Summary:
Zip code 29403 in Charleston, SC is home to 8 schools within the Charleston 01 school district, serving approximately 2,389 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades. The area presents a striking contrast in educational outcomes, with one standout charter school achieving exceptional results while several other schools struggle with significant challenges.
The clear academic leader is Charleston Charter School for Math and Science, ranked 53rd in the state with a 98.6% graduation rate and zero dropouts. Its Algebra proficiency of 96.96% towers over the state average of 64.58%, and it outperforms Burke High by nearly 20 points in graduation rate and 19 points in Algebra. However, Burke High is showing remarkable momentum, jumping 57 positions in state rankings and improving Algebra proficiency by 23 points. At the elementary level, James Simons Montessori leads with 81.1% third-grade ELA proficiency, while Mitchell Elementary trails at just 28.5%.
The most pressing concern is Simmons Pinckney Middle, ranked 333rd out of 335 middle schools statewide with a staggering 60.3% chronic absenteeism rate—nearly three times the state average. This school feeds into Burke High, creating a pipeline of students who arrive already behind. The spending paradox is notable: Charleston Development Academy spends the least ($16,960 per student) yet has the lowest absenteeism at 5.2%, while Charleston Progressive and Sanders-Clyde Elementary spend over $36,000 per student with mixed results. The data strongly suggests that addressing chronic absenteeism and strengthening middle school math instruction would yield the greatest improvements across this zip code.
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