Dorchester 02 School District
School District · Summerville, South Carolina
Avg Rating
5.6
out of 10
Schools
25
15 elem, 7 mid, 3 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$11,212
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
Avg Rating
5.6
out of 10
Schools
25
15 elem, 7 mid, 3 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$11,212
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
Evaluating Dorchester 02?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Dorchester 02 as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Rollings Middle School of the Arts
Summerville · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Fort Dorchester High
North Charleston · High. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
Beech Hill Elementary
Summerville · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
South Carolina rank
#60 of 77
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.5
below South Carolina avg
Per-pupil spending
$11,212
$3,119 vs South Carolina median
District size
26,547 students
Much larger than South Carolina median
The short answer
Dorchester 02 ranks #60 of 77 South Carolina districts by overall school rating. Dorchester 02's schools with real test data average 5.6/10 across 24 schools. Its top-rated schools are Rollings Middle School of the Arts (7.5/10), Fort Dorchester High (7.4/10), and Beech Hill Elementary (7.4/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 7.4/10 despite 60% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.7 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 Dorchester 02 schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Dorchester 02
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (24 of 25). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rollings Middle School of the Arts | 7.5 / 10 |
| 2 | Fort Dorchester High | 7.4 / 10 |
| 3 | Beech Hill Elementary | 7.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Ashley Ridge High | 7.3 / 10 |
| 5 | Summerville High | 7.2 / 10 |
| 6 | Sand Hill Elementary | 6.8 / 10 |
| 7 | Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary | 6.7 / 10 |
| 8 | Summerville Elementary | 6.6 / 10 |
| 9 | Fort Dorchester Elementary | 6.5 / 10 |
| 10 | William M. Reeves Elementary | 6.4 / 10 |
See all 25 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Dorchester 02
Dorchester School District 2 serves 26,547 students across 25 ranked schools in the Summerville area of South Carolina. That enrollment figure places it among the larger districts in the state, making it a significant system for families relocating to the greater Charleston metro corridor.
The district's 25 schools average 5.0 out of 10 on MySchoolScout's rating scale. That baseline matters as context, because the top five schools score between 6.4 and 7.1 — well above the district mean. The spread signals real variation within the district. Which school your child attends is not a minor detail; it can determine whether they land in a top-tier building or a school tracking closer to the average.
Summerville Elementary earns the district's highest mark at 7.1, leading all 25 schools. Ashley Ridge High (7.0) and Fort Dorchester High (6.9) follow closely, showing that secondary options in Dorchester 2 are competitive — not just one campus carrying the others. Beech Hill Elementary (6.8) reinforces the strength of the elementary tier. At the middle level, Rollings Middle School of the Arts stands apart with a 6.4 rating and a dedicated arts focus that most comparably sized districts don't offer.
That arts pathway at the middle school level is a genuine differentiator. Families who want a structured creative track before high school have a named option here rather than piecing together extracurriculars. The dual strong high schools — both rated above 6.8 — also reduce the assignment-lottery risk that families in single-high-school districts face. Dorchester 2's district-wide average of 5.0 reflects schools across a performance range, so buyers in this market should look up individual school ratings by address before committing to a neighborhood. The gap between the district's floor and its ceiling is wide enough to make that search worthwhile.
District Map
Schools in Dorchester 02, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Dorchester 02 with test data.
Schools in Dorchester 02
25 schools Elementary Schools 15
Middle Schools 7
High Schools 3
District Details
- State
- South Carolina
- City
- Summerville
- Total Enrollment
- 26,547
- Teachers (FTE)
- 1,618
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.1%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Dorchester 02?
Dorchester 02 has 25 schools in total — 15 elementary, 7 middle, and 3 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Dorchester 02?
The average composite rating for Dorchester 02 is 5.6/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Dorchester 02?
Dorchester 02 spends $11,212 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Dorchester 02?
The average student-teacher ratio in Dorchester 02 is 16.4:1.
What is the top-rated school in Dorchester 02?
Rollings Middle School of the Arts is the highest-rated school in Dorchester 02 with a composite score of 7.5/10.
What are the test scores in Dorchester 02?
Across schools in Dorchester 02 with test data, the average math proficiency is 62.3% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 65.2%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Dorchester 02 compare to other districts in South Carolina?
Dorchester 02 has an average school rating of 5.6/10 across 25 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
- 5.6/10
- Math Proficiency
- 62.3%
- ELA Proficiency
- 65.2%
Resources
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 Dorchester 02 with neighboring districts in the state.
- Greenville 01 (93)
- Charleston 01 (82)
- 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)
- York 03 (25)
- Sumter 01 (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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