Waterway Elementary

Summary:

Waterway Elementary is a public elementary school located in Little River, South Carolina, serving around 810 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Horry 01 school district, which is ranked 9 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Waterway Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of White (52.72%) and African American (18.4%) students compared to the state average, as well as a significant Hispanic student population (15.31%). Academically, the school consistently ranks in the top 25-30% of South Carolina elementary schools, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics that are significantly higher than the state averages, particularly in the upper grades. The school's performance on the SCPASS Science assessment for 4th grade is also notably higher than the state and district averages. Waterway Elementary's African American, Hispanic, and low socioeconomic status (SES) students perform exceptionally well, ranking in the top 10-15% of South Carolina elementary schools for these subgroups.

Waterway Elementary's success may be attributed to its relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 14.8 to 16.2 over the past few years, which is lower than the district and state averages. The school also spends more per student ($11,969 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average, indicating a higher level of resource allocation. When compared to nearby schools in the Horry 01 district, Waterway Elementary generally outperforms its peers in terms of academic achievement, student group performance, and overall school ranking, with schools like Ocean Bay Elementary and Kingston Elementary also demonstrating strong academic performance.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 700 Sandridge Road
       Little River, SC  29566


(843) 399-2204

District: Horry 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
152nd of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,969 Help


Students who attend Waterway Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    North Myrtle Beach Middle
High:    North Myrtle Beach High

Student/teacher ratio:  16.2 Help
Number of students:  810

Racial breakdown:

White:
52.7%
African American:
18.4%
Hispanic:
15.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  73.7% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare Waterway Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Waterway Elementary ranks better than 76.2% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 13th among 26 ranked elementary schools in the Horry 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 74.83. (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 Waterway Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Horry 01 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Waterway Elementary is $11,969. 18 elementary schools in the Horry 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Waterway Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Waterway Elementary 152nd of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Waterway 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:


Horry 01:

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


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Rank History for Waterway Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 55.94 260th 550 52.7%
2005 67.69 180th 557 67.7%
2006 76.29 107th 559 80.9%
2007 76.82 110th 566 80.6%
2008 72.54 133rd 577 76.9%
2009 69.64 166th 580 71.4%
2010 75.89 119th 589 79.8%
2011 73.09 139th 597 76.7%
2012 66.75 193rd 594 67.5%
2013 67.06 190th 599 68.3%
2014 59.71 267th 630 57.6%
2017 73.44 147th 639 77.0%
2018 75.25 133rd 624 78.7%
2019 75.38 142nd 643 77.9%
2021 69.16 180th 622 71.1%
2022 70.63 172nd 625 72.5%
2023 73.29 165th 644 74.4%
2024 74.83 152nd 638 76.2%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 74.44 23rd 104 77.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 87.79 49th 588 91.7%
2019 85.79 51st 600 91.5%
2021 81.19 86th 580 85.2%
2022 77.63 109th 600 81.8%
2023 79.28 95th 608 84.4%
2024 82.97 74th 599 87.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 77.59 114th 570 80.0%
2019 70.99 160th 588 72.8%
2021 65.73 180th 554 67.5%
2022 69.56 157th 573 72.6%
2023 69.98 169th 580 70.9%
2024 71.48 156th 565 72.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 79.30 20th 161 87.6%
2019 60.54 59th 189 68.8%
2021 65.46 31st 122 74.6%
2023 44.76 94th 174 46.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 58.08 71st 105 32.4%
2024 29.17 69th 82 15.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.59 154th 571 73.0%
2019 75.08 131st 590 77.8%
2021 67.09 162nd 561 71.1%
2022 67.78 182nd 579 68.6%
2023 72.51 155th 582 73.4%
2024 74.10 134th 568 76.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 58.67 142nd 412 65.5%
2019 67.88 109th 421 74.1%
2021 76.16 43rd 350 87.7%
2022 76.11 65th 393 83.5%
2023 81.85 44th 394 88.8%
2024 88.47 18th 369 95.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 82.29 16th 116 86.2%
2022 63.64 40th 115 65.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Waterway Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 73.41 108th 457 76.4%
2019 68.67 146th 472 69.1%
2021 64.38 145th 439 67.0%
2022 58.74 194th 455 57.4%
2023 60.81 181st 463 60.9%
2024 64.51 169th 441 61.7%
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.

Waterway Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Waterway Elementary

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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 371 201 7 13 2 n/a n/a 2 596
2005 374 185 5 16 3 n/a n/a 0 583
2006 382 170 4 25 4 n/a n/a 2 587
2007 395 165 5 29 2 n/a n/a 0 596
2008 418 174 3 39 2 n/a n/a 8 644
2009 427 187 2 39 5 n/a n/a 6 666
2010 432 201 8 36 4 n/a n/a 8 689
2011 455 193 7 45 2 0 34 0 736
2012 428 182 5 53 0 0 45 0 713
2013 396 171 4 36 2 0 46 0 655
2014 402 178 5 42 2 1 46 0 676
2015 381 202 17 68 5 3 65 0 741
2016 357 190 15 85 5 4 66 0 722
2017 353 170 13 90 4 1 62 0 693
2018 364 156 9 92 2 0 47 0 670
2019 365 150 8 105 2 0 62 0 692
2020 400 158 9 134 2 0 73 0 776
2021 381 152 9 113 2 1 71 0 729
2022 394 154 11 112 4 2 80 0 757
2023 427 149 10 124 4 1 95 0 810

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 Waterway 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 596 36.0 16.6 61.3
2005 583 35.0 16.7 57.5
2006 587 36.0 16.3 53.5
2007 596 46.0 13.0 54.9
2008 644 37.0 17.4 54.2
2009 666 41.0 16.2 59.1
2010 689 38.0 18.1 61.4
2011 736 40.0 18.4 64.7
2012 713 39.0 18.2 66.2
2013 655 36.0 18.1 69.9
2014 676 37.0 18.2 67.9
2015 741 41.0 18.0 65.6
2016 722 41.0 17.6 69.1
2017 693 41.0 16.9 67.5
2018 670 40.0 16.7 64.9
2019 692 43.0 16.0 54.2
2020 776 46.0 16.8 58.5
2021 729 49.0 14.8 44.7
2022 757 48.0 15.7 31.6
2023 810 50.0 16.2 73.7

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 Waterway 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 596 36.0 16.6 61.3
2005 583 35.0 16.7 57.5
2006 587 36.0 16.3 53.5
2007 596 46.0 13.0 54.9
2008 644 37.0 17.4 54.2
2009 666 41.0 16.2 59.1
2010 689 38.0 18.1 61.4
2011 736 40.0 18.4 64.7
2012 713 39.0 18.2 66.2
2013 655 36.0 18.1 69.9
2014 676 37.0 18.2 67.9
2015 741 41.0 18.0 65.6
2016 722 41.0 17.6 69.1
2017 693 41.0 16.9 67.5
2018 670 40.0 16.7 64.9
2019 692 43.0 16.0 54.2
2020 776 46.0 16.8 58.5
2021 729 49.0 14.8 44.7
2022 757 48.0 15.7 31.6
2023 810 50.0 16.2 73.7

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 Waterway 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 $1,114 (11.0%) $353 (3.5%) $1,467 (14.4%) $7,577 (74.6%) $1,109 (10.9%) $8,687 (85.6%) $10,154
2020 $983 (9.9%) $362 (3.6%) $1,346 (13.5%) $7,673 (77.0%) $941 (9.4%) $8,614 (86.5%) $9,959
2021 $1,055 (10.6%) $319 (3.2%) $1,374 (13.8%) $7,724 (77.8%) $833 (8.4%) $8,556 (86.2%) $9,930
2022 $1,431 (12.6%) $787 (6.9%) $2,218 (19.5%) $8,108 (71.4%) $1,023 (9.0%) $9,130 (80.5%) $11,348
2023 $1,572 (13.1%) $447 (3.7%) $2,018 (16.9%) $8,891 (74.3%) $1,060 (8.9%) $9,951 (83.1%) $11,969

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Waterway 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 142nd of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 165th of 644 Elementary schools
 3.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Waterway Elementary)56.562.9
 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 (Waterway Elementary)66.164.3
 1.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Horry 01)69.362.1
 7.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Waterway Elementary)70.758.3
 12.4%
   4th Grade Science (Horry 01)6353
 10%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Waterway Elementary)64.270.8
 6.6%
   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 (Waterway Elementary)62.656.6
 6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Horry 01)61.953.3
 8.6%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Waterway Elementary)43.560.8
 17.3%
   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 (Waterway Elementary)56.548.7
 7.8%
   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 Students692810
 17.1%
African American150149
 0.7%
American Indian24
 100%
Asian810
 25%
Hispanic105124
 18.1%
Pacific Islander01
White365427
 17%
Two or More Races6295
 53.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.2%73.7%
 19.5%


Schools Near Waterway Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Waterway Elementary

Waterway Elementary ranks 152nd of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Waterway Elementary are 53% White, 18% African American, 15% Hispanic, 12% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 810 students attended Waterway Elementary.

Students who attend Waterway Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : North Myrtle Beach Middle
High : North Myrtle Beach 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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