Best Public Schools in Zip Code 29102

Zip code 29102 in Manning, South Carolina, is served by four public schools in the Clarendon 06 school district, which together educate 2,364 students across a full PK-12 pipeline, including two elementary schools, one junior high, and one high school.

For parents, the standout school in this area is Manning High, which posts a strong 90.4% graduation rate and a low 1.3% dropout rate, both better than state averages. It also shows impressive year-over-year gains in Algebra 1 and English 1, though its proficiency rates still trail the state. In contrast, Manning Early Childhood Center is a major concern, with a chronic absenteeism rate of 45.2%—more than double the state average and the highest in the district. Manning Junior High struggles most in math, particularly 7th grade, where only 15.2% of students are proficient, the lowest score in the entire dataset. Manning Elementary shows a troubling decline in math from 3rd to 5th grade, dropping from 48.5% to 23.3% proficiency.

Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide issue, with every school exceeding the state average of 22.3%, and the problem is most severe at the earliest grades. Interestingly, the school spending the most per student (Manning Early Childhood Center at $15,819) has the worst attendance, while Manning High spends the least ($12,859) yet achieves the best outcomes. The district also shows unusual volatility in test scores year to year, and both elementary schools share 3rd grade, creating an awkward overlap. While the district ranks in the lower-middle tier statewide, the high school’s graduation success suggests a focus on keeping students on track, even if academic proficiency in math and English lags behind state benchmarks.