Summary:
Zip code 29456 in Ladson, South Carolina is served by two middle schools—Oakbrook Middle and College Park Middle—which together enroll 1,527 students in grades 6-8, offering families two very different educational experiences within the same community.
Oakbrook Middle is the clear standout, ranking 111th out of 335 South Carolina middle schools (67th percentile) and earning 3 stars. It has improved its ranking by 25 positions over the past three years and benefits from a strong Dorchester 02 district that ranks in the top quartile statewide. Oakbrook outperforms state averages in 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts (64.4% and 65.0% proficient) and 8th grade math (48.6% vs. 44.2% state average). In contrast, College Park Middle ranks 281st (16th percentile) with just 1 star, and its scores fall dramatically below state averages in nearly every subject. The achievement gap is stark—in 7th grade math, Oakbrook's proficiency rate is 28.5 percentage points higher than College Park's, and the gap widens in higher grades.
Perhaps most striking is that College Park Middle spends $1,964 more per student ($14,359 vs. $12,395) yet achieves far lower outcomes, raising questions about resource effectiveness. Both schools share an identical chronic absenteeism rate of 25.6%, exceeding the state average of 22.3% and suggesting community-wide attendance challenges. There are bright spots: both schools report 100% proficiency on the Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam, and College Park showed dramatic improvement in 6th grade math (from 12.1% to 28.9% proficiency) and science (15.8% to 37.6%). However, while Oakbrook's trajectory is positive and its ELA scores exceed state averages, College Park's rankings have remained stagnant for three years. Families in 29456 face a significant choice, with Oakbrook offering solid, improving academics and College Park struggling despite higher funding.
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