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Needs Improvement

#1054 of 1,176 schools in SC

Whale Branch Elementary

Elementary School · Beaufort 01 · Seabrook, SC

A Beaufort 01 elementary school where students score 22 points below what's typical for similar communities.

15 Stuart Point Road, Seabrook, SC 29941

  • Math 12% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 17% proficient (2022)
  • 8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.1Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-4.56 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics1.8Needs Improvement30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency12% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency17% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency15% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-21.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile3th
Resources & Environment9.1Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio8:1
District spending per student$17,232
Chronic Absenteeism25.8%

Students at Whale Branch Elementary score 14% 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 Proficiency12%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency17%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 8 points since 2019, to 15% in 2022, across a 14-year record (2009–2022).

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
67%
ELA
72%
2010
Math
57%
ELA
62%
2011
Math
62%
ELA
57%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2013
Math
52%
ELA
62%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
12%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2016
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2017
Math
27%
ELA
27%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
22%
2020*
Math
12%
ELA
22%
2021*
Math
12%
ELA
22%
2022
Math
12%
ELA
17%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 37% (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 Whale Branch 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 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 28Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Elevated1,094/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$116,700

Median home value

$2,000,001

College educated

68.3%

Homeownership

94%

Poverty rate

15%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 29941; 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
Agape Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.3privateK–121.7 mi52Compare →
Coosa ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.8PK–5Not available449Compare →
Hilton Head Island Early Childhood CenterEnrollment path unverified7.8PK–KNot available327Compare →
Okatie ElementaryEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–5Not available599Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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

Beaufort 01

Schools in district
32
Rank in district
#32 of 32
District spending per student
$17,232NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
12.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Whale Branch Elementary is listed in Beaufort 01; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Whale Branch Elementary

Whale Branch Elementary is a public elementary school in Seabrook, SC, part of Beaufort 01, serving approximately 400 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,054 of 1,176 schools in SC. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 37% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Whale Branch Elementary

What grades does Whale Branch Elementary serve?

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

How many students attend Whale Branch Elementary?

Whale Branch Elementary has an enrollment of approximately 400 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Whale Branch Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Whale Branch Elementary is 8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Whale Branch Elementary rank in SC?

Whale Branch Elementary ranks #1,054 of 1,176 schools in SC.

What is Whale Branch Elementary's MySchoolScout rating?

Whale Branch Elementary has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.9 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 Whale Branch Elementary?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Whale Branch Elementary has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 37% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Whale Branch Elementary a charter school?

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

Is Whale Branch Elementary a Title I school?

No, Whale Branch Elementary is not currently a Title I school.

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

100.0% of students at Whale Branch 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
400
Student-Teacher Ratio
8:1
Teachers (FTE)
50
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Beaufort County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
25.8%
Area population (ZIP 29941)
246
Area median age
71
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 29941; 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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