High Schools in Aiken 01

The Aiken 01 school district in South Carolina contains eight high schools serving grades 9-12 (with one exception spanning grades 6-12), ranging from a 176-student magnet academy to a 1,645-student comprehensive high school, and collectively earning a 3-star state rating.

For parents, the standout choice is Aiken Scholars Academy, a selective magnet school ranked 4th in the state with a perfect 100% graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and 100% proficiency on all state exams—though it spends $41,824 per student, nearly 3.6 times more than any other school in the district. Among traditional high schools, North Augusta High leads the pack as the largest school (1,645 students) with the highest state ranking (92nd), a 90.7% graduation rate, and the strongest year-over-year improvement in Algebra 1 proficiency (from 56.9% to 83.3%). Silver Bluff High also deserves attention for its consistent performance, posting the highest Algebra 1 scores among traditional schools (85.3%) and strong U.S. History results despite its mid-sized enrollment of 756 students.

However, several schools face significant challenges. Aiken High shows the most concerning profile with the district's highest dropout rate (6.4%), second-lowest graduation rate (79.8%), and 33.3% chronic absenteeism—though its Algebra 1 scores improved dramatically by 26 points. Midland Valley High and Wagener-Salley High struggle with chronic absenteeism rates near 40-43%, roughly double the state average, and both fall below state benchmarks in English 1 proficiency. Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle/ High saw its state ranking plummet from 135th to 196th despite favorable student-teacher ratios, while South Aiken High remains a middle-of-the-pack performer with a 61.6% English proficiency rate that exceeds the state average. District-wide, English 1 literacy is the weakest subject, while Algebra 1 improvements suggest successful math interventions are taking hold.