Waccamaw Elementary

Summary:

Waccamaw Elementary is a public elementary school in Conway, South Carolina, serving 993 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Horry 01 School District, which is ranked 9th out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Waccamaw Elementary has a relatively diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 50.76% White, 18.93% African American, and 20.95% Hispanic, which is higher compared to some nearby schools like River Oaks Elementary (59.74% White) and Kingston Elementary (67.87% White). Academically, the school's performance is generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages, but it ranks highly for African American and Hispanic students while performing lower for White and Gifted and Talented students. Notably, Waccamaw Elementary has a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a high concentration of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, which is significantly higher than nearby schools like Carolina Forest Elementary (67.98%).

Despite maintaining a consistent 3-star rating from SchoolDigger, Waccamaw Elementary's diverse student population and high poverty concentration set it apart from some of the more affluent and homogeneous nearby schools. The school's strengths and weaknesses in serving different student subgroups suggest the need for further investigation and targeted interventions to ensure equitable educational outcomes for all students.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 251 Claridy Road
       Conway, SC  29526


(843) 347-4684

District: Horry 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
287th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,149 Help


Students who attend Waccamaw Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Black Water Middle
High:    Carolina Forest High

Student/teacher ratio:  14.6 Help
Number of students:  993

Racial breakdown:

White:
50.8%
Hispanic:
20.9%
African American:
18.9%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Waccamaw Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Waccamaw Elementary ranks better than 55% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 23rd among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Horry 01 School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.41. (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 Waccamaw Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Horry 01 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waccamaw Elementary is $11,149. 21 elementary schools in the Horry 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waccamaw Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Waccamaw Elementary 287th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Waccamaw Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Horry 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Horry 01 9th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Waccamaw Elementary.

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Rank History for Waccamaw Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 71.82 147th 542 72.9%
2004 62.51 212th 550 61.5%
2005 75.02 114th 557 79.5%
2006 73.73 126th 559 77.5%
2007 72.44 140th 566 75.3%
2008 74.17 119th 577 79.4%
2009 78.58 91st 580 84.3%
2010 74.18 126th 589 78.6%
2011 62.50 229th 597 61.6%
2012 60.01 254th 594 57.2%
2013 56.93 285th 599 52.4%
2014 51.96 332nd 630 47.3%
2015 53.91 274th 638 57.1%
2016 68.84 171st 619 72.4%
2017 73.01 151st 639 76.4%
2018 63.22 216th 624 65.4%
2019 60.49 252nd 643 60.8%
2021 58.14 250th 622 59.8%
2022 60.18 241st 625 61.4%
2023 59.07 251st 644 61.0%
2024 54.41 287th 638 55.0%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.81 51st 82 37.8%
2019 51.23 52nd 104 50.0%
2021 68.53 26th 84 69.0%
2022 55.10 39th 84 53.6%
2023 39.03 41st 72 43.1%
2024 32.94 48th 79 39.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.25 106th 588 82.0%
2019 74.77 122nd 600 79.7%
2021 77.98 102nd 580 82.4%
2022 72.93 136th 600 77.3%
2023 70.15 158th 608 74.0%
2024 65.32 198th 599 66.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.03 209th 570 63.3%
2019 58.75 242nd 588 58.8%
2021 50.50 261st 554 52.9%
2022 47.70 292nd 573 49.0%
2023 47.06 310th 580 46.6%
2024 55.32 247th 565 56.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.12 46th 161 71.4%
2019 37.94 113th 189 40.2%
2021 53.36 50th 122 59.0%
2022 63.59 54th 151 64.2%
2023 46.32 90th 174 48.3%
2024 36.67 96th 143 32.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 43.77 118th 147 19.7%
2024 45.68 60th 82 26.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 60.54 226th 571 60.4%
2019 57.94 250th 590 57.6%
2021 61.26 203rd 561 63.8%
2022 68.44 176th 579 69.6%
2023 66.03 189th 582 67.5%
2024 48.10 293rd 568 48.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 70.25 87th 412 78.9%
2019 64.18 132nd 421 68.6%
2021 65.28 86th 350 75.4%
2022 58.05 139th 393 64.6%
2023 57.12 144th 394 63.5%
2024 75.67 59th 369 84.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.90 52nd 104 50.0%
2019 62.96 43rd 116 62.9%
2021 71.47 21st 86 75.6%
2022 68.50 35th 115 69.6%
2023 54.95 52nd 115 54.8%
2024 51.53 51st 115 55.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Waccamaw Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.30 208th 457 54.5%
2019 52.44 237th 472 49.8%
2021 50.83 229th 439 47.8%
2022 49.46 253rd 455 44.4%
2023 45.14 268th 463 42.1%
2024 37.07 307th 441 30.4%
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.

Waccamaw 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, March 27, 2017

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Enrollment information for Waccamaw Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 606 30 9 4 0 n/a n/a 0 649
1989 616 39 12 2 0 n/a n/a 0 669
1990 679 60 5 3 1 n/a n/a 0 748
1991 718 57 3 2 1 n/a n/a 0 781
1992 745 61 6 2 2 n/a n/a 0 816
1993 726 39 6 6 5 n/a n/a 0 782
1994 736 50 10 4 1 n/a n/a 0 801
1995 669 64 6 2 3 n/a n/a 0 744
1996 669 64 6 2 3 n/a n/a 0 744
1997 620 59 4 3 3 n/a n/a 0 689
1998 449 221 3 2 6 n/a n/a 0 681
1999 433 213 5 6 9 n/a n/a 0 666
2000 454 186 2 15 5 n/a n/a 0 662
2001 465 196 1 28 5 n/a n/a 2 697
2002 407 188 0 30 5 n/a n/a 7 637
2003 407 188 0 30 5 n/a n/a 7 637
2004 411 178 1 31 4 n/a n/a 5 630
2005 414 186 2 46 4 n/a n/a 5 657
2006 390 167 2 56 7 n/a n/a 4 626
2007 392 173 3 60 5 n/a n/a 0 633
2008 461 200 2 81 10 n/a n/a 9 763
2009 423 197 9 74 5 n/a n/a 9 717
2010 394 176 11 79 6 n/a n/a 13 679
2011 423 211 9 92 2 1 38 0 776
2012 455 194 4 98 2 0 60 0 813
2013 419 196 1 110 1 0 54 0 781
2014 439 199 3 123 2 0 51 0 817
2015 445 213 3 132 0 0 51 0 844
2016 455 192 3 151 1 0 54 0 856
2017 440 194 1 173 1 0 49 0 858
2018 420 206 2 178 3 1 59 0 869
2019 409 218 1 163 5 1 60 0 857
2020 428 207 2 189 9 0 60 0 895
2021 412 178 1 185 6 1 84 0 867
2022 484 189 2 211 7 1 86 0 980
2023 504 188 1 208 6 3 83 0 993

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 Waccamaw Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 649 38.3 16.9 n/a
1989 669 38.1 17.5 n/a
1990 748 40.1 18.6 n/a
1991 781 45.5 17.1 27.7
1992 816 44.0 18.5 30.5
1993 782 44.6 17.5 29.8
1994 801 42.0 19.1 34.7
1995 744 43.5 17.1 39.2
1996 744 43.5 17.1 39.2
1997 689 41.5 16.6 50.2
1998 681 41.5 16.4 67
1999 666 40.5 16.4 69.1
2000 662 43.0 15.4 69.2
2001 697 46.6 15.0 72.8
2002 637 41.0 15.5 77
2003 637 41.0 15.5 77
2004 630 45.0 14.0 75.2
2005 657 42.0 15.6 74.5
2006 626 42.0 14.9 69.6
2007 633 58.0 10.9 71.2
2008 763 45.0 17.0 74
2009 717 45.0 15.9 76.7
2010 679 44.0 15.4 76.7
2011 776 49.0 15.8 78.1
2012 813 52.0 15.6 80
2013 781 56.0 13.9 80
2014 817 54.0 15.1 74.9
2015 844 54.0 15.6 65.6
2016 856 53.0 16.1 73.6
2017 858 53.0 16.1 100
2018 869 56.0 15.5 100
2019 857 54.0 15.8 100
2020 895 60.5 14.7 100
2021 867 60.0 14.4 100
2022 980 65.0 15.0 100
2023 993 68.0 14.6 100

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 Waccamaw Elementary

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 649 38.3 16.9 n/a
1989 669 38.1 17.5 n/a
1990 748 40.1 18.6 n/a
1991 781 45.5 17.1 27.7
1992 816 44.0 18.5 30.5
1993 782 44.6 17.5 29.8
1994 801 42.0 19.1 34.7
1995 744 43.5 17.1 39.2
1996 744 43.5 17.1 39.2
1997 689 41.5 16.6 50.2
1998 681 41.5 16.4 67
1999 666 40.5 16.4 69.1
2000 662 43.0 15.4 69.2
2001 697 46.6 15.0 72.8
2002 637 41.0 15.5 77
2003 637 41.0 15.5 77
2004 630 45.0 14.0 75.2
2005 657 42.0 15.6 74.5
2006 626 42.0 14.9 69.6
2007 633 58.0 10.9 71.2
2008 763 45.0 17.0 74
2009 717 45.0 15.9 76.7
2010 679 44.0 15.4 76.7
2011 776 49.0 15.8 78.1
2012 813 52.0 15.6 80
2013 781 56.0 13.9 80
2014 817 54.0 15.1 74.9
2015 844 54.0 15.6 65.6
2016 856 53.0 16.1 73.6
2017 858 53.0 16.1 100
2018 869 56.0 15.5 100
2019 857 54.0 15.8 100
2020 895 60.5 14.7 100
2021 867 60.0 14.4 100
2022 980 65.0 15.0 100
2023 993 68.0 14.6 100

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 Waccamaw 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 $1,359 (13.2%) $469 (4.5%) $1,828 (17.7%) $7,304 (70.7%) $1,199 (11.6%) $8,503 (82.3%) $10,331
2020 $1,284 (12.4%) $424 (4.1%) $1,708 (16.6%) $7,564 (73.3%) $1,042 (10.1%) $8,606 (83.4%) $10,314
2021 $1,315 (12.5%) $448 (4.2%) $1,763 (16.7%) $7,821 (74.1%) $970 (9.2%) $8,791 (83.3%) $10,555
2022 $1,549 (13.8%) $732 (6.5%) $2,281 (20.3%) $7,900 (70.4%) $1,036 (9.2%) $8,936 (79.7%) $11,217
2023 $1,538 (13.8%) $519 (4.7%) $2,056 (18.4%) $8,114 (72.8%) $978 (8.8%) $9,092 (81.5%) $11,149

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Waccamaw 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 252nd of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 251st of 644 Elementary schools
 0.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waccamaw Elementary)50.456.8
 6.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Horry 01)57.760.7
 3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Waccamaw Elementary)71.265
 6.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Horry 01)69.362.1
 7.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Waccamaw Elementary)5447
 7%
   4th Grade Science (Horry 01)6353
 10%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waccamaw Elementary)5057.6
 7.6%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Horry 01)58.262
 3.8%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Waccamaw Elementary)53.947
 6.9%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Horry 01)61.953.3
 8.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waccamaw Elementary)35.352.3
 17%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Horry 01)44.760.5
 15.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Waccamaw Elementary)48.244.9
 3.3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Horry 01)56.751.1
 5.6%
   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 Students857993
 15.9%
African American218188
 13.8%
American Indian56
 20%
Asian11
Hispanic163208
 27.6%
Pacific Islander13
 200%
White409504
 23.2%
Two or More Races6083
 38.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Waccamaw Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Waccamaw Elementary

In the 2022-23 school year, 993 students attended Waccamaw Elementary.

Students at Waccamaw Elementary are 51% White, 21% Hispanic, 19% African American, 8% Two or more races.

Students who attend Waccamaw Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Black Water Middle
High : Carolina Forest High

Waccamaw Elementary ranks 287th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 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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