Best High Schools in Hemingway, SC

Hemingway, South Carolina is served by two public high schools, Carvers Bay Early College and Career High and Hemingway High, both covering grades 9 through 12 but operating in different districts—Georgetown 01 and Williamsburg 01, respectively.

These two schools offer very different profiles. Carvers Bay Early College and Career High is the larger school with 399 students and stands out for its stability and student engagement. It has an exceptionally low dropout rate of just 0.3%, far better than the state average of 2.1%, and a graduation rate of 88.8% that exceeds the state average. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 22.3% matches the state average and is less than half of Hemingway High's rate. It also does this while spending less per student ($21,042) than its counterpart. In contrast, Hemingway High is a much smaller school with 189 students and is an academic overperformer on state tests. Its proficiency rates are dramatically higher, including an 87.5% proficiency in English 1 and 84.8% in Algebra 1, compared to 44.7% and 56.2% at Carvers Bay. However, this academic success is paired with a critical challenge: a 52.8% chronic absenteeism rate, which is more than double the state average.

For parents, the choice comes down to priorities. Carvers Bay Early College and Career High appears to excel at keeping students enrolled and on track to graduate, likely due to its early college and career focus, which provides tangible pathways for students. Hemingway High shows that its attending students achieve high academic results, but the high absenteeism suggests a significant portion of the student body is not consistently present, which could be masking even greater potential. The data also shows that school-level factors may matter more than district rankings, as Hemingway High outperforms Carvers Bay on tests despite its district being ranked lower. Ultimately, Carvers Bay offers a more stable and engaging environment, while Hemingway High offers higher academic performance for the students who are regularly in class.