High Schools in Dillon 04

The Dillon 04 school district in South Carolina is home to two high schools—Dillon High and Lake View High—serving a combined 1,287 students in grades 9-12 (with Lake View also covering grades 6-8). The district ranks in the bottom 10% of South Carolina districts, and both schools face significant academic challenges compared to state averages, though they differ sharply in performance and trajectory.

Lake View High is the clear standout. It has improved dramatically, jumping from the 13th to the 33rd percentile in state rankings over two years. Its graduation rate (87.5%) exceeds the state average, and its dropout rate is an exceptional 0.3%—far better than the district's 4.2% and even the state's 2.1%. Lake View also outperforms Dillon High on nearly every end-of-course exam, especially U.S. History (57.58% vs. 36.64% proficiency) and English 1 (38.46% vs. 32.04%). It benefits from more resources: $14,101 per student and a 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio, compared to Dillon High's $12,443 and 16.4:1 ratio. By contrast, Dillon High ranks in the bottom 6% of the state, with a declining trajectory, a graduation rate of 84.5%, a dropout rate of 5.6%, and chronic absenteeism affecting 36.2% of students—the highest in the district.

Both schools struggle with chronic absenteeism well above the state average (22.3%), and both trail state proficiency rates on every subject. A notable anomaly is English 2 performance: both schools show dramatically higher proficiency than on English 1 (e.g., Dillon High at 72.35% vs. 32.04%), suggesting possible course-taking patterns or exam differences. Lake View's 6-12 structure may also contribute to its success, as its 8th-grade math proficiency (51.5%) is triple its 6th-grade rate (15.7%), indicating strong academic growth. For parents, Lake View offers a more supportive, higher-performing environment, while Dillon High faces deeper systemic challenges that will require targeted intervention.