High Schools in Laurens 56

The Laurens 56 district contains a single high school, Clinton High, which serves grades 9 through 12 with an enrollment of 811 students in a mid-sized, single-school district setting.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that Clinton High is a school with notable strengths and significant challenges. The school has a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.9:1, which is good for individualized attention, and a very low dropout rate of just 1.0%—less than half the state average. However, the graduation rate of 82.7% falls 4 points below the state average, and chronic absenteeism is a serious concern at 26.3%, well above the state's 22.3%. Academically, the school shows a stark contrast between subjects: English 2 proficiency is a clear strength at 91.33%, far exceeding the state average, while English 1 proficiency is only 50.79%, and U.S. History is the weakest area at 47.71%—a nearly 14-point gap from the state. Algebra 1 proficiency also lags at 67.06% versus the state's 73.95%. The district spends a substantial $16,352 per student, yet this high funding has not translated into above-average performance in most core subjects, suggesting a potential disconnect between resources and outcomes.

One of the most puzzling findings is the 40-point gap between English 1 and English 2 scores, which may indicate differences in curriculum effectiveness or exam rigor between grade levels. Additionally, the combination of a low dropout rate, low graduation rate, and high absenteeism suggests students are not formally dropping out but are likely falling behind on credits due to missed school time. Preliminary 2025-2026 data shows slight improvements in English 1 and U.S. History, but English 2 proficiency has dropped significantly to 82.7%, suggesting last year's high score may have been an outlier. The school's state ranking has slipped from 110th to 143rd over two years, placing it in the lower-middle tier. Overall, Clinton High needs targeted interventions in math, history, and student engagement to improve graduation outcomes and leverage its strong English 2 performance.