Aiken 01

The Aiken 01 school district in South Carolina serves about 40 schools—21 elementary, 11 middle, and 8 high schools—spanning urban centers like Aiken and North Augusta to rural communities such as Wagener and Ridge Spring, with enrollment ranging from 176 students at Aiken Scholars Academy to 1,645 at North Augusta High.

The district’s standout is Aiken Scholars Academy, ranked 4th in the state (98th percentile) with a 100% graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and 100% proficiency on all EOCEP exams—though it spends $41,824 per student, nearly three times the district median. Among traditional schools, Hammond Hill Elementary leads elementary schools (92nd percentile, 5-star rating), while Highland Springs Middle showed the biggest improvement, jumping from the 61st to 76th percentile. At the other end, Schofield Middle (13th percentile) and Jefferson Elementary (13th percentile) struggle most, with Schofield Middle posting a 48% chronic absenteeism rate and math proficiency as low as 9.4% in 8th grade.

Math is the district’s weakest subject—elementary proficiency trails state averages by 3-9 points, and middle school math lags by 8-11 points, with only Paul Knox Middle, Highland Springs Middle, and North Augusta Middle exceeding state averages. Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks poor performance—schools like Langley-Bath-Clearwater Middle (43.6%) and Wagener-Salley High (42.9%) rank in the bottom quartile, while low-absenteeism schools like Byrd Elementary (10.2%) perform well. Spending doesn’t guarantee results—Gloverville Elementary spends $16,002 per student (51st percentile) while Graniteville Elementary spends $10,525 (49th percentile). Notably, North Augusta High jumped 20 percentile points in one year, and specialized magnet schools like Jackson STEM Middle and New Ellenton STEAM Magnet Middle generally outperform traditional peers, highlighting a district of extremes where targeted support is needed most in rural and eastern schools.