Lowcountry Montessori School

Lowcountry Montessori School is a public charter school in Beaufort, SC, serving 408 students in grades PK through 12 as part of the School Public Charter School District.

This school stands out for its remarkable student engagement and high school success. The graduation rate is an impressive 90.5%, well above the district's 77.4% and the state average of 86.7%. Students also post exceptional scores on end-of-course exams, with 92% proficient in Algebra 1 and 91.3% in English 2. Perhaps most telling is the chronic absenteeism rate of just 6.5%—less than a third of the state average—suggesting students genuinely want to be here. The Montessori philosophy of student-led, hands-on learning appears to foster motivated, self-directed learners who stick with school through graduation.

However, the academic picture is more complex. While early elementary reading scores are strong (78.6% proficiency in 5th grade ELA), math proficiency lags significantly at every grade level. For example, only 26.9% of 3rd graders and 12.5% of 7th graders met math standards, compared to district rates of 53.8% and 39.7% respectively. There's also a noticeable "middle school dip"—7th grade ELA drops to 33.4% proficiency despite strong elementary performance. Compared to nearby Bridges Preparatory School, which shows more consistent scores across all subjects, Lowcountry Montessori has higher highs (92% in Algebra 1 vs. Bridges' 87.4%) but also much lower lows. For parents, this school offers an engaging environment that produces motivated graduates, but it's worth asking about the math curriculum and how the school supports students during the middle school transition years.