Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 19 schools in district

McLees Elementary

4900 Dobbins Bridge Road, Anderson, SC 29626Anderson 05 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades PK–05Non-Charter
592
Students
Total enrolled
$14,281
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
~avg
14.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 6% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 31% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 592 students in grades PK–05 in Anderson, South Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $14,281 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

McLees Elementary is a large elementary in Anderson, South Carolina, serving grades PK–05 with 592 students. The district invests $14,281 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 100% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at McLees Elementary

592
Total Students
14.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
100%
Free Lunch
41
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (PK–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution296 male · 296 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility100%
National avg 52% · 592 students
Student Composition
61%
8%
20%
11%
Asian1%
White61%
Hispanic / Latino8%
Black20%
Multiracial11%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450090000690

Academic Outcomes at McLees Elementary

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 9th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29626

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$14,281Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$14,281
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,284
Student Support$2,713
Administration$1,714
Operations$2,142
Other$1,428
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $14,281 spent per student, an estimated $6,326 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
48%
39%
State government
47.8%
Local (property tax)
39.1%
Federal programs
13.1%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
  • 100% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Midway ElementaryCenterville ElementaryConcord ElementaryNevitt Forest Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Robert Anderson MiddleGlenview MiddleMcCants MiddleSouthwood Academy for the Arts
↓
High School
T. L. Hanna HighWestside HighAnderson Five Charter School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesPK – 05
Location—
CountyAnderson County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictAnderson 05 →
Phone: (864)716-3600
NCES ID: 450090000690
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Anderson seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Anderson 05
High
T. L. Hanna High
1,910 students · 09–12
53% FRL
High
Westside High
1,769 students · 09–12
● 36 opp89% FRL
Mid
Robert Anderson Middle
1,131 students · 06–08
● 36 opp100% FRL
Mid
Glenview Middle
733 students · 06–08
69% FRL
Elem
Midway Elementary
699 students · PK–05
45% FRL
Elem
Centerville Elementary
620 students · PK–05
● 36 opp100% FRL
Elem
Concord Elementary
596 students · PK–05
60% FRL
Elem
Nevitt Forest Elementary
577 students · PK–05
100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
4900 Dobbins Bridge Road, Anderson, SC 29626
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.