Summary
Gilbert High is a mid-sized public high school in Gilbert, SC, serving 1,138 students in grades 9-12 as part of the highly regarded Lexington 01 school district. The school has staged an impressive comeback over the past five years, climbing from a low point in the 2020-2021 school year to its highest ranking in nearly a decade—48th out of 245 schools statewide (80th percentile, 4 stars) for 2025-2026. This represents a jump of 35 spots in a single year, a surge not seen among its peers like Lexington High (28th) or River Bluff High (34th), which have largely held steady. Gilbert's graduation rate (91.8%) exceeds both district and state averages, and its dropout rate (1.0%) is less than half the state average.
Gilbert High's standout strength is English. In 2025-2026, 90.23% of students scored proficient on the English 1 exam—a remarkable 29.3 percentage points above the state average and higher than both Lexington High (86.08%) and River Bluff High (73.66%). The school also excels with economically disadvantaged students, ranking 62nd statewide for this subgroup (74th percentile), a significant improvement from the prior year. At $16,009 per student, Gilbert spends more than its in-district peers (River Bluff: $14,256, Lexington High: $12,807), which supports a favorable student-teacher ratio of 14.6:1—lower than the larger schools in the district, suggesting smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
However, the school's profile reveals areas for growth. Algebra 1 proficiency (73.27%) lags behind the district average (78.25%), creating a stark contrast with its English performance. Chronic absenteeism (26.1%) remains above state and district averages, though it has improved dramatically from a pandemic-era high of 42.0% and is actually better than nearby White Knoll High (38.5%) and Pelion High (48.1%). Gilbert clearly outperforms its closest geographic neighbors—Pelion (154th) and White Knoll (139th)—and is rapidly closing the gap with the district's flagship schools. The nearby Gray Collegiate Academy posts phenomenal metrics, but its different model (grades 6-12, higher student-teacher ratio, lower spending) makes it an outlier rather than a direct comparison.
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