Schools in Zip Code 29436

Zip code 29436 in Cross, South Carolina, is served by two public schools within the Berkeley 01 school district, together educating roughly 694 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in a small, rural community.

For parents, the most striking contrast is between the two schools. Cross High is showing real signs of progress, climbing in its state ranking and posting standout results in specific subjects. Its English 2 exam proficiency hit 86.96%, beating both district and state averages, and its Algebra 1 scores reached 84%—nearly 20 points above the district. The school also benefits from a low 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio and spends over $23,000 per student. However, these strengths are uneven. Middle-grade math proficiency is very weak, with 8th-grade scores dropping to just 6.6%, and the school’s chronic absenteeism rate of 33.9% is more than 11 points above the state average. The dropout rate of 3.2% is also double the state rate, though the graduation rate of 84.9% is close to the state’s 86.7%.

In contrast, Cross Elementary faces more consistent challenges. Its state ranking has declined over three years, and proficiency rates in English, math, and science all trail district and state averages. For example, 5th-grade math proficiency is just 20%, and 4th-grade science sits at 26.8% versus 51.6% statewide. The school also has a higher student-teacher ratio (20:1) and lower per-student spending ($15,800). Chronic absenteeism affects 29.1% of students. A key takeaway for families is the "math cliff"—proficiency drops sharply as students advance, and the lack of a separate middle school means 7th and 8th graders are taught alongside high schoolers. While both schools struggle with attendance and math, Cross High demonstrates that targeted success is possible, offering hope that its bright spots can be expanded across all subjects.