Spartanburg Preparatory School

Summary:

Spartanburg Preparatory School is a public charter elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, with a diverse student population. While the school has seen a decline in its statewide ranking and rating in recent years, dropping from a high of 4-5 stars to 1-2 stars, there are several key insights that parents should consider.

Academically, Spartanburg Preparatory School's student performance on state assessments is generally below the district and state averages, particularly in mathematics. For example, in 2023-2024, only 16% of 3rd graders and 2.9% of 8th graders were proficient or better in mathematics, compared to 54.5% and 30.2% statewide. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly by student subgroup, with White students performing at a high level, ranking in the top 5% of schools in the state, while African American and low-socioeconomic status students perform much lower, ranking in the bottom 30-40% of schools. This significant achievement gap is concerning and reflects broader trends in educational equity in the state.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Jesse Boyd Elementary, which is also in the Spartanburg 07 district, Spartanburg Preparatory School's performance is generally lower, particularly in mathematics. The school's steady decline in statewide ranking and rating over the years is also a worrying trend, and the significant increase in per-student spending, coupled with its relatively low academic performance, raises questions about the efficient and effective use of resources.


Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

 385 South Spring Street
       Spartanburg, SC  29306


(864) 621-3882

District: School Public Charter School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
501st of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,994 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  9.5 Help
Number of students:  482

Racial breakdown:

African American:
56.0%
White:
27.2%
Hispanic:
8.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Spartanburg Preparatory School ranks worse than 78.5% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 10th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the School Public Charter School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 22.71. (See more...)
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Compare Details Spartanburg Preparatory School ranks worse than 70.2% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.55. (See more...)
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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 Spartanburg Preparatory School has the largest elementary school student body size in the School Public Charter School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Spartanburg Preparatory School is $11,994, which is the 4th highest among 11 elementary schools in the School Public Charter School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Spartanburg Preparatory School:

SchoolDigger ranks Spartanburg Preparatory School 501st of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Spartanburg Preparatory School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:

SchoolDigger ranks Spartanburg Preparatory School 228th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Spartanburg Preparatory School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
African American students:


School Public Charter School District:

SchoolDigger ranks School Public Charter School District 25th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


What do you think?

Your rating for Spartanburg Preparatory School?

Rank History for Spartanburg Preparatory School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 65.09 205th 597 65.7%
2012 75.76 120th 594 79.8%
2013 79.67 92nd 599 84.6%
2014 78.83 100th 630 84.1%
2015 85.63 56th 638 91.2%
2016 80.92 100th 619 83.8%
2017 55.02 278th 639 56.5%
2018 47.62 323rd 624 48.2%
2019 41.43 389th 643 39.5%
2021 43.53 349th 622 43.9%
2022 33.56 418th 625 33.1%
2023 42.30 366th 644 43.2%
2024 22.71 501st 638 21.5%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 42.45 341st 588 42.0%
2019 36.45 410th 600 31.7%
2021 37.18 384th 580 33.8%
2022 25.33 467th 600 22.2%
2023 45.45 327th 608 46.2%
2024 23.21 481st 599 19.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 57.63 242nd 570 57.5%
2019 47.29 321st 588 45.4%
2021 46.33 291st 554 47.5%
2022 37.64 366th 573 36.1%
2023 44.14 321st 580 44.7%
2024 15.73 499th 565 11.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.06 352nd 571 38.4%
2019 31.84 412th 590 30.2%
2021 34.16 372nd 561 33.7%
2022 25.39 440th 579 24.0%
2023 41.02 342nd 582 41.2%
2024 30.23 401st 568 29.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school African American students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.02 141st 412 65.8%
2019 55.02 173rd 421 58.9%
2021 51.20 150th 350 57.1%
2022 32.39 281st 393 28.5%
2023 39.47 244th 394 38.1%
2024 30.75 273rd 369 26.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 48.26 239th 439 45.6%
2022 59.39 190th 455 58.2%
2023 90.56 19th 463 95.9%
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

Rank History for Spartanburg Preparatory School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 70.87 76th 269 71.7%
2012 92.07 10th 271 96.3%
2013 84.94 33rd 276 88.0%
2014 87.06 28th 291 90.4%
2015 81.93 40th 301 86.7%
2016 78.86 48th 303 84.2%
2017 79.43 54th 317 83.0%
2018 68.02 84th 303 72.3%
2019 47.65 153rd 315 51.4%
2021 52.18 136th 311 56.3%
2022 43.45 167th 310 46.1%
2023 51.32 141st 325 56.6%
2024 29.55 228th 325 29.8%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.23 110th 280 60.7%
2019 47.33 146th 289 49.5%
2021 58.08 103rd 288 64.2%
2022 47.61 141st 300 53.0%
2023 54.26 115th 313 63.3%
2024 39.24 184th 307 40.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 46.45 161st 296 45.6%
2021 59.30 107th 279 61.6%
2022 44.78 151st 290 47.9%
2023 49.71 140th 299 53.2%
2024 26.43 215th 294 26.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 72.55 67th 284 76.4%
2019 49.60 134th 296 54.7%
2021 43.49 146th 279 47.7%
2022 20.98 225th 292 22.9%
2023 43.80 158th 303 47.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Spartanburg Preparatory School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 86.91 19th 237 92.0%
2019 48.00 121st 252 52.0%
2021 65.90 47th 235 80.0%
2022 55.58 87th 249 65.1%
2023 52.94 102nd 253 59.7%
2024 40.89 146th 248 41.1%
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.

Spartanburg Preparatory School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 









Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.1)
71%

0%

14%

0%

14%

  

Reviews:
by a teacher
Monday, March 30, 2020

Open Quote Horrible Administration Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, February 4, 2016

Open Quote Just read the review about testing every child before the child is admitted to the school. The review also stated that because of this, the school is selecting who will and will not be admitted.

While Spartanburg Prep does test the student, the test is used to determine grade placement. All students are admitted to Spartanburg Prep- ALL. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, November 5, 2015

Open Quote Best school in Spartanburg County. Low teacher to student ratios and high parent engagement make this school a consistent top performer in the state!! Close Quote


by a parent
Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Open Quote It is a charter public school, but you gain a spot via lottery. Prior to entrance your child will be tested and enrollment will depend on the results. Thus, the school unnaturally raises its rating by selecting the best of the best. Also, during the school year lesser students may be forced out. The school does not like underachieving students and tries to get rid of them as quickly as possible so that it's rating doesn't suffer. In addition, the school does not have “Horizon” and AP Honors classes. The level of teaching is not better than other public schools. Close Quote


by a parent on FaceBook
Friday, July 11, 2014

Open Quote Extraordinary school with excellent teachers and a great environment for parent involvement. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Spartanburg Preparatory School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2010 142 82 6 7 0 n/a n/a 0 237
2011 174 94 9 8 0 2 0 0 287
2012 202 96 8 5 0 2 0 0 313
2013 219 110 5 13 0 0 1 0 348
2014 234 109 6 14 1 0 9 0 373
2015 203 113 8 22 1 0 20 0 367
2016 190 153 6 27 0 0 28 0 404
2017 168 185 5 25 0 0 22 0 405
2018 160 239 11 22 0 0 35 0 467
2019 173 279 9 31 0 0 46 0 538
2020 152 307 6 34 0 0 44 0 543
2021 159 325 9 37 0 0 47 0 577
2022 154 344 7 38 0 0 35 0 578
2023 131 270 3 39 0 2 37 0 482

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 Spartanburg Preparatory School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 237 14.5 16.3 18.6
2011 287 16.9 16.9 43.2
2012 313 22.3 14.0 40.6
2013 348 27.1 12.8 48.6
2014 373 27.0 13.8 46.1
2015 367 28.0 13.1 47.7
2016 404 26.0 15.5 54.5
2017 405 31.4 12.8 63.5
2018 467 38.8 12.0 60.6
2019 538 42.8 12.5 67.8
2020 543 41.6 13.0 99.4
2021 577 44.6 12.9 84.1
2022 578 54.6 10.5 100
2023 482 50.5 9.5 100

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 Spartanburg Preparatory School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2010 237 14.5 16.3 18.6
2011 287 16.9 16.9 43.2
2012 313 22.3 14.0 40.6
2013 348 27.1 12.8 48.6
2014 373 27.0 13.8 46.1
2015 367 28.0 13.1 47.7
2016 404 26.0 15.5 54.5
2017 405 31.4 12.8 63.5
2018 467 38.8 12.0 60.6
2019 538 42.8 12.5 67.8
2020 543 41.6 13.0 99.4
2021 577 44.6 12.9 84.1
2022 578 54.6 10.5 100
2023 482 50.5 9.5 100

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 Spartanburg Preparatory School

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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 $327 (3.8%) $181 (2.1%) $508 (5.8%) $5,875 (67.6%) $2,306 (26.5%) $8,181 (94.2%) $8,688
2023 $1,040 (8.7%) $492 (4.1%) $1,532 (12.8%) $7,823 (65.2%) $2,639 (22.0%) $10,462 (87.2%) $11,994

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Spartanburg Preparatory School

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 389th of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 366th of 644 Elementary schools
 3.7%
Ranks 153rd of 315 Middle schoolsRanks 141st of 325 Middle schools
 5.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Spartanburg Preparatory School)37.931.9
 6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)5052.7
 2.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Spartanburg Preparatory School)5322.9
 30.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)54.754.9
 0.2%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (Spartanburg Preparatory School)54.239.4
 14.8%
   4th Grade Science (School Public Charter School District)45.943.2
 2.7%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Spartanburg Preparatory School)51.160.6
 9.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)51.960
 8.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Spartanburg Preparatory School)52.145.9
 6.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)46.546.3
 0.2%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Spartanburg Preparatory School)32.649
 16.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)42.658.7
 16.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Spartanburg Preparatory School)34.833.3
 1.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)40.143.1
 3%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)45.444.6
 0.8%
6th Grade Science (Spartanburg Preparatory School)32.643.6
 11%
   6th Grade Science (School Public Charter School District)49.646.8
 2.8%
   6th Grade Science (South Carolina)47.143
 4.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Spartanburg Preparatory School)28.557.4
 28.9%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)46.961.4
 14.5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)41.153.4
 12.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Spartanburg Preparatory School)40.827.2
 13.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)45.437
 8.4%
   6th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)43.936.7
 7.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Spartanburg Preparatory School)46.148.6
 2.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)50.657.8
 7.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4450.1
 6.1%
7th Grade Mathematics (Spartanburg Preparatory School)38.513.2
 25.3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)36.835
 1.8%
   7th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)35.331
 4.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Spartanburg Preparatory School)45.762.9
 17.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (School Public Charter School District)51.361.3
 10%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)44.553.1
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Spartanburg Preparatory School)54.333.3
 21%
   8th Grade Mathematics (School Public Charter School District)34.435.9
 1.5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)36.631.6
 5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students538482
 10.4%
African American279270
 3.2%
American Indian00
Asian93
 66.7%
Hispanic3139
 25.8%
Pacific Islander02
White173131
 24.3%
Two or More Races4637
 19.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients67.8%100%
 32.2%


Schools Near Spartanburg Preparatory School









Frequently Asked Questions about Spartanburg Preparatory School

Students at Spartanburg Preparatory School are 56% African American, 27% White, 8% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races.

Spartanburg Preparatory School ranks in the bottom 21.5% of South Carolina elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 482 students attended Spartanburg Preparatory School.


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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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