Best High Schools in Zip Code 29588

Zip code 29588 is home to two high schools serving grades 9-12: Socastee High and Coastal High School, offering families a choice between a large traditional public school and a much smaller charter option.

For parents, the most important distinction is size and academic focus. Socastee High is a large school with 1,720 students and a 4-star rating, ranking in the 77th percentile statewide. It outperforms state averages in English, History, and graduation rates (89.0%). However, its Algebra 1 proficiency is a major red flag at just 55.16%—far below both the Horry 01 district average (77.66%) and the state average (64.58%). In contrast, Coastal High School is a tiny charter school with only 198 students and a 9.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It achieves a remarkable 92.6% graduation rate and a perfect 0.0% dropout rate, though its overall state ranking (67th percentile) is lower than Socastee's. Coastal also excels in English 2 (88.24% proficiency) but did not report Algebra 1 data.

Both schools share a notable weakness: chronic absenteeism. Socastee High has a 23.0% chronic absenteeism rate, and Coastal High School is at 24.4%, both above the state average of 22.3%. This is surprising for Coastal given its low dropout rate, suggesting students stay enrolled but miss significant class time. Financially, Coastal spends slightly more per student ($14,745 vs. $14,081), but Socastee delivers better test scores and ranking per dollar. Notably, Coastal is a high-performing outlier within its own Limestone Charters Association, whose average graduation rate is just 71.9%. Ultimately, Socastee offers stronger academics and consistency, while Coastal provides a more personalized environment that excels at keeping students on track to graduate.