James M. Brown Elementary

Summary:

James M. Brown Elementary is a public elementary school in Walhalla, South Carolina, serving 565 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Oconee 01 school district, which is ranked 21 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

While the school has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (32.74%) compared to nearby schools, it consistently underperforms the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. For example, the school's 3rd-grade ELA proficiency was 35.7% in the 2023-2024 school year, compared to the district's 56.6% and the state's 53.8%. Additionally, James M. Brown Elementary has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 100% in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years, which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools. Despite the school's underperformance, it has a relatively high per-student spending of $14,382 in the 2022-2023 school year.

When comparing James M. Brown Elementary to nearby schools in the Oconee 01 district, it consistently underperforms in both academic achievement and school rankings. Schools like Walhalla Elementary, Keowee Elementary, and Tamassee-Salem Elementary significantly outperform James M. Brown Elementary across various metrics, including test scores and school rankings.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 225 Coffee Road
       Walhalla, SC  29691


(864) 886-4470

District: Oconee 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
433rd of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $14,382 Help


Students who attend James M. Brown Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    Walhalla Middle
High:    Walhalla High

Student/teacher ratio:  10.1 Help
Number of students:  548

Racial breakdown:

White:
61.7%
Hispanic:
32.5%
African American:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  100% Help


 See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

 Compare James M. Brown Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James M. Brown Elementary ranks worse than 67.9% of elementary schools in South Carolina. It also ranks last among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Oconee 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.15. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (61.7%), Hispanic (32.5%), African American (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James M. Brown Elementary is 10.1, which is the 3rd best among 10 elementary schools in the Oconee 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare James M. Brown Elementary employs 54 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at James M. Brown Elementary is $14,382, which is the 4th highest among 10 elementary schools in the Oconee 01 School District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James M. Brown Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks James M. Brown Elementary 433rd of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See James M. Brown Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Oconee 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Oconee 01 21st of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for James M. Brown Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2003 58.29 240th 542 55.7%
2004 67.18 176th 550 68.0%
2005 68.32 176th 557 68.4%
2006 66.88 186th 559 66.7%
2007 60.83 230th 566 59.4%
2008 51.63 316th 577 45.2%
2009 34.75 419th 580 27.8%
2010 26.04 492nd 589 16.5%
2011 28.76 478th 597 19.9%
2012 33.54 445th 594 25.1%
2013 32.82 453rd 599 24.4%
2014 45.18 380th 630 39.7%
2015 35.42 431st 638 32.4%
2016 34.90 418th 619 32.5%
2017 29.94 459th 639 28.2%
2018 26.62 467th 624 25.2%
2019 26.69 482nd 643 25.0%
2021 23.27 475th 622 23.6%
2022 29.78 441st 625 29.4%
2023 30.31 446th 644 30.7%
2024 32.15 433rd 638 32.1%
See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 18.88 73rd 82 11.0%
2019 18.32 89th 104 14.4%
2021 29.48 62nd 84 26.2%
2022 23.91 65th 84 22.6%
2024 12.21 76th 79 3.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.93 416th 588 29.3%
2019 25.76 474th 600 21.0%
2021 26.68 440th 580 24.1%
2022 35.34 400th 600 33.3%
2023 37.76 396th 608 34.9%
2024 43.05 349th 599 41.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.93 439th 570 23.0%
2019 25.27 461st 588 21.6%
2021 22.44 438th 554 20.9%
2022 37.84 363rd 573 36.6%
2023 37.65 363rd 580 37.4%
2024 41.63 345th 565 38.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 23.28 133rd 161 17.4%
2019 21.84 161st 189 14.8%
2021 18.92 102nd 122 16.4%
2022 24.63 121st 151 19.9%
2023 49.12 79th 174 54.6%
2024 58.27 53rd 143 62.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.71 417th 571 27.0%
2019 28.61 430th 590 27.1%
2021 21.57 437th 561 22.1%
2022 21.76 459th 579 20.7%
2023 21.90 467th 582 19.8%
2024 21.76 452nd 568 20.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 14.35 95th 104 8.7%
2019 19.54 99th 116 14.7%
2021 27.54 66th 86 23.3%
2022 23.95 94th 115 18.3%
2023 15.51 103rd 115 10.4%
2024 13.13 107th 115 7.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at James M. Brown Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 13.79 427th 457 6.6%
2019 12.04 440th 472 6.8%
2021 6.88 425th 439 3.2%
2022 15.34 408th 455 10.3%
2023 19.05 394th 463 14.9%
2024 24.33 354th 441 19.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for White 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.

James M. Brown Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for James M. Brown Elementary

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 523 19 4 4 2 n/a n/a 0 552
1989 540 23 4 6 2 n/a n/a 0 575
1990 514 20 6 18 1 n/a n/a 0 559
1991 517 24 2 14 0 n/a n/a 0 557
1992 531 21 1 25 0 n/a n/a 0 578
1993 520 20 1 33 0 n/a n/a 0 574
1994 547 20 0 31 0 n/a n/a 0 598
1995 567 26 0 40 0 n/a n/a 0 633
1996 567 26 0 40 0 n/a n/a 0 633
1997 581 27 0 41 0 n/a n/a 0 649
1998 548 23 0 80 0 n/a n/a 0 651
1999 532 16 0 86 0 n/a n/a 0 634
2000 550 15 0 118 0 n/a n/a 0 683
2001 516 20 0 132 0 n/a n/a 0 668
2002 517 23 2 178 1 n/a n/a 2 723
2003 517 23 2 178 1 n/a n/a 2 723
2004 544 31 4 178 3 n/a n/a 2 762
2005 501 29 0 178 5 n/a n/a 1 714
2006 492 27 0 182 4 n/a n/a 4 709
2007 495 24 0 175 6 n/a n/a 0 700
2008 497 36 3 175 5 n/a n/a 2 718
2009 481 31 5 168 5 n/a n/a 2 692
2010 503 21 5 184 3 n/a n/a 1 717
2011 430 19 3 183 2 0 9 0 646
2012 399 10 2 194 0 0 23 0 628
2013 404 13 2 203 1 1 15 0 639
2014 414 14 1 211 1 1 16 0 658
2015 411 9 1 215 1 1 22 0 660
2016 376 9 1 187 1 1 20 0 595
2017 377 18 0 196 1 2 16 0 610
2018 403 6 0 197 0 2 16 0 624
2019 419 5 0 196 0 0 12 0 632
2020 397 17 0 191 0 0 8 0 613
2021 377 19 1 176 0 0 6 0 579
2022 369 33 1 197 0 0 4 0 604
2023 343 24 2 185 0 0 11 0 565
2024 338 19 1 178 1 0 11 0 548

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 James M. Brown Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 552 29.6 18.6 n/a
1989 575 29.9 19.2 n/a
1990 559 32.3 17.3 n/a
1991 557 33.6 16.5 32.9
1992 578 34.9 16.5 38.8
1993 574 38.5 14.9 37.3
1994 598 36.0 16.6 45
1995 633 39.5 16.0 44.1
1996 633 39.5 16.0 44.1
1997 649 40.0 16.2 48.8
1998 651 48.9 13.3 53.1
1999 634 49.0 12.9 60.1
2000 683 53.0 12.9 64.3
2001 668 52.8 12.7 65.4
2002 723 53.5 13.5 70.3
2003 723 53.5 13.5 70.3
2004 762 56.4 13.5 72.4
2005 714 57.6 12.4 67.9
2006 709 57.2 12.4 72.6
2007 700 96.3 7.3 72.7
2008 718 54.7 13.1 76.4
2009 692 59.7 11.6 79.1
2010 717 52.0 13.7 77.4
2011 646 52.0 12.4 74.9
2012 628 52.8 11.8 76.9
2013 639 54.0 11.8 81.4
2014 658 55.0 11.9 79.8
2015 660 57.0 11.5 68.2
2016 595 57.0 10.4 77.1
2017 610 55.0 11.0 100
2018 624 56.0 11.1 100
2019 632 58.5 10.8 70.6
2020 613 55.0 11.1 99.5
2021 579 55.5 10.4 67
2022 604 55.5 10.8 100
2023 565 54.5 10.3 100
2024 548 54.0 10.1 100

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 James M. Brown Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 552 29.6 18.6 n/a
1989 575 29.9 19.2 n/a
1990 559 32.3 17.3 n/a
1991 557 33.6 16.5 32.9
1992 578 34.9 16.5 38.8
1993 574 38.5 14.9 37.3
1994 598 36.0 16.6 45
1995 633 39.5 16.0 44.1
1996 633 39.5 16.0 44.1
1997 649 40.0 16.2 48.8
1998 651 48.9 13.3 53.1
1999 634 49.0 12.9 60.1
2000 683 53.0 12.9 64.3
2001 668 52.8 12.7 65.4
2002 723 53.5 13.5 70.3
2003 723 53.5 13.5 70.3
2004 762 56.4 13.5 72.4
2005 714 57.6 12.4 67.9
2006 709 57.2 12.4 72.6
2007 700 96.3 7.3 72.7
2008 718 54.7 13.1 76.4
2009 692 59.7 11.6 79.1
2010 717 52.0 13.7 77.4
2011 646 52.0 12.4 74.9
2012 628 52.8 11.8 76.9
2013 639 54.0 11.8 81.4
2014 658 55.0 11.9 79.8
2015 660 57.0 11.5 68.2
2016 595 57.0 10.4 77.1
2017 610 55.0 11.0 100
2018 624 56.0 11.1 100
2019 632 58.5 10.8 70.6
2020 613 55.0 11.1 99.5
2021 579 55.5 10.4 67
2022 604 55.5 10.8 100
2023 565 54.5 10.3 100
2024 548 54.0 10.1 100

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 James M. Brown Elementary

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $968 (7.9%) $543 (4.4%) $1,511 (12.3%) $9,860 (80.2%) $928 (7.5%) $10,788 (87.7%) $12,298
2020 $1,049 (8.4%) $515 (4.1%) $1,564 (12.5%) $10,167 (80.9%) $832 (6.6%) $10,998 (87.5%) $12,562
2021 $1,190 (9.2%) $467 (3.6%) $1,657 (12.9%) $10,403 (80.8%) $813 (6.3%) $11,215 (87.1%) $12,872
2022 $1,835 (12.3%) $882 (5.9%) $2,717 (18.2%) $11,289 (75.8%) $893 (6.0%) $12,182 (81.8%) $14,899
2023 $1,937 (13.5%) $960 (6.7%) $2,897 (20.1%) $10,606 (73.7%) $879 (6.1%) $11,485 (79.9%) $14,382

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James M. Brown Elementary

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 482nd of 643 Elementary schoolsRanks 446th of 644 Elementary schools
 5.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James M. Brown Elementary)47.844.3
 3.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Oconee 01)48.657.1
 8.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)49.753.5
 3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (James M. Brown Elementary)46.836.7
 10.1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Oconee 01)55.254.7
 0.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)57.753.6
 4.1%
4th Grade Science (James M. Brown Elementary)35.330
 5.3%
   4th Grade Science (Oconee 01)55.546.8
 8.7%
   4th Grade Science (South Carolina)5246.6
 5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James M. Brown Elementary)31.841.8
 10%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Oconee 01)5054.5
 4.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)51.357.2
 5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (James M. Brown Elementary)30.725.6
 5.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Oconee 01)49.542
 7.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)50.547
 3.5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James M. Brown Elementary)28.451.4
 23%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Oconee 01)38.857.4
 18.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)4155.2
 14.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (James M. Brown Elementary)25.341.9
 16.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Oconee 01)43.545.7
 2.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)45.444.6
 0.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students632565
 10.6%
African American524
 380%
American Indian00
Asian02
Hispanic196185
 5.6%
Pacific Islander00
White419343
 18.1%
Two or More Races1211
 8.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients70.6%100%
 29.4%


Schools Near James M. Brown Elementary









Frequently Asked Questions about James M. Brown Elementary

In the 2023-24 school year, 548 students attended James M. Brown Elementary.

Students who attend James M. Brown Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Walhalla Middle
High : Walhalla High

Students at James M. Brown Elementary are 62% White, 32% Hispanic, 3% African American, 2% Two or more races.

James M. Brown Elementary ranks 433rd of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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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.





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