Florence 1 named South Carolina’s best, most equitable school district

Florence 1 Schools has been named the most equitable school district in South Carolina, according to a new study by WalletHub. The study evaluated nearly 13,000 school districts across the country, ranking them based on per-pupil spending and the average household income. Districts were assigned an overall score, with a low score being indicative of greater equity. Florence 1’s score was 0.28, half the score for Spartanburg 2, the district ranked second in the state.

The ranking was created based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. According to that data, Florence 1’s expenditures per pupil are $12,398 and the average household income is $54,784. By comparison, Spartanburg’s per pupil expenditures are $10,368 while the average household income is $62,550.

According to WalletHub, “The final score for each district was calculated by taking the absolute difference between the score for expenditures and the score for household income. We then ranked the districts based on the total score, with the lowest value, representing the most equitable, being ranked 1.”

Florence 1 was named the most equitable out of the nearly 80 school districts in South Carolina.

“This national recognition for our district validated through explicit independent data that when students in F1S are all treated the same and have access to similar resources, equity and achievement are possible,” said Superintendent Richard O’Malley. “F1S continues to be the leader in education and this voice of truth tells our story that better education equals a better community.”

WalletHub Study: https://bit.ly/3QDjaLz

News article: https://bit.ly/3R145Vf