Summary:
The city of Ladson, South Carolina is home to 7 schools, including 4 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and no high schools or alternative schools. These schools are spread across 3 different school districts: Dorchester 02, Charleston 01, and Berkeley 01.
Among the standout schools in Ladson, Joseph R. Pye Elementary consistently performs above district and state averages on standardized tests, with 70-75% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 55-70% proficient or better in Mathematics. Oakbrook Middle also has strong test scores, with 100% proficiency in Algebra 1/Mathematics and 57-69% proficiency in English Language Arts. In contrast, Ladson Elementary has lower overall test scores but stands out for having 100% of its students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need student population.
Across the Ladson school system, there are significant disparities in academic performance, with large gaps between the top-performing and lower-performing schools. Additionally, all schools in the area have a chronic absenteeism rate of 22.5%, which is higher than the state average. The high rates of free/reduced lunch eligibility, especially at Ladson Elementary and College Park Middle (both 100%), indicate that many students in Ladson come from low-income families, which likely contributes to the academic challenges faced by these schools.
Thank you for your feedback!