Whittaker Elementary

Q: Is Whittaker Elementary a good school?

Whittaker Elementary ranks 478 th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Whittaker Elementary is a public elementary school in Orangeburg, South Carolina, serving 415 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Orangeburg School District, which is ranked 65 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Whittaker Elementary faces significant challenges in academic performance, with consistently lower proficiency rates in SC READY English Language Arts and Mathematics compared to state and district averages across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, only 28.3% of 3rd graders were proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 53.8%. The school has a notably higher percentage of African American students (88.92%) compared to the state average, and a 100% free and reduced lunch rate, indicating a low socioeconomic status of the student population. While the school's overall performance is low, its African American students rank 154 out of 369 South Carolina elementary schools, significantly higher than the school's overall ranking of 478 out of 638.

When comparing Whittaker Elementary to nearby schools within the Orangeburg district, such as Elloree Elementary, St. Matthews K-8 School, and Bethune-Bowman Elementary, it becomes evident that Whittaker Elementary's performance is generally lower across various metrics, including academic achievement, student subgroup performance, and school rankings. While the school spends more per student than the state average, the challenges it faces suggest that a more comprehensive approach, including targeted interventions and support, may be necessary to address the school's performance issues.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

790 Whittaker Parkway
Orangeburg, SC 29115

(803) 534-6559

District: Orangeburg

SchoolDigger Rank:
478^th of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,157

Students who attend Whittaker Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Robert E. Howard Middle
High:	Orangeburg Wilkinson High

Student/teacher ratio: 17.8

Number of students: 415

Racial breakdown:

African American:

88.9%

Two or more races:

4.6%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Whittaker Elementary ranks worse than 74.9% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 4^th among 14 ranked elementary schools in the Orangeburg School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.68. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (88.9%), two or more races (4.6%), Hispanic (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Orangeburg School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Whittaker Elementary is 17.8, which is the highest among 15 elementary schools in the Orangeburg School District! (See more...)

Compare Whittaker Elementary employs 23.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Whittaker Elementary is $12,157. 10 elementary schools in the Orangeburg School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Whittaker Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Whittaker Elementary 478^th of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Whittaker 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:

Orangeburg:

SchoolDigger ranks Orangeburg 65^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Whittaker Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Whittaker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	20.02	501^st	625	19.8%
2023	24.68	492^nd	644	23.6%
2024	25.68	478^th	638	25.1%

See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Whittaker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	24.50	472^nd	600	21.3%
2023	25.58	484^th	608	20.4%
2024	34.83	408^th	599	31.9%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Whittaker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	22.19	445^th	573	22.3%
2023	23.48	456^th	580	21.4%
2024	25.19	432^nd	565	23.5%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Whittaker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	17.25	485^th	579	16.2%
2023	25.38	446^th	582	23.4%
2024	26.99	419^th	568	26.2%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Whittaker Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	48.46	191^st	393	51.4%
2023	48.87	190^th	394	51.8%
2024	53.96	154^th	369	58.3%

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.

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Whittaker Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2020	5	382	1	23	0	0	7	418
2021	9	369	2	22	0	1	7	410
2022	10	355	1	15	1	1	10	393
2023	11	369	0	15	0	1	19	415

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 Whittaker Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	418	25.0	16.7	100
2021	410	24.0	17.0	100
2022	393	25.5	15.4	100
2023	415	23.2	17.8	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 Whittaker Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	418	25.0	16.7	100
2021	410	24.0	17.0	100
2022	393	25.5	15.4	100
2023	415	23.2	17.8	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 Whittaker Elementary

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$882 (8.9%)	$345 (3.5%)	$1,227 (12.3%)	$7,727 (77.7%)	$987 (9.9%)	$8,713 (87.7%)	$9,940
2021	$298 (2.4%)	$780 (6.4%)	$1,078 (8.8%)	$9,798 (79.9%)	$1,389 (11.3%)	$11,187 (91.2%)	$12,265
2022	$1,368 (10.2%)	$1,521 (11.3%)	$2,889 (21.5%)	$9,358 (69.6%)	$1,202 (8.9%)	$10,560 (78.5%)	$13,449
2023	$1,389 (11.4%)	$937 (7.7%)	$2,327 (19.1%)	$8,656 (71.2%)	$1,175 (9.7%)	$9,831 (80.9%)	$12,157

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Schools Near Whittaker Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)						SC READY Mathematics (2024)						EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Whittaker Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	790 Whittaker Parkway	Orangeburg	29115	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 534-6559	415	23	17.8	100.0%	11 (2.7%)	369 (88.9%)	15 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (4.6%)	25.7	478^th of 638 public elementary schools	25.1%		24.7	492^nd of 644 public elementary schools	23.6%	14	28.3	46.3	36.2				31.7	51.8	33.3					$12,157	$1,389	$937	$2,327	$8,656	$1,175	$9,831
Felton Laboratory Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	115 Lance Street	Orangeburg	29117	Orangeburg County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	Yes	(803) 536-7034	317	16	19.8	100.0%	3 (0.9%)	285 (89.9%)	11 (3.5%)	7 (2.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.2%)	33.2	427^th of 638 public elementary schools	33.1%		47	335^th of 644 public elementary schools	48.0%	92	42.5	67.9	40.0	48.1	35.0	36.1	30.0	50.0	30.0	14.8	17.5	13.9	71.4	$15,497	$2,582	$1,992	$4,574	$8,201	$2,722	$10,923
Brookdale Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	394 Brookdale Drive	Orangeburg	29115	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 534-5982	244	17	14.1	100.0%	9 (3.7%)	217 (88.9%)	11 (4.5%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.0%)	34.3	418^th of 638 public elementary schools	34.5%		36.1	413^th of 644 public elementary schools	35.9%	5	32.3	44.1	52.1				29.4	32.4	52.2					$16,605	$2,008	$923	$2,931	$12,457	$1,217	$13,674
Mellichamp Elementary	Public	3-5	350 Murray Road	Orangeburg	29115	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 534-8044	204	18	11.6	100.0%	8 (3.9%)	185 (90.7%)	3 (1.5%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.9%)	5.4	630^th of 638 public elementary schools	1.3%		2.6	643^rd of 644 public elementary schools	0.2%	13	16.6	18.8	28.9				14.3	17.2	21.2					$15,875	$2,006	$995	$3,001	$11,511	$1,363	$12,874
Marshall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1441 Marshall Street	Orangeburg	29118	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 534-7865	651	37	17.5	100.0%	14 (2.2%)	591 (90.8%)	16 (2.5%)	12 (1.8%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.2%)	9.8	605^th of 638 public elementary schools	5.2%		8.9	614^th of 644 public elementary schools	4.7%	9	30.2	33.0	26.2				27.3	28.0	15.5					$10,418	$994	$925	$1,919	$7,627	$873	$8,499
Sheridan Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1139 Hillsboro Road	Orangeburg	29115	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 534-7504	486	30	16.2	100.0%	21 (4.3%)	415 (85.4%)	31 (6.4%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	14 (2.9%)	10	600^th of 638 public elementary schools	6.0%		11.2	594^th of 644 public elementary schools	7.8%	6	19.7	22.7	37.5				11.9	22.6	29.2					$11,727	$1,526	$929	$2,455	$8,481	$792	$9,273
Edisto Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	3239 Cordova Road	Cordova	29039	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 536-4782	554	33	16.5	100.0%	231 (41.7%)	243 (43.9%)	44 (7.9%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.1%)								(n/a)														$14,791	$1,973	$749	$2,722	$11,009	$1,060	$12,069
Edisto Elementary	Public	3-5	136 Woodolive Lane	Orangeburg	29515	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	No	(803) 531-7646	444	30	14.8	100.0%	176 (39.6%)	211 (47.5%)	27 (6.1%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.9%)	20.5	517^th of 638 public elementary schools	19.0%		20.4	530^th of 644 public elementary schools	17.7%	13	32.7	45.5	41.6				26.4	33.8	28.9					$10,502	$937	$677	$1,614	$7,875	$1,014	$8,889
Bethune-Bowman Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	4857 Charleston Highway	Rowesville	29133	Orangeburg County	Orangeburg	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 533-6371	288	17	16.9	100.0%	12 (4.2%)	240 (83.3%)	33 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	11.2	585^th of 638 public elementary schools	8.3%		11.5	593^rd of 644 public elementary schools	7.9%	8	29.0	32.7	30.8				18.4	16.3	33.4					$12,119	$1,194	$445	$1,639	$9,201	$1,278	$10,479
St. Matthews K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	135 Saints Avenue	Saint Matthews	29135	Calhoun County	Calhoun 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 655-2750	553	42	13.1	100.0%	69 (12.5%)	430 (77.8%)	47 (8.5%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	19.5	528^th of 638 public elementary schools	17.2%		27.1	474^th of 644 public elementary schools	26.4%	54	40.8	45.4	44.7	40.0	48.3	40.3	20.4	28.2	19.1	13.3	21.7	17.5		$14,708	$2,318	$919	$3,237	$10,073	$1,398	$11,470

Frequently Asked Questions about Whittaker Elementary

Is Whittaker Elementary a good school?

Whittaker Elementary ranks 478^th of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Whittaker Elementary?

Students at Whittaker Elementary are 89% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 3% White.

How many students attend Whittaker Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 415 students attended Whittaker Elementary.

What schools do graduates of Whittaker Elementary attend?

Students who attend Whittaker Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Robert E. Howard Middle
High : Orangeburg Wilkinson High

What district is Whittaker Elementary in?

Orangeburg

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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.