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Buford High

Q: Is Buford High a good school?

Buford High ranks 68 th of 245 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

68^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 245 South Carolina High Schools

Better than 72% of South Carolina high schools

Summary

Buford High is a mid-sized public high school in Lancaster, SC, serving approximately 532 students in grades 9-12 within the Lancaster 01 school district. Located about 9 miles from Lancaster's town center in a rural/suburban community, the school has shown a remarkable upward trajectory over the past eight years, climbing from the 41st percentile statewide in 2017-2018 to its current position at the 72nd percentile for the 2025-2026 school year.

What truly sets Buford High apart is its exceptional performance with specific student populations. The school ranks in the 93rd percentile for gifted and talented students—a stunning 52-percentile-point improvement in just two years—and in the 81st percentile for disabled students. It also ranks in the 73rd percentile for low socioeconomic status students, which is particularly meaningful given that roughly 55% of the student body qualifies for free/reduced lunch. The school's graduation rate of 91.8% exceeds both district (87.7%) and state (86.7%) averages, while its dropout rate of 1.1% is nearly half the state average. Buford also invests heavily in its students, spending $16,220 per student with a favorable 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio—significantly better than Indian Land High ($10,826 per student, 16.1:1 ratio) and Lancaster High ($12,645 per student, 15.8:1 ratio).

Despite these strengths, Buford faces two notable challenges. Chronic absenteeism sits at 30.8%, well above the district (21.5%) and state (22.3%) averages, even as other metrics improve. Additionally, while English instruction is a clear strength (English 1 proficiency reached 87% in 2024-2025, far exceeding the state average of 61.7%), Algebra 1 proficiency lags at 72.95%—below the district's 79.56%. The school dramatically outperforms Lancaster High across nearly every metric despite serving similar communities, suggesting school-level factors like leadership and culture are driving positive outcomes. With continued investment and a clear upward trend, Buford High is a school on the rise, effectively serving diverse student needs while working to address attendance and math achievement gaps.

532

Students ?

11.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$16,220

Per pupil spending ?

55.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4290 Tabernacle Road
Lancaster, SC 29720

(803) 286-7068

District: Lancaster 01

Feeder schools for Buford High:

Elementary:	Buford Elementary
Middle:	A. R. Rucker Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

85.3%

African American:

7.1%

Hispanic:

4.1%

See top rated South Carolina high schools

Compare Buford High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 45th percentile in 2016 → 72nd in 2026

Strengths

✓92% graduate in 4 years — above the South Carolina average (87%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 27 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the South Carolina median (72nd percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (31% vs 22% South Carolina)

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

!Near the bottom of Lancaster 01's ranking

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school73%

District avg74%

South Carolina avg69%

68^th of 245

South Carolina public high schools ?

Top 28%▲ up 27 pts since 2016

From bottom 45% (2016) to top 28% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 4High Schools in the Lancaster 01

23^rd of 75Lancaster 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	69.0	68 of 245	72.2%	★★★★☆
2025	63.3	67 of 235	71.5%	★★★★☆
2024	48.8	104 of 235	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	54.1	89 of 237	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	55.5	81 of 226	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.5	124 of 227	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	46.6	90 of 225	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	34.1	128 of 216	40.7%	★★☆☆☆
2017	36.4	123 of 223	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	40.3	126 of 231	45.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	32.7	153 of 232	34.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	52.2	106 of 210	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	59.4	85 of 203	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2012	64.0	76 of 202	62.4%	★★★☆☆
2011	45.5	116 of 199	41.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	57.5	91 of 199	54.3%	★★★☆☆
2009	49.7	115 of 188	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	57.7	101 of 185	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	70.1	40 of 191	79.1%	★★★★☆
2006	61.9	80 of 191	58.1%	★★★☆☆
2005	70.3	49 of 187	73.8%	★★★★☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	73.8	26 of 136	80.9%	★★★★☆
2025	73.6	25 of 139	82.0%	★★★★☆
2024	51.2	67 of 145	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	83.8	18 of 141	87.2%	★★★★☆
2022	88.0	12 of 139	91.4%	★★★★★
2019	62.8	46 of 143	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.3	56 of 137	59.1%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	66.4	67 of 227	70.5%	★★★★☆
2025	70.7	52 of 225	76.9%	★★★★☆
2024	59.5	77 of 225	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.0	70 of 223	68.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	57.2	81 of 220	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2021	42.5	117 of 213	45.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	51.2	84 of 213	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	39.2	120 of 210	42.9%	★★☆☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	73.9	11 of 155	92.9%	★★★★★
2025	56.2	92 of 153	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2024	57.2	92 of 157	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	68.2	45 of 156	71.2%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	65.7	65 of 238	72.7%	★★★★☆
2025	65.5	50 of 226	77.9%	★★★★☆
2024	49.4	104 of 229	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	61.0	64 of 226	71.7%	★★★★☆
2022	63.9	55 of 220	75.0%	★★★★☆
2021	40.8	121 of 213	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.4	103 of 217	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	32.1	141 of 214	34.1%	★★☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	67.7	67 of 231	71.0%	★★★★☆
2025	61.1	72 of 224	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.3	112 of 228	50.9%	★★★☆☆
2023	49.4	98 of 229	57.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.3	62 of 224	72.3%	★★★★☆
2021	40.4	122 of 215	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	44.6	99 of 218	54.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	31.2	139 of 213	34.7%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	51.8	107 of 201	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2025	41.9	121 of 196	38.3%	★★☆☆☆
2024	24.9	155 of 196	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	27.6	149 of 197	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	29.9	134 of 192	30.2%	★★☆☆☆
2021	15.5	171 of 189	9.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.9	133 of 191	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	12.0	172 of 185	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆

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)

Gifted and Talented (2026)93rd percentile+21 vs school

Disabled (2026)81st percentile+9 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)73rd percentile~ school

Male (2026)71st percentile~ school

Female (2026)70th percentile~ school

White (2026)47th percentile-25 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English 287%+3 vs state

English 171%+10 vs state

U.S. History and the Constitution65%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Buford High

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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)				EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2026)	EOCEP English 1 (2026)	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution (2026)	EOCEP English 2 (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	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	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	EOCEP English 1 End of Course	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution End of Course	EOCEP English 2 End of Course	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
Buford High	Public	9-12	4290 Tabernacle Road	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 286-7068	532	45	11.8		454 (85.3%)	38 (7.1%)	22 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.0%)	69	68^th of 245 public high schools	72.2%		63.3	67^th of 235 public high schools	71.5%	1		70.6	64.7	87.2	$16,220	$416	$198	$614	$13,001	$2,605	$15,606
Lancaster High	Public	9-12	625 Woodland Drive	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 283-2001	1,390	88	15.8		348 (25.0%)	677 (48.7%)	303 (21.8%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (3.9%)	26.1	190^th of 245 public high schools	22.4%		30.8	165^th of 235 public high schools	29.8%	25		44.7	46.2	77.6	$12,645	$1,000	$283	$1,283	$9,255	$2,108	$11,363
Lancaster County School District Career Center	Public	9-12	625 Normandy Road	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 289-4885	0	22	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Andrew Jackson High	Public	9-12	6925 Kershaw-Camden Highway	Kershaw	29067	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 475-2381	557	49	11.4		375 (67.3%)	127 (22.8%)	19 (3.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.9%)	69.3	66^th of 245 public high schools	73.1%		59.9	77^th of 235 public high schools	67.2%	11		81.7	63.1	84.3	$15,668	$363	$136	$499	$12,183	$2,986	$15,169
Indian Land High	Public	9-12	6100 Charlotte Hwy	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 286-8470	1,905	118	16.1		1,153 (60.5%)	292 (15.3%)	266 (14.0%)	93 (4.9%)	3 (0.2%)	2 (0.1%)	96 (5.0%)	91.4	16^th of 245 public high schools	93.5%		78.5	27^th of 235 public high schools	88.5%	11		90.5	84.3	93.9	$10,826	$328	$171	$499	$8,482	$1,846	$10,327
Central High	Public	9-12	200 Zion Church Road	Pageland	29728	Chesterfield County	Chesterfield 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 672-6115	657	41	16.0		251 (38.2%)	232 (35.3%)	121 (18.4%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (7.0%)	22.2	203^rd of 245 public high schools	17.1%		19.2	195^th of 235 public high schools	17.0%	8	26.9	42.6	50.7	73.5	$12,551	$1,067	$872	$1,940	$8,815	$1,797	$10,612

Frequently Asked Questions about Buford High

Is Buford High a good school?

Buford High ranks 68^th of 245 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Buford High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 532 students attended Buford High.

What schools feed into Buford High?

Buford High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Buford Elementary
Middle : A. R. Rucker Middle

What is the racial makeup of Buford High?

Students at Buford High are 85% White, 7% African American, 4% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

What district is Buford High in?

Lancaster 01

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 EOCEP & SC READY test scoresNewAug 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.