Charleston 01 School District
School District · Charleston, South Carolina
Avg Rating
6.4
out of 10
Schools
79
51 elem, 12 mid, 15 high
Enrollment
50,400
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
Avg Rating
6.4
out of 10
Schools
79
51 elem, 12 mid, 15 high
Enrollment
50,400
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
How this district compares
South Carolina rank
#35 of 78
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
+0.1
above South Carolina avg
Per-pupil spending
$16,635
+$2,304 vs South Carolina median
District size
50,400 students
Much larger than South Carolina median
The short answer
Charleston 01 ranks #35 of 78 South Carolina districts by overall school rating. Charleston 01's schools with real test data average 6.4/10 across 77 schools. Its top-rated schools are Oakland Elementary (9.4/10), Charleston Progressive (9.0/10), and James B. Edwards Elementary (8.8/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 9.4/10 despite 100% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.6 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Charleston 01 schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Charleston 01
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (77 of 79). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland Elementary | 9.4 / 10 |
| 2 | Charleston Progressive | 9.0 / 10 |
| 3 | James B. Edwards Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 4 | Drayton Hall Elementary | 8.8 / 10 |
| 5 | Haut Gap Middle | 8.8 / 10 |
| 6 | Orange Grove Charter School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 7 | Carolina Voyager Charter | 8.5 / 10 |
| 8 | James Island Charter High | 8.4 / 10 |
| 9 | James Simons Montessori | 8.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Lucy Garrett Beckham High | 8.2 / 10 |
See all 79 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Charleston 01
Charleston 01 is one of South Carolina's largest districts, serving 50,400 students across 82 schools. With 79 of those schools ranked, parents have broad, comparable data when evaluating options. The district's average school score of 6.9 out of 10 provides a useful baseline — a number worth keeping in mind as you weigh individual campuses against the district mean.
Elementary school options stand out as a particular strength. Oakland Elementary leads the district with a score of 9.0 out of 10, the highest rating across all 82 schools. Charleston Progressive (8.7) and Sullivan's Island Elementary (8.6) rank close behind, giving families in the elementary years several high-performing choices within the same district. Springfield Elementary (8.5) rounds out a cluster of top-rated elementary campuses that score well above the district average of 6.9.
At the secondary level, James Island Charter High School earns an 8.6 out of 10, making it the district's top-rated high school and a meaningful option for families planning ahead. Charter status means enrollment may involve an application process, so parents should confirm deadlines and eligibility early.
The breadth of this district — 82 schools, 50,400 students — means school quality varies considerably by campus. The gap between the district average (6.9) and its top performers (8.5 to 9.0) is large enough that school selection within Charleston 01 matters as much as district selection itself. Parents comparing Charleston 01 to neighboring districts should look at individual school scores alongside the district-wide average. With nearly 80 schools carrying published ratings, the data here is more complete than in many comparable districts, making it easier to make a well-informed choice.
District Map
Schools in Charleston 01, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Charleston 01 with test data.
Schools in Charleston 01
79 schoolsElementary Schools51
Middle Schools12
High Schools15
Other Schools1
District Details
- State
- South Carolina
- City
- Charleston
- Total Enrollment
- 50,400
- Teachers (FTE)
- 3,796
- District spending per student
- $16,635NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- Child poverty rate
- 13.8%Census SAIPE · 2024
- District directory year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Charleston 01?
Charleston 01 has 79 schools in total — 51 elementary, 12 middle, and 15 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Charleston 01?
The average composite rating for Charleston 01 is 6.4/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the district spending per student in Charleston 01?
Charleston 01's district-level spending was $16,635 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Charleston 01?
The average student-teacher ratio in Charleston 01 is 13.3:1.
What is the top-rated school in Charleston 01?
Oakland Elementary is the highest-rated school in Charleston 01 with a composite score of 9.4/10.
What are the test scores in Charleston 01?
Across schools in Charleston 01 with test data, the average math proficiency is 53.3% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 57.1%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Charleston 01 compare to other districts in South Carolina?
Charleston 01 has an average school rating of 6.4/10 across 79 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in South Carolina by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 6.4/10
- Math Proficiency
- 53.3%
- ELA Proficiency
- 57.1%
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in SC
Compare Charleston 01 with neighboring districts in the state.
- Greenville 01 (93)
- Horry 01 (57)
- Richland 01 (48)
- Berkeley 01 (47)
- Aiken 01 (41)
- Sc Public Charter School District (39)
- Beaufort 01 (32)
- Richland 02 (32)
- Lexington 01 (31)
- Charter Institute at Erskine (27)
- Orangeburg (27)
- Dorchester 02 (25)
- Sumter 01 (25)
- York 03 (25)
- Florence 01 (24)
- Pickens 01 (24)
- Lancaster 01 (23)
- Lexington 05 (23)
- York 04 (20)
- Anderson 05 (19)
- Darlington 01 (19)
- Georgetown 01 (19)
- Kershaw 01 (17)
- Oconee 01 (17)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, South Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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