 29.6%
Two or More Races3853
 39.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near St. John's Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about St. John's Elementary

St. John's Elementary ranks 406th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students who attend St. John's Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Darlington Middle
High : Darlington High

Students at St. John's Elementary are 54% African American, 32% White, 11% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

In the 2023-24 school year, 567 students attended St. John's Elementary.


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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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