Summary:
The city of Hemingway, South Carolina, is served by six public schools across two districts, Georgetown 01 and Williamsburg 01, offering a balanced mix of two elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools for students in grades PK-12.
Parents will find a striking contrast between the two districts. The Williamsburg 01 schools struggle significantly with chronic absenteeism—Hemingway High has a rate of 52.8%, and both Hemingway Elementary and Hemingway MB Lee Middle exceed 41%, more than double the state average. Despite this, Hemingway High is an academic standout, outperforming Carvers Bay Early College and Career High in the higher-ranked Georgetown 01 district on key tests—for example, 87.5% proficiency in English 1 versus 44.7%, and 84.8% in Algebra 1 versus 56.2%. Meanwhile, Pleasant Hill Elementary STREAM Academy shines with exceptional 4th grade scores (86.9% ELA, 76.3% math), far exceeding district and state averages, though its overall ranking has slipped recently.
The most urgent concern is middle school math. Carvers Bay Middle STEAM Academy ranks in the 9th percentile with math proficiency below 23% in all grades, while Hemingway MB Lee Middle ranges from 15.5% to 34.2%—both roughly half the state average. Notably, higher spending doesn't guarantee better results: Hemingway High spends the most per student ($24,748) and performs well, but Carvers Bay Middle spends the least ($18,559) and struggles most. On a positive note, Carvers Bay Early College and Career High has a very low dropout rate (0.3% versus 2.1% statewide), showing strong student retention. Overall, families should weigh the high school strength at Hemingway High against the absenteeism crisis and middle school math challenges that define much of this area.
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