Beta You're viewing our redesigned school list. Prefer the classic layout?

Best High Schools in Zip Code 29532

At a glance

Schools

1,274

Students

5-star school

Top rankedMayo High For Math Science & Technology3^rd of 248 South Carolina high schools

See the top-ranked South Carolina schools →

Summary:

Zip code 29532 in Darlington, South Carolina is home to two high schools serving grades 9-12 within the Darlington 01 school district, which holds a 2-star rating and ranks 47th out of 75 districts statewide.

This area presents a dramatic tale of two schools. Mayo High For Math Science & Technology is an elite magnet school ranked 3rd out of 245 high schools in South Carolina (99th percentile) with a 5-star rating for three consecutive years. It boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate, zero dropouts, and minimal chronic absenteeism at just 3.8%. Academic proficiency is exceptional: 96.61% in English 1, 97.52% in U.S. History, and 100% in English 2. In stark contrast, Darlington High ranks 226th out of 245 (8th percentile) with a 0-star rating, and its ranking has steadily declined from 206th to 211th to 226th over the past three years. Darlington High's graduation rate is 79.9%, its dropout rate is 4.3% (double the state average), and chronic absenteeism affects 24.5% of students—more than six times higher than Mayo High. Proficiency rates lag dramatically: 33.18% in English 1, 36.41% in U.S. History, and 74.88% in English 2.

Interestingly, Darlington High actually receives more funding per student ($18,259 vs. $16,889) despite its poorer outcomes, while student-teacher ratios are nearly identical (13.5:1 vs. 13.4:1). This suggests that additional resources alone cannot overcome the fundamental differences in student populations and school missions. The district's overall proficiency rates (39.9% for English 1) sit much closer to Darlington High's performance, indicating the larger school dominates district averages and masks Mayo High's excellence. For parents in this zip code, the choice is stark: apply to the competitive magnet school for a top-tier education, or attend a comprehensive school struggling in the bottom 10% statewide. The district's priority should be identifying which of Mayo High's successful practices—beyond selective admissions—can be transferred to improve outcomes at Darlington High.

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2026)	EOCEP Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (2026)	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution (2026)	EOCEP English 2 (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2024)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	EOCEP Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 End of Course	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution End of Course	EOCEP English 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Darlington High	Public, Magnet	9-12	525 Spring Street	Darlington	29532	Darlington County	Darlington 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 398-5140	965	71	13.5	100.0%	189 (19.6%)	613 (63.5%)	46 (4.8%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	112 (11.6%)	13.9	228^th of 248 public high schools	8.1%		14.5	214^th of 240 public high schools	10.8%	14		33.2	36.4	74.9	$18,259	$1,437	$999	$2,436	$13,581	$2,241	$15,822
Mayo High For Math Science & Technology	Public, Magnet	9-12	405 Chestnut Street	Darlington	29532	Darlington County	Darlington 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 398-2650	309	23	13.4	100.0%	167 (54.0%)	89 (28.8%)	19 (6.1%)	4 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (9.7%)	97.7	3^rd of 248 public high schools	98.8%		95.1	4^th of 240 public high schools	98.3%	1		96.6	97.5	100.0	$16,889	$1,418	$1,168	$2,586	$12,148	$2,155	$14,303
Darlington County Institute of Technology	Public	9-12	160 Pinedale Drive	Darlington	29532	Darlington County	Darlington 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 398-4796	0	19	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Cities Near Zip Code 29532

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Darlington	0.57 mi	8	129^th
Florence	5.17 mi	22	101^st
Effingham	10.87 mi	2	106^th
Hartsville	12.19 mi	9	119^th
Timmonsville	12.82 mi	2	222^nd

See the top SC South Carolina cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.