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Very Good

#315 of 1,176 schools in SC

Top 27% in state

Thomas C. Cario Middle

Middle School · Charleston 01 · Mt. Pleasant, SC

A Charleston 01 middle school serving grades 6th – 8th.

3500 Thomas Cario Boulevard, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29466

  • Math 73% proficient (2022)
  • Reading 77% proficient (2022)
  • 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.0Excellent40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.74 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2022
TrendDeclining
Academics8.3Excellent35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency73% (2022 EdFacts)
Reading/ELA Proficiency77% (2022 EdFacts)
Overall Proficiency75% (2022 EdFacts, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)75% (model expectation from 2022 EdFacts)
vs. Expected-0.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile75th
Resources & Environment4.8Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.2:1
District spending per student$16,635
Chronic Absenteeism19%

Students at Thomas C. Cario Middle score 75% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 75%).

How we calculate scores →

2022 EdFacts proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. SC average.

Math Proficiency73%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)
ELA Proficiency77%(2022 EdFacts)
School
State
Not reported(2022 EdFacts)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 18 points across the 14-year record (2009–2022) and has held near 75% recently.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
93%
ELA
92%
2010
Math
89%
ELA
89%
2011
Math
92%
ELA
90%
2012
Math
93%
ELA
92%
2013
Math
94%
ELA
92%
2014
Math
70%
ELA
66%
2015
Math
68%
ELA
77%
2016
Math
70%
ELA
65%
2017
Math
70%
ELA
72%
2018
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2019
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2020*
Math
73%
ELA
75%
2021*
Math
73%
ELA
75%
2022
Math
73%
ELA
77%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 79% (multi-year average, 2009-2022) · reading/ELA 79% (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

14.2%

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 Thomas C. Cario 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 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Low220/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$130,546

Median home value

$659,300

Median rent

$2,175/mo

College educated

62.3%

Homeownership

83.9%

Poverty rate

4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 29466; 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
Palmetto Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition6.2privatePK–121.9 mi610Compare →
Laing MiddleEnrollment path unverified7.96–82.0 mi1,024Compare →
Palmetto Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition4.7privatePK–124.5 mi605Compare →
Philip Simmons MiddleEnrollment path unverified6.15–84.8 mi454Compare →

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.

Charleston 01

Schools in district
82
Rank in district
#28 of 79
District spending per student
$16,635NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Thomas C. Cario Middle is listed in Charleston 01; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Thomas C. Cario Middle

Thomas C. Cario Middle is a public middle school in Mt. Pleasant, SC, part of Charleston 01, serving approximately 1,130 students in grades 6th-8th with a 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio.

It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.3 out of 10 and ranks #315 of 1,176 schools in SC. State assessment records show 79% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Thomas C. Cario Middle

What grades does Thomas C. Cario Middle serve?

Thomas C. Cario Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Thomas C. Cario Middle?

Thomas C. Cario Middle has an enrollment of approximately 1,130 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Thomas C. Cario Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at Thomas C. Cario Middle is 18.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Thomas C. Cario Middle rank in SC?

Thomas C. Cario Middle ranks #315 of 1,176 schools in SC.

What is Thomas C. Cario Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

Thomas C. Cario Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.3 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 Thomas C. Cario Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Thomas C. Cario Middle has 79% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022) and 79% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2022).

Is Thomas C. Cario Middle a charter school?

No, Thomas C. Cario Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Thomas C. Cario Middle a Title I school?

No, Thomas C. Cario Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Thomas C. Cario Middle?

14.2% of students at Thomas C. Cario 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
1,130
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
62
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Charleston County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
19.0%
Area population (ZIP 29466)
44,387
Area average commute
29 min
Area median age
43.4
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 29466; 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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