Summary:
Zip code 29403 in Charleston, South Carolina is home to 2 high schools serving grades 6-12 and 9-12 within the Charleston 01 school district, which ranks in the 72nd percentile statewide with a 4-star rating.
These two schools offer vastly different educational experiences. Charleston Charter School for Math and Science is the clear academic leader, maintaining a 4-star rating for three consecutive years and ranking in the 78-81st percentile statewide. It serves grades 6-12 with an enrollment of 573 students and a 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio. The school excels at the high school level, with a remarkable 96.96% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 91.2% in English 2, both well above state averages. Its graduation rate is an impressive 98.6% with a 0% dropout rate. However, its middle school performance is more inconsistent, with 6th-grade math proficiency (36.7%) falling below the state average. In contrast, Burke High serves grades 9-12 with just 342 students and an exceptionally low 5.5:1 student-teacher ratio. While Burke shows strength in Algebra 1 (77.28% proficiency), it struggles significantly in English 1 (38.67% vs. 60.91% state average). Its graduation rate is 78.6% with a 5.8% dropout rate.
The most striking finding is the resource paradox: Burke High spends $39,636 per student—nearly double the charter school's $20,489—yet achieves lower academic outcomes. Chronic absenteeism is a critical differentiator, with 47.9% of Burke students chronically absent versus 21.5% at the charter school. However, Burke has shown dramatic improvement, jumping from the bottom 7% of schools statewide to the 34th percentile in one year, including a 23.4-point increase in Algebra 1 proficiency. For parents, the charter school offers a rigorous academic environment with near-perfect graduation rates, while Burke High represents a school with significant challenges but promising recent momentum and substantial per-student investment.
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