Enrollment
362
Elementary
DISTRICT 466 · STATE 526
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·FLORENCE 01·NCES 450213001235
Theodore Lester Elementary
3501 East Palmetto Street, Florence, SC 29506 · (843) 664-8459 · Florence County
GRADES 03–05ELEMENTARY41-RURALREGULAR SCHOOL362 STUDENTS
B-
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 50% of South Carolina public elementary schools
- B-Test 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
12.1:1
30 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 13.0:1 · STATE 13.3:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
,
Title I proxy
STATE 77%
Community
0
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 2 | 1 | 0% |
| Grade 3 | 117 | 32% |
| Grade 4 | 131 | 36% |
| Grade 5 | 113 | 31% |
Student demographics
62%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 61% · 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
School pathway
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within Florence 01. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Test scores
SC READY 2024-25 . % Meets or Exceeds ExpectationsEnglish Language Arts
60.0%
SC avg 59.7% . +3.2pp since 2023
Math
49.1%
SC avg 44.2% . +6.5pp since 2023
What this means: On the SC READY, South Carolina's statewide test, about 60 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 49 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 3 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 7 points.
SC READY results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 60.0% | 49.1% |
| 2023-24 | 56.8% | 42.6% |
% Meets or Exceeds Expectations, all students and all tested grades.
Source: SC READY. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
Where Theodore Lester Elementary ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In South Carolina | In Florence County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 49.1% | #317 of 635 ▲ 53 | #8 of 19 ▲ 3 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 60.0% | #316 of 635 ▼ 60 | #8 of 19 ▼ 1 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 362 | #528 of 709 | #15 of 23 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.1:1 | #147 of 656 | #3 of 20 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 62.0% | #241 of 656 | #8 of 20 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -16.8% | #150 of 395 | #9 of 15 |
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
362
-21 (-5%) vs 2020
-14% since 1990-91, when it was 423
Student : Teacher
12.1:1
was 10.1:1
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 | 362 | 30 | 12.1:1 | N/A |
| 2023-24 | 375 | 29 | 12.9:1 | 100% (375) |
| 2022-23 | 265 | 27 | 9.8:1 | 100% (265) |
| 2020-21 | 383 | 38 | 10.1:1 | 100% (383) |
| 2017-18 | 435 | 37 | 11.8:1 | 100% (435) |
| 2015-16 | 442 | 37 | 11.9:1 | 80% (353) |
| 2010-11 | 473 | 40 | 11.8:1 | 91% (431) |
| 2000-01 | 474 | 37 | 12.8:1 | 73% (344) |
| 1990-91 | 423 | 33 | 12.8:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Theodore Lester Elementary.
Since 2017-18: students down 17% (435 to 362); teachers down 19% (37 to 30).
About Theodore Lester Elementary
Theodore Lester Elementary is a low-enrollment elementary school with its address in Florence, South Carolina. It covers grades 3 through 5, with a total enrollment of 362 students. Statewide, elementary schools in South Carolina average about 526 students each.
The district for Theodore Lester Elementary is Florence 01, with 23 schools and 15,861 students.
Theodore Lester Elementary is 52% Black by enrollment. Other reported shares: 30% White, 9% multiracial, and 7% Hispanic. That compares with about 43% Black among all Florence County residents. The school's diversity index is 62%, meaning two students picked at random have a 62% chance of belonging to different racial or ethnic groups.
The school employs the equivalent of 30 full-time teachers, for a ratio of 12.1:1. That is 1.3 students per teacher below the 13.3:1 average for elementary schools in South Carolina.
The allk12 Grade for Theodore Lester Elementary is B-. Compared with South Carolina public elementary schools, the school scored higher than 50% on a mix of test scores, poverty-adjusted results, and recent trend.
Within Florence County, the median household income is $58,305, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 24%, and about 13% of people live in poverty. Besides Theodore Lester Elementary, Florence County has 38 other public schools.
The closest public school, Henry Timrod Elementary, is about 2.3 miles from Theodore Lester Elementary. Other public schools within five miles: 7.
Federal records code the school's setting as Rural: Fringe.
Enrollment is down 5% from 2020-21, when Theodore Lester Elementary had 383 students, to 2024-25, when it had 362. Over the same period, the student-to-teacher ratio rose to 12.1:1, from 10.1:1.
The discussion area below is open to posts about sports tryouts, band and choir, and theater. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Florence County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
137,117
Census ACS
Median income
$58,305
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
24%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
13%
Below federal line
Schools in county
39
21,641 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in Florence 01
- West Florence HighHigh · 1,827 students
- South Florence HighHigh · 1,580 students
- Wilson HighHigh · 1,373 students
- Southside MiddleMiddle · 1,138 students
- John W. Moore MiddleMiddle · 1,056 students
- Delmae Heights ElementaryElementary · 988 students
Other schools in Florence
- West Florence HighHigh · 1,827 students
- South Florence HighHigh · 1,580 students
- Wilson HighHigh · 1,373 students
- Southside MiddleMiddle · 1,138 students
- John W. Moore MiddleMiddle · 1,056 students
- Delmae Heights ElementaryElementary · 988 students
Nearby schools
- Henry Timrod Elementary2.3 mi · 413
- Wallace Gregg Elementary2.4 mi · 283
- Wilson High2.5 mi · 1,373
- McLaurin Elementary3.1 mi · 552
- Williams Middle4.0 mi · 792
- North Vista Elementary4.0 mi · 446
Frequently asked questions
About Theodore Lester ElementaryHow many students attend Theodore Lester Elementary?
Theodore Lester Elementary enrolls approximately 362 students in grades 03-05.
What grades does Theodore Lester Elementary serve?
Theodore Lester Elementary serves grades 03-05.
How many students per teacher at Theodore Lester Elementary?
Approximately 12.1:1 students per teacher at Theodore Lester Elementary.
What is the racial breakdown of students at Theodore Lester Elementary?
At Theodore Lester Elementary, the student body is approximately 30% White, 7% Hispanic, 52% Black, 1% Asian, 9% Two or more.
Who oversees Theodore Lester Elementary?
Theodore Lester Elementary is overseen by Florence 01 in Florence County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.