Top Rankings
Dorchester 04 School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in South Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 20%)
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 3 public elementary schools serving 1,035 students in Dorchester 04 School District. This district's average elementary testing ranking is 5/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public elementary schools in South Carolina.
Public Elementary Schools in Dorchester 04 School District have an average math proficiency score of 33% (versus the South Carolina public elementary school average of 39%), and reading proficiency score of 39% (versus the 47% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 62% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the South Carolina public elementary school average of 53% (majority Black).
Overview
This School District
This State (SC)
# Schools
4 Schools
965 Schools
# Students
1,704 Students
551,243 Students
# Teachers
127 Teachers
39,892 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
13:1
District Rank
Dorchester 04 School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 76 school districts in South Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 90-94% has increased from 85-89% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#58 out of 81 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
26%
41%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
42%
52%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
40%
50%
Graduation Rate
90-94%
84%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.63
0.67
# American Indian Students
18 Students
1,609 Students
% American Indian Students
1%
n/a
# Asian Students
17 Students
10,166 Students
% Asian Students
1%
2%
# Hispanic Students
110 Students
74,117 Students
% Hispanic Students
6%
13%
# Black Students
802 Students
170,518 Students
% Black Students
47%
31%
# White Students
641 Students
258,372 Students
% White Students
38%
47%
# Hawaiian Students
4 Students
663 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
112 Students
35,675 Students
% of Two or more races Students
7%
7%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
132
24,436
# Students in K Grade:
124
53,057
# Students in 1st Grade:
172
56,847
# Students in 2nd Grade:
153
58,232
# Students in 3rd Grade:
161
57,411
# Students in 4th Grade:
153
57,861
# Students in 5th Grade:
140
58,020
# Students in 6th Grade:
-
58,906
# Students in 7th Grade:
-
54,750
# Students in 8th Grade:
-
55,491
# Students in 9th Grade:
202
4,594
# Students in 10th Grade:
159
4,219
# Students in 11th Grade:
165
3,860
# Students in 12th Grade:
143
3,559
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $22,011 is higher than the state median of $15,220. The school district revenue/student has grown by 23% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $21,684 is higher than the state median of $14,817. The school district spending/student has grown by 23% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$38 MM
$12,084 MM
Spending
$37 MM
$11,764 MM
Revenue / Student
$22,011
$15,220
Spending / Student
$21,684
$14,817
Best Dorchester 04 School District Public Elementary Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
William Memorial Elementary School
(Math: 39% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
290 South Metts Street
Saint George, SC 29477
(843) 563-3231
Saint George, SC 29477
(843) 563-3231
Grades: PK-5
| 597 students
Rank: #22.
Clay Hill Elementary School
(Math: 20-29% | Reading: 40-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
387 South Railroad Avenue
Ridgeville, SC 29472
(843) 851-7386
Ridgeville, SC 29472
(843) 851-7386
Grades: PK-5
| 173 students
Rank: #33.
Harleyville Elementary School
(Math: 20-24% | Reading: 25-29%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1650 East Main Street
Dorchester, SC 29437
(843) 462-7671
Dorchester, SC 29437
(843) 462-7671
Grades: PK-5
| 265 students
Recent Articles
Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule?
Which is more appropriate for your child? A year-round attendance schedule or traditional schedule? We look at the pros and cons.
Why You Should Encourage Your Child to Join a Sports Team
Participating in team sports has a great many benefits for children, there is no doubt. In this article you will learn what those benefits are.
White Students are Now the Minority in U.S. Public Schools
Increasing birth rates among immigrant families from Asia and Central and South America, combined with lower birth rates among white families, means that for the first time in history, public school students in the United States are majority-minority. This shift in demographics poses difficulties for schools as they work to accommodate children of varying language abilities and socio-economic backgrounds.
