Charleston Area Education Information
Education Facts
Charleston Metropolitan Area, SC
There are four school districts serving approximately 88,300 students in the Charleston Metropolitan Area. Berkeley County, Charleston County, Dorchester II and Dorchester IV collectively operate 134 schools serving grades K-12 in the Charleston metropolitan area. There are also approximately 75 private and parochial schools in the region with an enrollment of 11,200 students.
| Berkeley County | Charleston County | Dorchester II | Dorchester IV | |
| Student Population | 26,412 | 42,118 | 17,456 | 2,400 |
| # of Public Schools | 35 | 79 | 16 | 4 |
| Per Pupil Expenditures | $6,769 | $7,661 | $6,279 | $8,570 |
| Education Level of Teachers: | ||||
| Total number of teachers | 1,632 | 3,226 | 1,125 | 178 |
| % of teachers | 52.8% | 50.0% | 50.4% | 55.1% |
| Pupil/Teacher Ratio | 23.6 to 1 | 19.9 to 1 | 21.1 to 1 | 20.1 to 1 |
| Average Teacher Salary | $40,517 | $40,092 | $39,817 | $41,053 |
| Average SAT Scores (2004): | ||||
| Total District (State of S.C.=986; U.S.=1026) | 993 | 964 | 1030 | 888 |
| Math | 500 | 477 | 518 | 443 |
| Verbal | 493 | 487 | 512 | 445 |
| Annual # of High School Graduates | 1,241 | 1,806 | 928 | 106 |
| After Graduating, % Entering... | ||||
| 2 & 4 Year Colleges/Other Postsecondary Educ. | 52.4% | 64.3% | 61.8% | 36.7% |
| Workforce/Military/Other | 44.9% | 35.9% | 38.2% | 63.2% |
| Annual Drop-out Rate (computed as a percentage of total enrollment of grades 9-12) |
3.2% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 1.9% |
| 2004 District Report Card Rating * | ||||
| Absolute Rating | Good | Good | Good | Average |
| Improvement Rating | Average | Average | Average | Excellent |
* The South Carolina Annual Report Card was implemented as a result of the Education Accountability Act enacted by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1998. The Report Cards assign ratings to each school and district in South Carolina * Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average or Unsatisfactory. Each district is assigned two separate ratings: an Absolute Rating based on student test scores and an Improvement Rating that compares student test scores from one year to the next.
Definition of Rating Terms:
Excellent * District performance substantially exceeds the standards for progress toward the 2010 SC Performance Goal.
Good * District performance exceeds the standards for progress toward the 2010 SC Performance Goal.
Average * District performance meets the standards for progress toward the 2010 Performance Goal.
Below Average * District is in jeopardy of not meeting the standards for progress toward the 2010 SC Performance Goal.
Unsatisfactory * District performance fails to meet the standards for progress toward the 2010 SC Performance Goal.
Sources: South Carolina Dept of Education and local district websites: www.myscschools.com, www.berkeley.k12.sc.us, www.charleston.k12.sc.us, www.dorchester4k12.sc.us, and www.dorchester2.k12.sc.us.
Compiled by: Center for Business Research, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2/9/05