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Charles Pinckney Elementary

Public Grades 3-5

14^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 661 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 98% of South Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Charles Pinckney Elementary is a top-performing school in Mount Pleasant, SC, serving 644 students in grades 3-5 as part of the Charleston 01 district. It consistently ranks in the top 2% of elementary schools statewide, with a decade of 5-star ratings and never ranking below the 97th percentile.

Academically, Charles Pinckney significantly outperforms district and state averages. In 2025-2026, ELA proficiency ranged from 88-92% across grades 3-5, compared to state averages of 64-65%. Math proficiency was similarly impressive at 85-90%, versus state averages of 49-59%. The school's 5th grade ELA proficiency of 92.3% is nearly 29 percentage points above the state average. What's particularly notable is the school's equitable success across all student subgroups—it ranks in the 98th percentile for low-income students and the 94th percentile for students with disabilities, while also ranking 3rd statewide for gifted students. This balanced excellence is rare; nearby Belle Hall Elementary ranks slightly higher overall but serves a more homogeneous population. Charles Pinckney also boasts exceptionally low chronic absenteeism at just 7.7%, far better than the district's 20.5% and state's 22.3% rates.

The school's unique structure as an upper-elementary-only campus (grades 3-5) pairs with Laurel Hill Primary (PK-2) just 0.29 miles away, creating a focused developmental model that appears to work well. Despite spending slightly less per student ($16,475) than comparable schools like James B. Edwards Elementary ($18,901) and Mamie P. Whitesides Elementary ($17,714), Charles Pinckney outperforms most of them academically. The school's math advantage over state averages actually widens from 3rd to 5th grade, suggesting students accelerate their learning as they progress. Even with newer schools like Carolina Park Elementary opening nearby, Charles Pinckney has maintained its elite status, making it a reliable choice for families seeking consistent, high-quality education in the Mount Pleasant area.

644

Students ?

17.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,475

Per pupil spending ?

13.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3300 Thomas Cario Boulevard
Mount Pleasant, SC 29466

(843) 856-4585

District: Charleston 01

Students who attend Charles Pinckney Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Thomas C. Cario Middle
High:	Wando High

Racial breakdown:

White:

83.1%

Hispanic:

7.6%

Two or more races:

4.8%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Charles Pinckney Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 98th percentile in 2016 → 98th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Carolina average (87% vs 58% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 2% of South Carolina elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Charleston 01

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school87%

District avg65%

South Carolina avg58%

14^th of 661

South Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 2%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 46Elementary Schools in the Charleston 01

22^nd of 75Charleston 01 among South Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	96.3	14 of 661	97.9%	★★★★★
2025	96.8	9 of 639	98.6%	★★★★★
2024	97.1	9 of 643	98.6%	★★★★★
2023	97.3	7 of 644	98.9%	★★★★★
2022	97.4	8 of 625	98.7%	★★★★★
2021	96.8	16 of 622	97.4%	★★★★★
2019	96.1	10 of 643	98.4%	★★★★★
2018	96.3	8 of 624	98.7%	★★★★★
2017	95.0	16 of 639	97.5%	★★★★★
2016	94.7	15 of 619	97.6%	★★★★★
2015	96.8	5 of 638	99.2%	★★★★★
2014	91.2	13 of 630	97.9%	★★★★★
2013	91.5	10 of 599	98.3%	★★★★★
2012	92.2	7 of 594	98.8%	★★★★★
2011	93.4	5 of 597	99.2%	★★★★★
2010	94.4	6 of 589	99.0%	★★★★★
2009	94.6	6 of 580	99.0%	★★★★★
2008	91.8	10 of 577	98.3%	★★★★★
2007	93.5	5 of 566	99.1%	★★★★★
2006	92.5	8 of 559	98.6%	★★★★★
2005	91.5	9 of 557	98.4%	★★★★★
2004	93.4	6 of 550	98.9%	★★★★★
2003	93.2	5 of 542	99.1%	★★★★★

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	89.4	10 of 156	93.6%	★★★★★
2025	91.9	10 of 147	93.2%	★★★★★
2024	93.1	5 of 143	96.5%	★★★★★
2023	95.5	8 of 174	95.4%	★★★★★
2022	78.8	24 of 151	84.1%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	96.4	9 of 599	98.5%	★★★★★
2025	96.6	10 of 580	98.3%	★★★★★
2024	97.0	8 of 568	98.6%	★★★★★
2023	95.9	10 of 580	98.3%	★★★★★
2022	96.4	9 of 573	98.4%	★★★★★
2021	95.5	19 of 554	96.6%	★★★★★
2019	95.6	9 of 588	98.5%	★★★★★
2018	95.4	10 of 570	98.2%	★★★★★

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	66.3	49 of 196	75.0%	★★★★☆
2025	76.6	3 of 101	97.0%	★★★★★
2024	76.5	3 of 82	96.3%	★★★★★
2023	73.5	8 of 105	92.4%	★★★★★
2022	76.9	4 of 109	96.3%	★★★★★
2021	77.3	9 of 147	93.9%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	95.2	11 of 634	98.3%	★★★★★
2025	93.5	15 of 612	97.5%	★★★★★
2024	95.8	5 of 602	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	97.5	4 of 608	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	98.3	5 of 600	99.2%	★★★★★
2021	92.6	24 of 580	95.9%	★★★★★
2019	95.2	8 of 600	98.7%	★★★★★
2018	91.0	25 of 588	95.7%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	94.6	18 of 591	97.0%	★★★★★
2025	95.9	13 of 585	97.8%	★★★★★
2024	96.0	13 of 571	97.7%	★★★★★
2023	97.3	4 of 582	99.3%	★★★★★
2022	97.4	5 of 579	99.1%	★★★★★
2021	96.7	11 of 561	98.0%	★★★★★
2019	95.2	12 of 590	98.0%	★★★★★
2018	96.0	12 of 571	97.9%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	88.7	27 of 463	94.2%	★★★★★
2025	90.0	24 of 459	94.8%	★★★★★
2024	91.9	11 of 446	97.5%	★★★★★
2023	92.2	14 of 463	97.0%	★★★★★
2022	91.8	23 of 455	94.9%	★★★★★
2021	90.6	30 of 439	93.2%	★★★★★
2019	89.5	31 of 472	93.4%	★★★★★
2018	91.0	20 of 457	95.6%	★★★★★

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Female (2026)98th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)98th percentile~ school

Male (2026)97th percentile~ school

White (2026)94th percentile-4 vs school

Disabled (2026)94th percentile-4 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)75th percentile-23 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts90%+25 vs state

Mathematics86%+33 vs state

Science80%+28 vs state

5.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★2

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Wednesday, February 9, 2011

This was recognized by the United States Department of Education as a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School. There were only (5) five schools that recieved this honor within the State of South Carolina and the only one in Charleston County. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Charles Pinckney is one of the most outstanding schools in MT.Pleasant. It is a National Blue Ribbon School Of Excellence and has maintained an excellent school report card rating for years. The staff is highly professional, well trained, and truly cares about the students.
Academic acheivement is a huge focus at this school, which is why it produces such high performing students who go on to soar in Middle and High school (usually in honors and AP classes). However, don't let that fool you--the teachers still make sure the children have fun while learning, and they make sure the "whole child" grows during the years spent there.
Lastly, the principal runs a tight ship, but she really does listen when parents share concerns. The school has over 1000 students yet I am amazed at how many students'names the principal knows! Close Quote

Schools Near Charles Pinckney Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				SC READY English Language Arts (2026)						SC READY Mathematics (2026)						SC READY Science (2026)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2024)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	SC READY Science 4th Grade	SC READY Science 6th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Charles Pinckney Elementary	Public	3-5	3300 Thomas Cario Boulevard	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 856-4585	644	37	17.2	13.6%	535 (83.1%)	13 (2.0%)	49 (7.6%)	15 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.8%)	96.3	14^th of 661 public elementary schools	97.9%		96.8	9^th of 639 public elementary schools	98.6%	5	88.5	88.2	92.3				89.5	84.8	85.3				79.9		$16,475	$3,162	$1,334	$4,496	$9,500	$2,478	$11,979
Laurel Hill Primary	Public	PK, KG-2	3100 Thomas Cario Boulevard	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 849-2200	691	45	15.5	17.1%	555 (80.3%)	27 (3.9%)	53 (7.7%)	18 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.5%)								(n/a)															$20,601	$4,041	$1,268	$5,310	$12,370	$2,921	$15,292
Jennie Moore Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2725 Bulrush Basket Lane	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 849-2815	993	65	15.3	21.4%	759 (76.4%)	103 (10.4%)	55 (5.5%)	29 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (4.5%)	92.8	32^nd of 661 public elementary schools	95.2%		92.1	36^th of 639 public elementary schools	94.4%	4	84.7	85.2	84.6				86.6	74.2	77.3				75.3		$26,087	$3,590	$1,421	$5,011	$17,596	$3,480	$21,076
Carolina Park Elementary	Public	K-5	3650 Park Avenue Boulevard	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 856-8060	931	56	16.6	14.0%	768 (82.5%)	48 (5.2%)	45 (4.8%)	24 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (4.9%)	95.5	19^th of 661 public elementary schools	97.1%		95.1	21^st of 639 public elementary schools	96.7%	2	89.4	86.4	87.0				89.4	83.0	80.8				80.7		$15,975	$3,052	$1,236	$4,289	$9,497	$2,189	$11,686
Belle Hall Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	385 Egypt Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 849-2841	649	38	17.3	18.1%	521 (80.3%)	63 (9.7%)	28 (4.3%)	20 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (2.6%)	98.3	3^rd of 661 public elementary schools	99.5%		98.7	3^rd of 639 public elementary schools	99.5%		95.5	94.7	96.2				94.4	87.4	91.4				87.4		$17,585	$3,232	$1,248	$4,480	$10,910	$2,195	$13,105
Philip Simmons Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2095 Seven Sticks Drive	Wando	29492	Berkeley County	Berkeley 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 471-2580	535	33	16.4	33.2%	407 (76.1%)	70 (13.1%)	27 (5.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.4%)	81.4	115^th of 661 public elementary schools	82.6%		81	108^th of 639 public elementary schools	83.1%	7	89.5	86.1	67.6				86.0	74.6	46.7				64.6		$13,766	$681	$526	$1,207	$10,670	$1,890	$12,559
Mamie P. Whitesides Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1565 Rifle Range Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 849-2838	767	48	16.0	20.3%	654 (85.3%)	37 (4.8%)	38 (5.0%)	11 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.5%)	96.2	17^th of 661 public elementary schools	97.4%		96	16^th of 639 public elementary schools	97.5%	1	89.2	90.8	90.3				89.2	82.4	79.0				83.0		$17,714	$3,690	$1,252	$4,942	$10,424	$2,349	$12,773
James B. Edwards Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	885 Von Kolnitz Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 849-2805	767	53	14.4	23.6%	621 (81.0%)	54 (7.0%)	41 (5.3%)	10 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (5.2%)	91.7	36^th of 661 public elementary schools	94.6%		88.6	58^th of 639 public elementary schools	90.9%	22	86.7	89.9	78.9				85.8	74.8	67.7				79.8		$18,901	$3,093	$1,237	$4,330	$12,082	$2,489	$14,571
East Cooper Montessori Charter	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	1120 Rifle Range Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 216-2883	433	30	14.3	20.3%	375 (86.6%)	16 (3.7%)	15 (3.5%)	6 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.8%)	94.2	25^th of 661 public elementary schools	96.2%		87.6	64^th of 639 public elementary schools	90.0%	39	86.8	89.1	89.6	84.4	88.6	91.4	86.8	71.0	75.0	65.6	79.5	80.0	80.0	87.5
Daniel Island School	Public	K-8	2365 Daniel Island Drive	Charleston	29492	Berkeley County	Berkeley 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 471-2301	1,151	72	16.0	7.3%	1,013 (88.0%)	30 (2.6%)	36 (3.1%)	22 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (4.3%)	96.6	10^th of 661 public elementary schools	98.5%		97.4	7^th of 639 public elementary schools	98.9%	3	90.8	91.8	90.6	85.1	82.4	84.6	84.1	86.2	76.3	81.4	78.1	77.2	85.5	83.6	$12,857	$487	$637	$1,124	$9,902	$1,832	$11,733

Frequently Asked Questions about Charles Pinckney Elementary

How many students attend Charles Pinckney Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 644 students attended Charles Pinckney Elementary.

Is Charles Pinckney Elementary a good school?

Yes! Charles Pinckney Elementary is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 14^th of 661 South Carolina elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Charles Pinckney Elementary?

Students at Charles Pinckney Elementary are 83% White, 8% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian, 2% African American.

What district is Charles Pinckney Elementary in?

Charleston 01

What schools do graduates of Charles Pinckney Elementary attend?

Students who attend Charles Pinckney Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Thomas C. Cario Middle
High : Wando High

Rate Charles Pinckney Elementary!

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresAug 10, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataNov 3, 2025

2024–25 attendance data, dropout rates & graduation ratesNov 3, 2025

2024–25 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresSep 2, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.