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Needs Improvement

#1160 of 1,176 schools in SC

River Oaks Middle

Middle School · Dorchester 02 · North Charleston, SC

A Dorchester 02 middle school where students score 21 points below what's typical for similar communities.

8642 River Oaks Drive, North Charleston, SC 29420

  • Math 17% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 37% proficient (2022)
  • 16:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.1Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-5.05 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics3.1Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency17% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency37% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency27% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)48% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-21.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile13th
Resources & Environment2.6Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16:1
District spending per student$11,212
Chronic Absenteeism32.7%

Students at River Oaks Middle score 27% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 48%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. SC average.

Math Proficiency17%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency37%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 53 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 27% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
75%
ELA
72%
2011
Math
78%
ELA
74%
2012
Math
77%
ELA
78%
2013
Math
73%
ELA
73%
2014
Math
30%
ELA
44%
2015
Math
35%
ELA
46%
2016
Math
31%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
25%
ELA
35%
2018
Math
24%
ELA
38%
2019
Math
24%
ELA
38%
2020*
Math
14%
ELA
32%
2021*
Math
14%
ELA
32%
2022
Math
17%
ELA
37%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 51% (multi-year average, 2009-2022)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 28 test records from SC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

73.4%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where River Oaks Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 5Car-Dependent
  • Transit 0Minimal Transit
  • Bike 28Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,771/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (North Charleston), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$69,043

Median home value

$283,900

Median rent

$1,506/mo

College educated

30.8%

Homeownership

62.6%

Poverty rate

14.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 29420; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Cathedral AcademyPrivate · tuition6.8privatePK–122.1 mi319Compare →
Oakbrook MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.76–83.5 mi943Compare →
Jerry Zucker Middle School of ScienceEnrollment path unverified4.16–84.3 mi501Compare →
Northwoods MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.96–84.5 mi677Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Dorchester 02

Schools in district
25
Rank in district
#25 of 25
District spending per student
$11,212NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

River Oaks Middle is listed in Dorchester 02; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About River Oaks Middle

River Oaks Middle is a public middle school in North Charleston, SC, part of Dorchester 02, serving approximately 801 students in grades 6th-8th with a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 2.6 out of 10 and ranks #1,160 of 1,176 schools in SC. State assessment records show 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about River Oaks Middle

What grades does River Oaks Middle serve?

River Oaks Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend River Oaks Middle?

River Oaks Middle has an enrollment of approximately 801 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at River Oaks Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at River Oaks Middle is 16:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does River Oaks Middle rank in SC?

River Oaks Middle ranks #1,160 of 1,176 schools in SC.

What is River Oaks Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

River Oaks Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 2.6 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at River Oaks Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, River Oaks Middle has 42% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 51% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is River Oaks Middle a charter school?

No, River Oaks Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is River Oaks Middle a Title I school?

No, River Oaks Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for River Oaks Middle?

73.4% of students at River Oaks Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
801
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
Teachers (FTE)
50
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize City
County
Dorchester County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.7%
Area population (ZIP 29420)
23,311
Area average commute
27.2 min
Area median age
35.1
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2022 EdFacts · Low confidence
  • Older source: 2022 EdFacts. Use as historical context.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 29420; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2022; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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