Summary:
The Dorchester 04 district in South Carolina serves 6 schools, including 3 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school. The district faces significant academic challenges, with most schools performing well below state averages on standardized assessments, particularly in mathematics. Despite high spending per student, the district is ranked 63 out of 75 in the state and is rated 1 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger.
Among the standout schools in the district, Woodland High School has the highest enrollment with 669 students and a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 85.4%. However, its performance on end-of-course exams is mixed, with strong results in Algebra/Math but lower scores in English and U.S. History. William Memorial Elementary is another high-performing school, with students scoring above the district and state averages on SC READY English Language Arts and Mathematics assessments, particularly in 3rd-5th grades. Additionally, St. George Middle stands out for its exceptional performance on the Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 end-of-course exam, with 90.48% of students scoring proficient or better.
Despite these bright spots, the district as a whole faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates, 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, and stark disparities in academic achievement and school climate metrics between the highest-performing and lowest-performing schools. Targeted interventions and a closer examination of resource allocation and instructional practices may be necessary to drive meaningful improvements across the Dorchester 04 district.
Thank you for your feedback!