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C

Cherokee County School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 2 towns

Serves Gaffney and Blacksburg, and parts of Smyrna.

Gaffney’s School Grade C better than 27% of South Carolina school districts

Students
7,525
Schools
14
Spent per student
$14,757
SC $15,090
Students per teacher
14:1
Debt
$15.6M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Cherokee County School District

  • Its letter, C: results better than 27% of South Carolina districts
  • Math proficiency 14 pts below the state
  • Reading proficiency 10 pts below the state
  • 14 students per teacher
  • Debt of $15.6M, about $2,076 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C: better than 27% of the 92 South Carolina school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
C
GraduationFour-year graduation below the state, class of 2023
C−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
CGaffney 12,583CBlacksburg 1,965

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Gaffney. Grade by grade →

PK–5B. D. Lee ElementaryThis district
6–82 middle schoolsThis district
9–12Gaffney HighThis district

Test scores vs. SC

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency27%
State average 41% · 3,933 students tested
Reading / language arts42%
State average 52.1% · 4,074 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)80%
State average 83.8% · 623 in the class

100% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$14,757 per student · 2% below SC
Spending
Classroom instruction 58%Support & administration 35%Other 7%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 41%State 46%Federal 13%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
7,289’20
7,792’21
7,925’22
7,712’23
7,525’24

Up 3.2% since 2020–21.

Students
White 56%Black 28%Hispanic 11%Two or more races 4%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

14 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with South Carolina’s other public schools.

B. D. Lee Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
D
603 students15:1
Grassy Pond Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
B
519 students16:1
Limestone-Central Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
C
436 students13:1
Northwest Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
B
423 students14:1
Luther L. Vaughan Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
D−
399 students12:1
Blacksburg Primary
Elementary · Grades PK–2 · Blacksburg
363 students15:1
Corinth Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
B+
292 students13:1
Draytonville Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Gaffney
C
264 students14:1
Blacksburg Elementary
Elementary · Grades 3–5 · Blacksburg
C+
323 students14:1
Gaffney Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Gaffney
C
851 students12:1
John E. Ewing Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Gaffney
C−
380 students12:1
Blacksburg Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Blacksburg
C
363 students12:1
Gaffney High
High · Grades 9–12 · Gaffney
A−
1,827 students18:1
Blacksburg High
High · Grades 9–12 · Blacksburg
A
482 students13:1

Left off: 1 school reporting no students for 2024–25.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within South Carolina.