Summary:
Zip code 29123 in Pelion, SC, is served by a single public high school, Pelion High, which enrolls 718 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the highly-rated Lexington 01 school district.
For parents considering this area, the most important takeaway is that Pelion High is a school with strong resources but significant challenges in student engagement and academic outcomes. The school spends a substantial $17,799 per student and maintains an excellent 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio, yet it has consistently earned only 2 out of 5 stars in state rankings over the past three years, placing it in the bottom third of South Carolina high schools. The most alarming statistic is the chronic absenteeism rate of 48.1%—more than double both the district (22.7%) and state (22.3%) averages. This likely drives the school's other struggles: the graduation rate of 80.6% is well below the district's 89.1%, and the dropout rate of 2.6% is nearly triple the district's 0.9%. Test scores also lag, with U.S. History proficiency at just 55.85% compared to the district's 71.27%, and English 1 proficiency at 51.06% versus the district's 72.04%.
There are some bright spots. English 2 proficiency (79.24%) is close to the state average, and the school improved in this subject year-over-year. However, the gap between Pelion High and its district is striking, especially given that Lexington 01 ranks in the top 20% of districts statewide. This suggests Pelion may serve a more challenging student population or face school-specific issues. For parents, the key question is whether the school's attendance crisis can be addressed, as improving engagement would likely have cascading positive effects on graduation rates, test scores, and overall school culture.
Thank you for your feedback!