Best High Schools in Zip Code 29135

Zip code 29135 is home to a single public high school, Calhoun County High in Saint Matthews, SC, which serves grades 9 through 12 with a total enrollment of 397 students as part of the Calhoun 01 school district.

For parents, the most important takeaway is that Calhoun County High is a school of stark contrasts. On one hand, it excels at keeping students on track: the 2024-2025 dropout rate is an exceptional 0.0% compared to the state average of 2.1%, and the graduation rate of 88.1% edges out the state's 86.7%. Chronic absenteeism (19.7%) is also better than the state average (22.3%), suggesting a student body that is engaged and present. The school also boasts a favorable 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio, which allows for more individualized attention. However, academic performance is mixed and the school's overall state ranking has been steadily declining, from the 34th percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 26th percentile (1 star) in 2025-2026. This decline is driven by significant weaknesses in U.S. History (44.71% proficient vs. 62.57% state average) and English 1 (50.01% vs. 60.91% state average) for the 2025-2026 school year.

One of the most interesting findings is the "English 1 vs. English 2" paradox. While English 1 scores are dramatically below state averages (37.29% vs. 61.66% in 2024-2025), English 2 scores are near or above the state average (87.36% vs. 86.41% in 2024-2025). This suggests the school is highly effective at developing students' skills over time, adding significant value despite incoming skill gaps. Another point of note is the high per-student spending of $19,860, which, combined with the low student-teacher ratio, does not fully translate into top-tier performance across all subjects. Finally, test scores show significant year-over-year volatility, likely due to small cohort sizes, so parents should be cautious about over-interpreting single-year results. Overall, this is a school that keeps students in school and graduates them, but faces clear academic challenges in specific subjects.