Summary:
The city of Hopkins, South Carolina is home to 5 schools serving students from elementary through high school, all within the Richland 01 district. While the schools generally struggle with low test scores and high poverty rates, a few standout institutions like Hopkins Elementary and Southeast Middle demonstrate pockets of academic excellence that could serve as models for improvement across the district.
Hopkins Elementary is the highest-performing school in the district, ranking in the top 40% of elementary schools statewide and earning a 3-star rating. Its students outperform district and state averages in both English and Math, suggesting the school has found successful teaching strategies worth replicating. In contrast, Lower Richland High is the district's lowest-performing school, consistently ranking in the bottom 10-15% of high schools statewide and earning 0-1 star ratings, indicating a need for significant improvement.
Across the district, all 5 schools serve student populations that are over 65% African American and 100% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, highlighting significant racial and socioeconomic disparities. While spending per student varies from $15,971 to $21,362, the high poverty levels suggest these students face substantial challenges that may be impacting their academic performance. Addressing these equity issues could be a key focus for the Richland 01 district as it works to improve outcomes for all students in the Hopkins area.
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