Summary:
Darlington 01 is a South Carolina school district serving approximately 7,897 students across 18 schools—11 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools—in the communities of Hartsville, Darlington, Lamar, and Society Hill, and it currently holds a 2-star rating, ranking 47th out of 75 districts statewide.
The standout story is Mayo High For Math Science & Technology, a magnet school ranked 3rd in the state with a 100% graduation rate, 0% dropout rate, and near-perfect test scores—dramatically outperforming the district's other high schools. Hartsville High, Darlington High, and Lamar High all rank in the bottom 10-16% of the state, with graduation rates between 79.9% and 88.7%. At the elementary level, Carolina Elementary is the clear leader—ranked 155th statewide and improving—with 85% proficiency in 4th grade math and the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 5.8%. North Hartsville Elementary also performs well, exceeding state averages in 3rd grade ELA. Middle schools are more consistent but still trail state averages, with Spaulding Middle slightly ahead of Hartsville Middle and Darlington Middle.
Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide crisis—10 of 18 schools exceed the state average of 22.3%, with Pate Elementary at 39.1% and St. John's Elementary at 33.3%. Schools with lower absenteeism consistently outperform those with higher rates. Math proficiency is a particular weakness, with most elementary and middle schools falling 10-20 points below state averages. Interestingly, spending does not correlate with success: Rosenwald Elementary spends $38,060 per student (the highest in the district) yet shows poor results, while Mayo High achieves top-3 status spending below the district average. For parents, the clearest takeaway is that Carolina Elementary and Mayo High offer exceptional opportunities, but families should carefully consider attendance patterns and math support when evaluating other schools in the district.
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