Summary:
There are three public high schools serving grades 9-12 in Sumter, South Carolina, all part of the Sumter 01 school district, which ranks in the 11th percentile statewide with a 1-star rating.
Sumter High School is the largest and most consistent performer, with 2,122 students, the highest graduation rate (83.6%), and the lowest dropout rate (1.3%) in the district. It also has the best student-teacher ratio (17.0:1) and spends $13,332 per student. Crestwood High is the most volatile—it had the district's best ranking in 2023-2024 but dropped sharply the following year before recovering. It has the lowest per-student spending ($12,307) and highest student-teacher ratio (19.3:1), yet still posted competitive English scores. Lakewood High is the smallest (1,013 students) and most improved, jumping 49 spots in state ranking from 225th to 176th, though it still has the lowest graduation rate (74.1%) and highest dropout rate (2.1%).
Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide crisis, affecting 35.7% to 43.9% of students—roughly double the state average of 22.3%. Algebra 1 proficiency is the weakest subject area, with only 37.9-39.5% of students proficient compared to 64.6% statewide. However, English 2 scores are a relative bright spot, with all schools achieving 70-77% proficiency. Sumter High's size may provide advantages in course offerings and support services, while Lakewood's recent improvement in English 1 scores (53.9%, the highest in the district) suggests its turnaround efforts are gaining traction. All three schools trail state averages in nearly every metric, indicating systemic challenges that likely require coordinated interventions around attendance and math instruction.
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