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Needs Improvement

#1083 of 1,176 schools in SC

Ford Elementary

Elementary School · Laurens 55 · Laurens, SC

A Laurens 55 elementary school where students score 14 points below what's typical for similar communities.

601 Lucas Avenue, Laurens, SC 29360

  • Math 22% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 22% proficient (2022)
  • 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.5Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.84 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics3.3Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency22% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency22% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency22% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-14.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile14th
Resources & Environment7.5Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.7:1
District spending per student$14,216
Chronic Absenteeism26.3%

Students at Ford Elementary score 22% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. SC average.

Math Proficiency22%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency22%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 56 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 22% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
81%
2010
Math
64%
ELA
59%
2011
Math
63%
ELA
62%
2012
Math
54%
ELA
67%
2013
Math
54%
ELA
59%
2014
Math
31%
ELA
11%
2015
Math
23%
ELA
18%
2016
Math
22%
ELA
17%
2017
Math
27%
ELA
21%
2018
Math
19%
ELA
17%
2019
Math
19%
ELA
17%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
17%
2022
Math
22%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 35% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from SC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

100%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Ford Elementary sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 11Car-Dependent
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High3,930/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Laurens), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$55,846

Median home value

$151,500

Median rent

$808/mo

College educated

14.6%

Homeownership

65%

Poverty rate

16.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 29360; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Laurens ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.3PK–52.5 mi499Compare →
E. B. Morse ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.5PK–53.2 mi432Compare →
Lighthouse Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition4.7privateK–124.7 mi65Compare →
Gray Court-owings Elementary/middleEnrollment path unverified5.9PK–8Not available755Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Laurens 55

Schools in district
9
Rank in district
#7 of 9
District spending per student
$14,216NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
26.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

Ford Elementary is listed in Laurens 55; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Ford Elementary

Ford Elementary is a public elementary school in Laurens, SC, part of Laurens 55, serving approximately 418 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,083 of 1,176 schools in SC. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Ford Elementary

What grades does Ford Elementary serve?

Ford Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Ford Elementary?

Ford Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 418 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ford Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Ford Elementary is 12.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ford Elementary rank in SC?

Ford Elementary ranks #1,083 of 1,176 schools in SC.

What is Ford Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Ford Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Ford Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ford Elementary has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 35% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Ford Elementary a charter school?

No, Ford Elementary is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Ford Elementary a Title I school?

No, Ford Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Ford Elementary?

100.0% of students at Ford Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
418
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
33
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Laurens County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.3%
Area population (ZIP 29360)
22,066
Area average commute
25.2 min
Area median age
40.7
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 29360; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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