Dennis Elementary

Summary:

Dennis Elementary is a public elementary school in Bishopville, South Carolina, serving 393 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Lee 01 School District, which is ranked 73 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Dennis Elementary consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in South Carolina, with proficiency rates on state assessments significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 17% of 3rd-grade students and 41% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 53.8% to 55.7%. In mathematics, the proficiency rates at Dennis Elementary ranged from 21.1% (3rd grade) to 28.2% (5th grade), while the state averages were 54.5% to 45.8%. The school's performance on science assessments is also very low, with only 9.1% of 4th-grade students proficient or better in 2022-2023, compared to the state average of 46.6%. Despite the school's high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratio, its academic performance remains among the lowest in the state.

Interestingly, the nearby schools in the Lee 01 School District, such as West Lee Elementary and Lower Lee Elementary, also perform poorly on state assessments, with proficiency rates generally below the state averages. However, some schools outside the Lee 01 District, such as McBee Elementary and North Hartsville Elementary, demonstrate significantly higher academic performance, with proficiency rates often exceeding the state averages. The nearby Butler Academy, a charter school, also outperforms Dennis Elementary and the Lee 01 District on state assessments.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 321 Roland Street
       Bishopville, SC  29010


(803) 483-1005

District: Lee 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
591st of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,442 Help


Students who attend Dennis Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Lee Central Middle
High:    Lee Central High

Student/teacher ratio:  11.1 Help
Number of students:  368

Racial breakdown:

African American:
89.7%
White:
5.2%
Hispanic:
2.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Dennis Elementary ranks worse than 92.6% of elementary schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.57. (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 Dennis Elementary has the largest elementary school student body size in the Lee 01 School District. Racial makeup is: African American (89.7%), White (5.2%), Hispanic (2.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Lee 01 School District. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dennis Elementary is 11.1, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Lee 01 School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Dennis Elementary employs 33 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dennis Elementary is $18,442, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Lee 01 School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Dennis Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Dennis Elementary 591st of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Dennis 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:


Lee 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee 01 73rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Dennis Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Dennis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 16.48 487th 542 10.1%
2004 19.58 484th 550 12.0%
2005 17.80 497th 557 10.8%
2006 16.50 504th 559 9.8%
2007 12.73 530th 566 6.4%
2008 5.49 567th 577 1.7%
2009 4.18 573rd 580 1.2%
2010 15.59 544th 589 7.6%
2011 9.05 577th 597 3.4%
2012 4.00 585th 594 1.5%
2013 3.92 591st 599 1.3%
2014 2.20 625th 630 0.8%
2015 7.41 627th 638 1.7%
2016 4.63 613th 619 1.0%
2017 6.05 625th 639 2.2%
2018 7.09 610th 624 2.2%
2019 7.68 615th 643 4.4%
2021 7.55 603rd 622 3.1%
2022 6.45 613th 625 1.9%
2023 6.07 632nd 644 1.9%
2024 10.57 591st 638 7.4%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Dennis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 9.84 571st 588 2.9%
2019 10.07 575th 600 4.2%
2021 9.10 563rd 580 2.9%
2022 7.72 590th 600 1.7%
2023 7.45 596th 608 2.0%
2024 15.22 541st 599 9.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Dennis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 10.48 532nd 570 6.7%
2019 8.71 559th 588 4.9%
2022 7.69 550th 573 4.0%
2023 7.76 556th 580 4.1%
2024 12.20 522nd 565 7.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Dennis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 4.69 567th 571 0.7%
2019 6.71 576th 590 2.4%
2022 6.42 560th 579 3.3%
2023 5.27 568th 582 2.4%
2024 5.35 558th 568 1.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Dennis Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 20.66 373rd 412 9.5%
2019 18.94 381st 421 9.5%
2021 15.98 329th 350 6.0%
2022 17.55 363rd 393 7.6%
2023 17.49 362nd 394 8.1%
2024 24.65 309th 369 16.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American 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.

Dennis 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 Dennis Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 151 572 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 723
1989 154 540 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 694
1990 155 549 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 704
1991 157 543 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 701
1992 132 536 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 668
1993 116 569 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 686
1994 97 540 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 641
1995 82 519 3 5 0 n/a n/a 0 609
1996 82 519 3 5 0 n/a n/a 0 609
1997 83 492 1 12 2 n/a n/a 0 590
1998 86 488 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 583
1999 78 497 2 5 1 n/a n/a 0 583
2000 78 592 0 4 0 n/a n/a 0 674
2001 72 588 0 3 0 n/a n/a 0 663
2002 53 555 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 615
2003 53 555 2 5 0 n/a n/a 0 615
2004 42 523 2 4 2 n/a n/a 0 573
2005 39 520 3 7 1 n/a n/a 0 570
2006 35 553 3 9 1 n/a n/a 0 601
2007 31 530 4 10 1 n/a n/a 0 576
2008 30 502 4 7 0 n/a n/a 2 545
2009 40 469 2 15 2 n/a n/a 2 530
2010 34 448 0 12 1 n/a n/a 1 496
2011 30 419 0 8 1 0 4 0 462
2012 46 524 0 11 0 1 1 0 583
2013 60 544 0 12 1 1 2 0 620
2014 51 536 0 9 1 0 4 0 601
2015 39 557 0 11 0 0 5 0 612
2016 40 527 1 10 0 0 6 0 584
2017 34 504 1 12 0 1 4 0 556
2018 34 463 0 10 0 1 4 2 514
2019 31 403 0 9 1 1 6 0 451
2020 29 366 0 14 0 1 7 0 417
2021 25 349 0 9 0 0 5 2 390
2022 29 316 0 8 0 0 2 1 356
2023 30 345 0 12 1 2 3 0 393
2024 19 330 0 10 1 2 6 0 368

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 Dennis Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 723 42.9 16.8 n/a
1989 694 42.7 16.2 n/a
1990 704 41.1 17.1 n/a
1991 701 40.7 17.2 85
1992 668 41.5 16.0 90.1
1993 686 40.9 16.8 88.3
1994 641 41.0 15.6 89.1
1995 609 42.0 14.5 88.8
1996 609 42.0 14.5 88.8
1997 590 40.0 14.8 91.7
1998 583 41.0 14.2 87.1
1999 583 42.8 13.6 88
2000 674 44.8 15.0 85.6
2001 663 43.0 15.4 88.8
2002 615 44.0 14.0 88.5
2003 615 44.0 14.0 88.5
2004 573 38.0 15.1 89
2005 570 44.5 12.8 90
2006 601 46.0 13.1 92.7
2007 576 66.0 8.7 94.6
2008 545 41.0 13.3 94.5
2009 530 37.0 14.3 85.4
2010 496 34.0 14.5 97.4
2011 462 33.0 14.0 90.9
2012 583 29.0 20.1 91.3
2013 620 33.0 18.7 89
2014 601 36.0 16.6 88
2015 612 40.0 15.3 70.1
2016 584 38.0 15.3 83.4
2017 556 32.0 17.3 100
2018 514 32.0 16.0 100
2019 451 25.0 18.0 100
2020 417 28.0 14.8 100
2021 390 27.0 14.4 100
2022 356 30.0 11.8 100
2023 393 30.0 13.1 100
2024 368 33.0 11.1 100

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 Dennis Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 723 42.9 16.8 n/a
1989 694 42.7 16.2 n/a
1990 704 41.1 17.1 n/a
1991 701 40.7 17.2 85
1992 668 41.5 16.0 90.1
1993 686 40.9 16.8 88.3
1994 641 41.0 15.6 89.1
1995 609 42.0 14.5 88.8
1996 609 42.0 14.5 88.8
1997 590 40.0 14.8 91.7
1998 583 41.0 14.2 87.1
1999 583 42.8 13.6 88
2000 674 44.8 15.0 85.6
2001 663 43.0 15.4 88.8
2002 615 44.0 14.0 88.5
2003 615 44.0 14.0 88.5
2004 573 38.0 15.1 89
2005 570 44.5 12.8 90
2006 601 46.0 13.1 92.7
2007 576 66.0 8.7 94.6
2008 545 41.0 13.3 94.5
2009 530 37.0 14.3 85.4
2010 496 34.0 14.5 97.4
2011 462 33.0 14.0 90.9
2012 583 29.0 20.1 91.3
2013 620 33.0 18.7 89
2014 601 36.0 16.6 88
2015 612 40.0 15.3 70.1
2016 584 38.0 15.3 83.4
2017 556 32.0 17.3 100
2018 514 32.0 16.0 100
2019 451 25.0 18.0 100
2020 417 28.0 14.8 100
2021 390 27.0 14.4 100
2022 356 30.0 11.8 100
2023 393 30.0 13.1 100
2024 368 33.0 11.1 100

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 Dennis 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 $3,513 (29.1%) $758 (6.3%) $4,271 (35.4%) $6,031 (50.0%) $1,763 (14.6%) $7,794 (64.6%) $12,065
2020 $5,121 (37.3%) $848 (6.2%) $5,969 (43.4%) $6,040 (44.0%) $1,733 (12.6%) $7,773 (56.6%) $13,742
2022 $1,001 (6.8%) $1,001 (6.8%) $2,002 (13.7%) $9,277 (63.5%) $3,337 (22.8%) $12,614 (86.3%) $14,616
2023 $1,418 (7.7%) $1,006 (5.5%) $2,424 (13.1%) $11,590 (62.8%) $4,428 (24.0%) $16,018 (86.9%) $18,442

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Dennis 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 615th of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 632nd of 644 Elementary schools
 2.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dennis Elementary)26.721.3
 5.4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee 01)28.132.1
 4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dennis Elementary)3111.5
 19.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee 01)29.624.8
 4.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Dennis Elementary)18.69.1
 9.5%
   4th Grade Science (Lee 01)19.914.8
 5.1%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dennis Elementary)3129.5
 1.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee 01)29.134.1
 5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dennis Elementary)16.922.7
 5.8%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Lee 01)17.328.4
 11.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Dennis Elementary)14.629.1
 14.5%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Lee 01)15.730.7
 15%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Dennis Elementary)10.69.6
 1%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Lee 01)15.79.9
 5.8%
   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 Students451393
 12.9%
African American403345
 14.4%
American Indian11
Asian00
Hispanic912
 33.3%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White3130
 3.2%
Two or More Races63
 50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients100%100%


Schools Near Dennis Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about Dennis Elementary

Students at Dennis Elementary are 90% African American, 5% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

In the 2023-24 school year, 368 students attended Dennis Elementary.

Dennis Elementary ranks in the bottom 7.4% of South Carolina elementary schools.

Students who attend Dennis Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lee Central Middle
High : Lee Central 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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