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D. W. Daniel High

Q: Is D. W. Daniel High a good school?

D. W. Daniel High ranks 50 th of 248 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

50^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 248 South Carolina High Schools

Better than 80% of South Carolina high schools

Summary

D. W. Daniel High in Central, SC, serves approximately 1,222 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Pickens 01 district, and it has built a reputation as a consistently strong, upper-quintile performer in the state.

For parents, the headline news is reliability. The school has maintained a 4-star rating for years, and its graduation rate has held steady between 90.8% and 91.7% over the past half-decade—consistently beating both district and state averages. Academically, the school shines brightest in English 2, where proficiency rates have hovered between 89.9% and 95.1% over the last three years, and in U.S. History, where it outperforms state averages by 8 to 16 percentage points. Within its own district, Daniel is the clear leader, ranking 50th statewide compared to Easley High (101st), Pickens High (74th), and Liberty High (164th). The school also operates with notable fiscal efficiency, spending $11,554 per student—25% less than Liberty High—while achieving far better outcomes.

However, there are two areas parents should watch. Chronic absenteeism jumped to 26.1% in 2024-2025, a significant increase from 18.7% the prior year, though it remains below the district average. More concerning is a dramatic decline in performance for African American students, whose statewide ranking fell from the 73rd percentile to the 17th percentile in a single year—a drop that warrants immediate attention. When compared to Wren High in neighboring Anderson 01, Daniel trails in test scores (Wren's Algebra 1 proficiency is 95.8% vs. Daniel's 75.0%), yet Daniel's graduation and dropout rates are far closer to Wren's elite numbers than to many other peers. The school has shown resilience, recovering from a pandemic-era dip to 76th place back into the top 50, and its strong English and history instruction, combined with excellent student retention, make it a solid choice for most families.

1,222

Students ?

17.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,777

Per pupil spending ?

42.9%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2023-24) ?

95%

Students (all grades) with required immunizations (2025-26)

140 Blue and Gold Boulevard
Central, SC 29630

(864) 397-2900

District: Pickens 01

Feeder schools for D. W. Daniel High:

Elementary:	Central Academy of the Arts
	Clemson Elementary
	Six Mile Elementary
Middle:	R. C. Edwards Middle

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.1%

African American:

9.9%

Hispanic:

6.1%

See top rated South Carolina high schools

Compare D. W. Daniel High to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 91st percentile in 2016 → 80th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the South Carolina average (77% vs 69% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 20% of South Carolina high schools

✓95% graduate in 4 years — above the South Carolina average (88%)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 11 percentile points since 2016

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

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school77%

District avg71%

South Carolina avg69%

50^th of 248

South Carolina public high schools ?

Top 20%▼ down 11 pts since 2016

From top 9% (2016) to top 20% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of South Carolina High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 4High Schools in the Pickens 01

17^th of 75Pickens 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	75.4	50 of 248	79.8%	★★★★☆
2025	69.7	50 of 240	79.2%	★★★★☆
2024	75.4	35 of 243	85.6%	★★★★☆
2023	73.5	42 of 237	82.3%	★★★★☆
2022	57.0	76 of 226	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.0	26 of 227	88.5%	★★★★☆
2019	69.8	24 of 225	89.3%	★★★★☆
2018	70.2	19 of 216	91.2%	★★★★★
2017	72.1	20 of 223	91.0%	★★★★★
2016	78.5	21 of 231	90.9%	★★★★★
2015	80.5	18 of 232	92.2%	★★★★★
2014	88.9	18 of 210	91.4%	★★★★★
2013	91.7	16 of 203	92.1%	★★★★★
2012	89.4	16 of 202	92.1%	★★★★★
2011	87.0	22 of 199	88.9%	★★★★☆
2010	90.2	15 of 199	92.5%	★★★★★
2009	84.4	15 of 188	92.0%	★★★★★
2008	84.9	14 of 185	92.4%	★★★★★
2007	70.4	36 of 191	81.2%	★★★★☆
2006	83.1	6 of 191	96.9%	★★★★★
2005	68.7	57 of 187	69.5%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	24.3	165 of 200	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	62.9	54 of 196	72.4%	★★★★☆
2024	65.4	53 of 197	73.1%	★★★★☆
2023	56.7	68 of 199	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2022	34.8	122 of 190	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	45.7	86 of 178	51.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.2	61 of 184	66.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	47.4	89 of 183	51.4%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	50.3	59 of 136	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	50.9	62 of 140	55.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	70.7	34 of 147	76.9%	★★★★☆
2023	46.2	71 of 141	49.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.8	39 of 139	71.9%	★★★★☆
2021	66.7	23 of 115	80.0%	★★★★☆
2019	70.0	35 of 143	75.5%	★★★★☆
2018	79.4	20 of 137	85.4%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	72.6	54 of 229	76.4%	★★★★☆
2025	69.7	54 of 229	76.4%	★★★★☆
2024	75.0	34 of 231	85.3%	★★★★☆
2023	71.4	50 of 223	77.6%	★★★★☆
2022	53.9	87 of 220	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.4	40 of 213	81.2%	★★★★☆
2019	68.4	35 of 213	83.6%	★★★★☆
2018	72.9	22 of 210	89.5%	★★★★☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	56.7	92 of 155	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2025	64.8	65 of 154	57.8%	★★★☆☆
2024	63.2	74 of 158	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	46.7	111 of 156	28.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2024	68.3	34 of 122	72.1%	★★★★☆
2022	23.1	91 of 108	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	46.6	53 of 93	43.0%	★★☆☆☆

Homeless

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2023	60.5	1 of 4	75.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	53.0	107 of 241	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.3	67 of 230	70.9%	★★★★☆
2024	64.1	63 of 235	73.2%	★★★★☆
2023	68.1	45 of 226	80.1%	★★★★☆
2022	51.9	88 of 220	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	66.9	43 of 213	79.8%	★★★★☆
2019	59.2	48 of 217	77.9%	★★★★☆
2018	62.4	45 of 214	79.0%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	74.4	51 of 233	78.1%	★★★★☆
2025	71.4	46 of 228	79.8%	★★★★☆
2024	75.6	34 of 234	85.5%	★★★★☆
2023	74.9	38 of 229	83.4%	★★★★☆
2022	62.6	60 of 224	73.2%	★★★★☆
2021	79.6	24 of 215	88.8%	★★★★☆
2019	73.3	21 of 218	90.4%	★★★★★
2018	70.8	24 of 213	88.7%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	South Carolina percentile	Rating
2026	61.1	80 of 203	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	56.3	78 of 200	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	65.9	58 of 202	71.3%	★★★★☆
2023	64.9	58 of 197	70.6%	★★★★☆
2022	47.1	92 of 192	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	71.5	39 of 189	79.4%	★★★★☆
2019	63.8	43 of 191	77.5%	★★★★☆
2018	69.8	36 of 185	80.5%	★★★★☆

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)

Male (2026)78th percentile~ school

Female (2026)76th percentile-3 vs school

Homeless (2023)75th percentile-7 vs school

Hispanic (2024)72nd percentile-13 vs school

White (2026)61st percentile-19 vs school

Disabled (2026)57th percentile-23 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)56th percentile-24 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2026)41st percentile-39 vs school

African American (2026)18th percentile-62 vs school

By subject vs South Carolina (2025-2026) ?

English 290%+6 vs state

U.S. History and the Constitution70%+8 vs state

Biology 1/Applied Biology 270%+9 vs state

★

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Schools Near D. W. Daniel 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 Vaccination Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2026)	EOCEP Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (2026)	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution (2026)	EOCEP English 2 (2026)	Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2026)
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/reduced lunch (2023-24)	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 Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 End of Course	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution End of Course	EOCEP English 2 End of Course	Vaccination: Students (all grades) with required immunizations	Vaccination: Exemption rate	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
D. W. Daniel High	Public	9-12	140 Blue and Gold Boulevard	Central	29630	Pickens County	Pickens 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 397-2900	1,222	72	17.0	42.9%	905 (74.1%)	121 (9.9%)	74 (6.1%)	54 (4.4%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	64 (5.2%)	75.4	50^th of 248 public high schools	79.8%		69.7	50^th of 240 public high schools	79.2%			69.8	70.3	89.9	95%		$12,777	$510	$416	$927	$10,282	$1,569	$11,851
Pickens County Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	990 Chastain Road	Liberty	29657	Pickens County	Pickens 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 397-4500	0	29	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Liberty High	Public	9-12	124 Red Devil Drive	Liberty	29657	Pickens County	Pickens 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 397-2600	640	48	13.4	61.3%	525 (82.0%)	26 (4.1%)	58 (9.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.7%)	35	165^th of 248 public high schools	33.5%		37.1	148^th of 240 public high schools	38.3%	17		49.4	42.2	82.5	95%		$15,771	$960	$543	$1,503	$12,385	$1,883	$14,268
Pendleton High	Public	9-12	7324 Highway 187	Anderson	29625	Anderson County	Anderson 04	No	No	No	No	(864) 403-2100	924	58	15.9	61.6%	678 (73.4%)	142 (15.4%)	41 (4.4%)	13 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	48 (5.2%)	62.8	91^st of 248 public high schools	63.3%		65.4	62^nd of 240 public high schools	74.2%	29		63.5	62.0	87.0	≥ 96%		$15,385	$270	$1,031	$1,302	$10,869	$3,214	$14,084
Seneca High	Public	9-12	100 Bobcat Ridge	Seneca	29678	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4460	1,051	58	18.0	69.6%	613 (58.3%)	212 (20.2%)	131 (12.5%)	8 (0.8%)	6 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (7.7%)	49.8	124^th of 248 public high schools	50.0%		55.6	88^th of 240 public high schools	63.3%	36		56.9	61.6	81.7	≥ 96%		$14,592	$645	$784	$1,429	$11,072	$2,092	$13,163
Hamilton Career and Technology Center	Public	9-12	445 Oconee Business Parkway	Westminster	29693	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4425	0	26	.0	—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Walhalla High	Public	9-12	4701 North Highway 11	Walhalla	29691	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4490	1,118	66	16.9	60.7%	857 (76.7%)	15 (1.3%)	209 (18.7%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (2.8%)	72.1	59^th of 248 public high schools	76.2%		59.7	80^th of 240 public high schools	66.7%	21		75.3	65.2	86.9	96%		$14,560	$584	$782	$1,366	$11,188	$2,006	$13,194
Pickens High	Public	9-12	150 Blue Flame Drive	Pickens	29671	Pickens County	Pickens 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 397-3600	1,226	84	14.5	60.7%	1,060 (86.5%)	27 (2.2%)	90 (7.3%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (3.8%)	67.6	73^rd of 248 public high schools	70.6%		62.7	71^st of 240 public high schools	70.4%	2		60.4	72.8	87.3	96%		$13,303	$721	$460	$1,180	$10,580	$1,543	$12,123
Easley High	Public	9-12	154 Green Wave Boulevard	Easley	29642	Pickens County	Pickens 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 397-3100	1,862	105	17.8	59.7%	1,179 (63.3%)	221 (11.9%)	311 (16.7%)	20 (1.1%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	127 (6.8%)	60.9	102^nd of 248 public high schools	58.9%		41.6	134^th of 240 public high schools	44.2%	32	53.7	61.6	57.9	89.0	96%		$11,539	$448	$474	$922	$9,250	$1,368	$10,617
West-Oak High	Public	9-12	130 Warrior Lane	Westminster	29693	Oconee County	Oconee 01	No	No	No	No	(864) 886-4530	735	50	14.8	69.5%	627 (85.3%)	16 (2.2%)	66 (9.0%)	6 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	18 (2.4%)	56.9	108^th of 248 public high schools	56.5%		49.7	110^th of 240 public high schools	54.2%	2		59.1	67.5	83.0	94%		$17,202	$1,333	$942	$2,275	$12,675	$2,252	$14,927

Frequently Asked Questions about D. W. Daniel High

How many students attend D. W. Daniel High?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,222 students attended D. W. Daniel High.

What is the racial makeup of D. W. Daniel High?

Students at D. W. Daniel High are 74% White, 10% African American, 6% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What schools feed into D. W. Daniel High?

D. W. Daniel High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Central Academy of the Arts
Elementary : Clemson Elementary
Elementary : Six Mile Elementary
Middle : R. C. Edwards Middle

What district is D. W. Daniel High in?

Pickens 01

Is D. W. Daniel High a good school?

D. W. Daniel High ranks 50^th of 248 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate D. W. Daniel High!

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Latest South Carolina data All new data »

2025–26 graduation rates (updated)NewNov 2, 2026

2024–25 through 2025–26 immunization ratesOct 20, 2026

2025–26 school spending dataOct 12, 2026

2025–26 attendance data & dropout ratesOct 12, 2026

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.