Summary:
Zip code 29455, spanning the Goose Creek and Johns Island areas of South Carolina, is home to three elementary schools serving grades PK-5 across two districts: Berkeley 01 and Charleston 01, with a combined enrollment of 2,048 students.
Angel Oak Elementary is the clear standout in this area, ranking in the 69th percentile statewide with a 3-star rating. It outperforms both district and state averages in every subject and grade level, with notably strong 3rd-grade ELA proficiency at 69.5% compared to 48.4% at Mt. Zion Elementary and just 31.7% at Devon Forest Elementary. Angel Oak also boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip code at 12.5%, well below the state average of 22.3%. In contrast, Devon Forest Elementary, the largest school with 925 students, struggles significantly, ranking in the 11th percentile despite showing slight improvement in recent years. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 26.6% is the highest in the area, and its per-student spending of $13,096 is the lowest among the three schools.
Mt. Zion Elementary, the smallest school with just 295 students, offers the most favorable student-teacher ratio at 10.6:1 and the highest per-student spending at $27,978, yet its performance is inconsistent. While 5th-grade math proficiency is exceptional at 79.4%, 4th-grade science proficiency lags badly at 28.5%, far below the state average of 49.1%. Science is a universal weakness across all three schools, with only Angel Oak exceeding the state average. The data also reveals a clear connection between attendance and achievement, suggesting that addressing chronic absenteeism at Devon Forest could be a high-impact intervention. For families in this area, school choice matters enormously, as academic experiences vary dramatically depending on which school a child attends.
Thank you for your feedback!