Plain Elementary

Summary:

Plain Elementary is a public elementary school in Simpsonville, South Carolina, serving 932 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Greenville 01 School District, which is ranked 14 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Plain Elementary consistently ranks among the top elementary schools in South Carolina, with strong academic performance that exceeds state and district averages across subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 73.8% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 61.7% in the district and 53.8% statewide. The school's performance is particularly impressive in Mathematics, with 73.2% of 3rd-grade and 72.4% of 4th-grade students scoring proficient or better, compared to 65% and 61% in the district, respectively. Plain Elementary also stands out in Science, with 62.8% of 4th-grade students scoring proficient or better in 2022-2023, compared to 60.2% in the district and 46.6% statewide.

While Plain Elementary has a higher percentage of White students (62.34%) compared to nearby schools like Fountain Inn Elementary and Mauldin Elementary, the school still maintains a diverse student population. Additionally, Plain Elementary has a lower percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients (54.18%) compared to some nearby schools, such as Fountain Inn Elementary (100%) and Robert E. Cashion Elementary (100%). Despite these differences, Plain Elementary's student-teacher ratio of 16.4 is relatively low, and the school's spending per student ($10,367 in 2022-2023) is comparable to or higher than nearby schools, indicating efficient resource allocation and effective use of funds to support student learning.


Detail:

Public K-5

 506 Neely Ferry Road
       Simpsonville, SC  29681


(864) 355-7700

District: Greenville 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
98th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,367 Help


Students who attend Plain Elementary usually attend:

High:    Hillcrest High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  932

Racial breakdown:

White:
62.3%
African American:
17.3%
Hispanic:
11.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  54.2% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Plain Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Plain Elementary ranks better than 84.6% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 19th among 51 ranked elementary schools in the Greenville 01 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 83.24. (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 Plain Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Greenville 01 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Plain Elementary is $10,367. 41 elementary schools in the Greenville 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Plain Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Plain Elementary 98th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Plain Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Greenville 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Greenville 01 14th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Plain Elementary.

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Rank History for Plain Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 81.65 83rd 542 84.7%
2004 73.43 143rd 550 74.0%
2005 75.00 115th 557 79.4%
2006 73.21 134th 559 76.0%
2007 70.75 154th 566 72.8%
2008 68.64 176th 577 69.5%
2009 69.70 164th 580 71.7%
2010 71.35 147th 589 75.0%
2011 75.41 122nd 597 79.6%
2012 76.17 115th 594 80.6%
2013 80.14 89th 599 85.1%
2014 82.91 66th 630 89.5%
2015 81.73 77th 638 87.9%
2016 88.76 41st 619 93.4%
2017 82.53 94th 639 85.3%
2018 86.63 67th 624 89.3%
2019 85.64 80th 643 87.6%
2021 86.79 75th 622 87.9%
2022 88.21 68th 625 89.1%
2023 85.87 85th 644 86.8%
2024 83.24 98th 638 84.6%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.34 39th 588 93.4%
2019 83.44 64th 600 89.3%
2021 86.30 55th 580 90.5%
2022 90.49 33rd 600 94.5%
2023 84.49 62nd 608 89.8%
2024 80.88 81st 599 86.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.54 79th 570 86.1%
2019 78.10 118th 588 79.9%
2021 82.96 83rd 554 85.0%
2022 86.49 71st 573 87.6%
2023 87.53 67th 580 88.4%
2024 80.78 97th 565 82.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 80.16 30th 189 84.1%
2021 71.45 26th 122 78.7%
2022 80.09 20th 151 86.8%
2023 84.52 22nd 174 87.4%
2024 78.21 26th 143 81.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 60.06 81st 147 44.9%
2024 74.89 8th 82 90.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.23 67th 571 88.3%
2019 88.22 56th 590 90.5%
2021 87.26 61st 561 89.1%
2022 86.63 66th 579 88.6%
2023 80.00 105th 582 82.0%
2024 82.17 89th 568 84.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.84 33rd 412 92.0%
2019 83.29 41st 421 90.3%
2021 91.42 13th 350 96.3%
2022 80.93 50th 393 87.3%
2023 76.92 56th 394 85.8%
2024 69.50 80th 369 78.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 96.21 1st 115 99.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Plain Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.25 96th 457 79.0%
2019 77.84 80th 472 83.1%
2021 79.97 70th 439 84.1%
2022 83.25 64th 455 85.9%
2023 81.08 71st 463 84.7%
2024 78.25 79th 441 82.1%
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.

Plain 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: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Monday, October 23, 2017

Open Quote Wonderful school with excellent administration! Highly recommended!! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Plain Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 723 131 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 854
1989 747 147 4 5 0 n/a n/a 0 903
1990 795 136 15 6 0 n/a n/a 0 952
1991 817 123 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 940
1992 833 138 8 19 0 n/a n/a 0 998
1993 819 132 7 20 1 n/a n/a 0 979
1994 843 137 10 14 1 n/a n/a 0 1005
1995 916 117 14 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1056
1996 916 117 14 9 0 n/a n/a 0 1056
1997 876 131 19 10 0 n/a n/a 0 1036
1998 883 118 23 10 0 n/a n/a 0 1034
1999 822 111 24 10 0 n/a n/a 0 967
2000 796 127 19 12 1 n/a n/a 0 955
2001 806 144 17 16 0 n/a n/a 0 983
2002 786 169 12 19 1 n/a n/a 3 990
2003 786 169 12 19 1 n/a n/a 3 990
2004 750 166 12 26 1 n/a n/a 10 965
2005 707 159 9 32 3 n/a n/a 12 922
2006 678 156 11 39 2 n/a n/a 10 896
2007 682 156 10 39 3 n/a n/a 0 890
2008 690 194 9 55 5 n/a n/a 14 967
2009 669 182 12 61 3 n/a n/a 12 939
2010 673 181 16 58 4 n/a n/a 11 943
2011 685 150 9 62 0 2 39 0 947
2012 640 146 10 63 0 2 37 0 898
2013 620 140 7 66 0 0 39 0 872
2014 629 110 8 67 0 1 39 0 854
2015 632 128 9 68 1 1 46 0 885
2016 609 122 6 63 1 2 45 0 848
2017 630 148 5 72 2 1 43 0 901
2018 645 156 8 78 3 0 50 0 940
2019 653 141 11 83 5 1 53 0 947
2020 633 160 13 92 4 0 58 0 960
2021 581 155 10 87 1 0 54 0 888
2022 599 169 16 101 1 0 61 0 947
2023 581 161 10 106 1 1 72 0 932

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 Plain Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 854 45.3 18.8 n/a
1989 903 49.3 18.3 n/a
1990 952 50.1 19.0 n/a
1991 940 51.2 18.3 8.6
1992 998 51.0 19.5 8.6
1993 979 50.7 19.3 9
1994 1005 52.5 19.1 10.3
1995 1056 53.5 19.7 10.8
1996 1056 53.5 19.7 10.8
1997 1036 54.5 19.0 7.4
1998 1034 56.0 18.5 6.9
1999 967 57.0 17.0 11.3
2000 955 56.0 17.1 10.9
2001 983 58.0 16.9 13.3
2002 990 57.0 17.4 20.8
2003 990 57.0 17.4 20.8
2004 965 52.0 18.6 22.2
2005 922 52.0 17.7 25.4
2006 896 51.0 17.6 26.1
2007 890 71.5 12.4 25.6
2008 967 56.8 17.0 30.3
2009 939 54.2 17.3 33.5
2010 943 54.7 17.2 35.2
2011 947 48.0 19.7 37.8
2012 898 51.7 17.3 39.5
2013 872 48.7 17.9 36.8
2014 854 48.8 17.5 36.4
2015 885 47.0 18.8 37.2
2016 848 49.0 17.3 34
2017 901 49.4 18.2 35.4
2018 940 53.2 17.6 32.7
2019 947 53.7 17.6 30.6
2020 960 58.7 16.3 31.9
2021 888 45.0 19.7 38.7
2022 947 55.8 16.9 36.1
2023 932 56.8 16.4 54.2

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 Plain Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 854 45.3 18.8 n/a
1989 903 49.3 18.3 n/a
1990 952 50.1 19.0 n/a
1991 940 51.2 18.3 8.6
1992 998 51.0 19.5 8.6
1993 979 50.7 19.3 9
1994 1005 52.5 19.1 10.3
1995 1056 53.5 19.7 10.8
1996 1056 53.5 19.7 10.8
1997 1036 54.5 19.0 7.4
1998 1034 56.0 18.5 6.9
1999 967 57.0 17.0 11.3
2000 955 56.0 17.1 10.9
2001 983 58.0 16.9 13.3
2002 990 57.0 17.4 20.8
2003 990 57.0 17.4 20.8
2004 965 52.0 18.6 22.2
2005 922 52.0 17.7 25.4
2006 896 51.0 17.6 26.1
2007 890 71.5 12.4 25.6
2008 967 56.8 17.0 30.3
2009 939 54.2 17.3 33.5
2010 943 54.7 17.2 35.2
2011 947 48.0 19.7 37.8
2012 898 51.7 17.3 39.5
2013 872 48.7 17.9 36.8
2014 854 48.8 17.5 36.4
2015 885 47.0 18.8 37.2
2016 848 49.0 17.3 34
2017 901 49.4 18.2 35.4
2018 940 53.2 17.6 32.7
2019 947 53.7 17.6 30.6
2020 960 58.7 16.3 31.9
2021 888 45.0 19.7 38.7
2022 947 55.8 16.9 36.1
2023 932 56.8 16.4 54.2

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 Plain 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 $346 (4.0%) $40 (0.5%) $385 (4.4%) $7,385 (84.6%) $963 (11.0%) $8,348 (95.6%) $8,733
2020 $385 (4.6%) $269 (3.2%) $655 (7.9%) $7,087 (85.3%) $563 (6.8%) $7,650 (92.1%) $8,305
2021 $589 (6.6%) $245 (2.7%) $834 (9.3%) $7,644 (85.3%) $486 (5.4%) $8,129 (90.7%) $8,963
2022 $1,413 (14.3%) $514 (5.2%) $1,927 (19.4%) $7,480 (75.4%) $507 (5.1%) $7,988 (80.6%) $9,915
2023 $1,222 (11.8%) $774 (7.5%) $1,996 (19.3%) $7,822 (75.5%) $549 (5.3%) $8,371 (80.7%) $10,367

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Plain 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 80th of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 85th of 644 Elementary schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Plain Elementary)65.875.2
 9.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Greenville 01)60.262
 1.8%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Plain Elementary)67.777
 9.3%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Greenville 01)68.564.1
 4.4%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Plain Elementary)70.362.8
 7.5%
   4th Grade Science (Greenville 01)63.960.2
 3.7%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Plain Elementary)69.173.1
 4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Greenville 01)62.666.2
 3.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Plain Elementary)63.257.7
 5.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Greenville 01)63.557.9
 5.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Plain Elementary)65.770.3
 4.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Greenville 01)52.764.4
 11.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Plain Elementary)67.168.1
 1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Greenville 01)57.257.6
 0.4%
   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 Students947932
 1.6%
African American141161
 14.2%
American Indian51
 80%
Asian1110
 9.1%
Hispanic83106
 27.7%
Pacific Islander11
White653581
 11%
Two or More Races5372
 35.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients30.6%54.2%
 23.6%


Schools Near Plain Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Plain Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 932 students attended Plain Elementary.

Students who attend Plain Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : Hillcrest High

Plain Elementary ranks 98th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Plain Elementary are 62% White, 17% African American, 11% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 1% Asian.


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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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