Summary:
The city of Tega Cay, South Carolina, is served by three highly-rated public schools within the York 04 school district, which is ranked #1 out of 75 districts in the state, and includes two elementary schools (Gold Hill Elementary and Tega Cay Elementary) and one middle school (Gold Hill Middle), with no high school located within city limits.
All three schools are elite performers, each holding a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 7% or better statewide. Gold Hill Middle is the standout, consistently ranking among the top 12 middle schools in South Carolina and achieving a near-perfect 99.99% proficiency rate in Algebra 1, a testament to its strong acceleration program. Among the elementary schools, Tega Cay Elementary posted the strongest math scores in 2025-2026, particularly in 4th grade (87.2% proficiency), while Gold Hill Elementary showed a notable weakness in 4th-grade math (67.7%), the only subject and grade combination where any Tega Cay school falls below the district average. Both elementary schools saw slight ranking dips in 2025-2026, but their test scores remained stable or improved, suggesting increased statewide competition rather than declining performance.
Across the board, these schools excel in science, with Gold Hill Middle achieving a 90.8% proficiency rate, nearly double the state average. Chronic absenteeism is remarkably low (6.7-7.4%), a threefold advantage over the state average, reflecting strong community engagement. While Tega Cay Elementary spends more per student ($13,040) than Gold Hill Middle ($11,731), both deliver exceptional results. The transition from elementary to middle school is smooth, with 6th-grade performance at Gold Hill Middle maintaining or improving upon 5th-grade scores, indicating excellent vertical alignment and a strong K-8 foundation for students before they move on to high school.
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