Clear Dot Charter School

Clear Dot Charter School is a small alternative charter school in Columbia, SC, serving 474 students in grades PK through 11 under the Charter Institute at Erskine. Nearly all students (99%) qualify for free or reduced lunch, and the school offers a favorable 11.2:1 student-teacher ratio, meaning smaller class sizes and more individual attention than many nearby schools.

The most striking finding is the huge gap between reading and math scores. In the most recent testing year, reading proficiency averaged about 34% across grades 3-8, while math proficiency averaged just under 9%. For example, only 2.7% of 3rd graders were proficient in math, compared to 53.4% at American Leadership Academy South Carolina-Lexington Campu. Even 8th grade math (11.8%) trails far behind that same school (37.3%). Reading scores, while still below state averages, are much stronger by comparison, and the school's English 2 end-of-course exam scores (around 57-60% proficiency) are surprisingly close to state averages, suggesting reading instruction improves in upper grades.

Attendance is another concern. Chronic absenteeism has swung wildly—from 10.6% to 29% to 7.8% and back up to 22.6% over the past few years—nearly double the district average. The school also spends more per student ($12,810) than comparable charters like School Connections Academy ($8,987) yet achieves lower test scores. On the positive side, the dropout rate (2.5%) is close to the state average and far better than similar alternative schools like Carolus Online Academy (12.2%). Overall, Clear Dot offers strong student support and retention, but families should be aware of significant math challenges and inconsistent attendance patterns that may affect learning.