Summary:
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is home to five high schools serving grades 9-12, with a combined enrollment of roughly 6,881 students across traditional public schools in the Horry 01 district and charter schools in the School Public Charter School District and Limestone Charters Association.
For families seeking the strongest academic options, Carolina Forest High stands out as the clear leader, ranking 46th in the state (81st percentile) with a 4-star rating and exceptional proficiency rates—90.35% in English 2 and 80.86% in Algebra 1—despite being the largest school with over 3,100 students. Coastal High School, a small charter school with just 198 students, is the efficiency champion, boasting the highest graduation rate (92.6%), a 0.0% dropout rate, and an outstanding 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio that likely drives its rapid improvement from 111th to 82nd in state rankings. Socastee High also performs well with a 77th percentile ranking and 89% graduation rate. In contrast, Myrtle Beach High has declined steadily from 88th to 151st in state rankings, with a 30.3% chronic absenteeism rate—the highest in the area—and only a 2-star rating. Carolina Shores Acceleration Academy faces the most severe challenges, with a 35.6% graduation rate, 19.2% dropout rate, and a troubling 34.6:1 student-teacher ratio despite spending the most per student ($15,649).
The data reveals that student-teacher ratios matter more than raw spending—Coastal High's success with moderate spending and small classes contrasts sharply with Carolina Shores' high spending and poor outcomes. Chronic absenteeism serves as a reliable predictor of struggles, as seen in Myrtle Beach High's decline. Notably, Carolina Forest High proves that large schools can achieve excellence, while the charter school model shows mixed results: Coastal High thrives while Carolina Shores struggles. For parents, Carolina Forest High and Coastal High represent the strongest choices, while Carolina Shores warrants careful scrutiny and Myrtle Beach High's downward trajectory deserves attention.
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