Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 29405

Zip code 29405 in North Charleston, SC is home to 8 elementary schools serving approximately 2,939 students across a wide range of grade configurations, from early childhood centers (PK-K) to PK-8 schools, with the vast majority belonging to the Charleston 01 district and one charter school under the School Public Charter School District.

For parents, the standout choice in this area is Meeting Street at Burns, which ranks 226th statewide (65th percentile) and posts ELA proficiency rates 12-15 points above state averages, all while maintaining a favorable 8.9:1 student-teacher ratio. The most improved school is Malcolm C. Hursey Montessori, which jumped 127 spots in statewide rankings over two years, with 3rd grade math proficiency surging from 52.3% to 71.8%. On the other end, North Charleston Elementary ranks 640th of 649 schools (1st percentile) despite spending $36,935 per student, while Chicora Elementary and North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary also struggle in the bottom 20th percentile. Meeting Street Brentwood sits in the middle (35th percentile) but shows strong middle school math (51.5% in 8th grade). Mary Ford Early Childhood Learning and Family Center and Movement School Bridge View serve only PK-K and K-1 respectively, so they lack test scores but face significant attendance challenges.

The most critical issue across this zip code is chronic absenteeism, which directly tracks with performance: the lowest-performing schools all have absenteeism rates above 27%, while the most improved school (Hursey Montessori) has the lowest rate at 21.3%. Notably, spending does not predict success—Mary Ford spends $98,909 per student yet has a 47.3% absenteeism rate, while Meeting Street at Burns achieves top results without high spending. Overall, the zip code trails district averages by roughly 25 points in ELA, 26 points in math, and 24 points in science, but the success of Meeting Street at Burns and Hursey Montessori proves that strong school culture and targeted interventions can overcome these challenges.