Summary:
Zip code 29150, encompassing the Sumter, South Carolina area, is served by a single public high school, Lakewood High, which educates students in grades 9 through 12 within the Sumter 01 school district.
For parents considering this area, Lakewood High presents a picture of a school in transition. With an enrollment of 1,013 students and a student-teacher ratio of 17.4:1, the school has shown notable improvement in its state ranking, climbing from the bottom 4% of schools in 2023-2024 to the 28th percentile in 2025-2026. This upward trajectory is reflected in year-over-year gains in English 1 and U.S. History proficiency rates. However, significant challenges remain. The school's graduation rate of 74.1% trails the state average of 86.7% by a wide margin, and chronic absenteeism is a critical concern, affecting 43.9% of students—nearly double the state rate. Academic performance is mixed; while English 2 proficiency is strong at 70.4%, Algebra 1 proficiency dropped sharply to 37.9%, well below both the district and state averages.
The most pressing issues for Lakewood High are clearly attendance and math achievement. The high chronic absenteeism rate likely contributes to the lower graduation rate and may hinder the school's ability to fully capitalize on its recent academic gains. While the school spends a competitive $13,280 per student, outcomes in core subjects like Algebra 1 suggest that resources may not yet be translating into proficiency. Despite these hurdles, the school's consistent improvement in state rankings and positive trends in several subjects indicate that recent interventions may be having an effect. For parents, this is a school with clear strengths in English and history, but one where supporting consistent attendance and seeking additional math support would be crucial for student success.
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