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How has Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry changed in the last five years, for better or worse?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
355
Elementary
DISTRICT 374 · STATE 526
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·CHESTER 01·NCES 450153000036
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry
835-C Lancaster Highway, Chester, SC 29706 · (803) 581-7282 · Chester County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY41-RURALREGULAR SCHOOL355 STUDENTS
D
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 14% of South Carolina public elementary schools
- DTest scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ·Beats expectations Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded South Carolina public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
12.2:1
29 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 12.8:1 · STATE 13.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
STATE 77%
Community
1
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 44 | 12% |
| Kindergarten | 51 | 14% |
| Grade 1 | 49 | 14% |
| Grade 2 | 48 | 14% |
| Grade 3 | 60 | 17% |
| Grade 4 | 52 | 15% |
| Grade 5 | 51 | 14% |
This year's kindergarten class (51) is about the same size as its 5th grade class (51).
Student demographics
44%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 67% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
SC READY 2024-25 . % Meets or Exceeds ExpectationsEnglish Language Arts
46.1%
SC avg 59.7% . +3.8pp since 2023
Math
26.6%
SC avg 44.2% . +2.6pp since 2023
What this means: On the SC READY, South Carolina's statewide test, about 46 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 27 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all South Carolina schools, those numbers are about 60 and 44. Reading and writing scores are up about 4 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 3 points.
SC READY results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 46.1% | 26.6% |
| 2023-24 | 42.3% | 24.0% |
% Meets or Exceeds Expectations, all students and all tested grades.
Source: SC READY. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In South Carolina | In Chester County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 26.6% | #573 of 635 ▼ 4 | #5 of 6 no change |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 46.1% | #509 of 635 ▼ 48 | #4 of 6 no change |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 355 | #541 of 709 | #2 of 6 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.2:1 | #162 of 656 | #3 of 6 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 43.9% | #497 of 656 | #5 of 6 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -30.8% | #41 of 395 | #2 of 6 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
355
-54 (-13%) vs 2020
-84% since 2000-01, when it was 2,187
Student : Teacher
12.2:1
was 13.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 355 | 29 | 12.2:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 382 | 29 | 13.2:1 | 100% (382) |
| 2022-23 | 409 | 32 | 12.8:1 | 100% (409) |
| 2020-21 | 409 | 31 | 13.2:1 | 100% (409) |
| 2017-18 | 513 | 36 | 14.3:1 | 100% (513) |
| 2015-16 | 495 | 31 | 16.0:1 | 94% (463) |
| 2010-11 | 406 | 28 | 14.5:1 | 90% (366) |
| 2000-01 | 2,187 | 138 | 15.8:1 | 66% (1,433) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry.
Since 2017-18: students down 31% (513 to 355); teachers down 19% (36 to 29).
About Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry is a small elementary school in Chester 01, located in Chester, South Carolina. It reports enrollment of 355 students in pre-K through 5. The school is 33% below the average for elementary schools in South Carolina.
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry is in Chester 01, a district with 4,523 students across 11 schools.
Federal enrollment data show Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry is 73% Black. The remaining shares are 12% White, 8% multiracial, and 7% Hispanic. Chester County as a whole is about 35% Black, so the school's share is higher. A diversity index of 44% means there is a 44% chance two randomly chosen students at Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry are from different groups.
The school's 29 full-time-equivalent teachers translate to a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.2:1. Statewide, elementary schools in South Carolina average 13.3:1.
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry earns a D on the allk12 Grade, which blends test scores, results against poverty-based expectations, and the three-year trend. It scored higher than 14% of South Carolina public elementary schools.
In the wider Chester County area, median household income comes to about $52,458, roughly 14% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and about 16% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Chester County's 12 public schools enroll about 4,523 students and include Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry.
Chester Park Elementary School for the Arts is less than a tenth of a mile away, making it the nearest public school. Other public schools within five miles number 5.
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry is in rural territory close to an urban area, a location NCES labels Rural: Fringe.
A 13% drop took enrollment from 409 in 2020-21 to 355 in 2024-25.
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry has a community page on allk12 for topics such as pickup and drop-off, after-school programs, and teacher feedback. You can also rate the school on this page.
Chester County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
32,182
Census ACS
Median income
$52,458
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
14%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
16%
Below federal line
Schools in county
12
4,523 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Chester 01
- Chester Senior HighHigh · 699 students
- Lewisville ElementaryElementary · 594 students
- Chester MiddleMiddle · 479 students
- Lewisville HighHigh · 431 students
- Great Falls HighHigh · 375 students
- Great Falls ElementaryElementary · 335 students
Other schools in Chester
- Chester Senior HighHigh · 699 students
- Chester MiddleMiddle · 479 students
- Chester Park Elementary School for the ArtsElementary · 331 students
- Academy for Teaching and LearningElementary · 329 students
- Chester Park Elementary School of Literacy and TechnologyElementary · 300 students
- Chester County Career CenterHigh
Nearby schools
- Chester Park Elementary School for the Arts0.0 mi · 331
- Chester Park Elementary School of Literacy and Technology0.0 mi · 300
- Chester Middle0.3 mi · 479
- Academy for Teaching and Learning1.9 mi · 329
- Chester Senior High2.2 mi · 699
- Lewisville Middle9.1 mi · 295
Frequently asked questions
About Chester Park School Elementary of InquiryWhat is the total enrollment at Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry?
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry enrolls approximately 355 students in grades PK-05.
What grades does Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry serve?
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry serves grades PK-05.
How many teachers does Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry have?
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry employs 29 FTE teachers, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 12.2:1.
What is the student diversity at Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry?
Student demographics at Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry are roughly 12% White, 7% Hispanic, 73% Black, 8% Two or more.
What district is Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry in?
Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry is part of Chester 01.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.