Manning High

Manning High in Manning, SC, serves approximately 741 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Clarendon 06 district. The school has seen a concerning decline in its state ranking over the past four years, now placing in the bottom 10% of South Carolina high schools. This is especially puzzling when you look at East Clarendon Middle-High, its sister school in the same district, which ranks in the 73rd percentile. The gap is dramatic—for example, Algebra 1 proficiency at Manning High is 42.94% compared to 77.98% at East Clarendon, and English 1 proficiency is 32.26% versus 71.57%. Both schools serve similar student populations, which suggests the difference isn't about who attends, but how the schools are operating.

Academically, Manning High is trending in the wrong direction. Algebra 1 proficiency has dropped 25 points since 2023-2024, and English 1 scores have fallen from 46.16% to 32.26%. The school is particularly struggling with male students, who now rank in the 5th percentile statewide, and its gifted and talented students rank in the 3rd percentile—a steep fall from the 33rd percentile just three years ago. Even with these challenges, the school does have some bright spots. The graduation rate is 90.4%, above the state average of 86.7%, and the dropout rate of 1.3% is well below the state average. Chronic absenteeism has also improved significantly, dropping from 43.0% to 27.4% over two years, though it remains above the state average.

Compared to nearby schools, Manning High holds its own in some areas. Its graduation rate is notably higher than Crestwood High (78.8%), Sumter High School (83.6%), and Lakewood High (74.1%). However, it lags behind Scott's Branch High in the same district on most academic measures, though Scott's Branch spends nearly twice as much per student ($23,899 vs. $12,859). The most urgent question for parents is why East Clarendon, in the same district with similar resources, achieves results that are 30-40 percentage points higher. That comparison offers a clear path forward for what Manning High could accomplish with the right changes.