Public schools in Charleston, SC
32 open public schools with an address in Charleston, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
32
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
19,212
32 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
14.1:1
South Carolina median 13.6:1
Charter schools
6
10 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Charleston public schools
The federal directory lists 32 public schools in Charleston, SC: 20 elementary, 4 middle, 7 high, 1 combined or other. The 32 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 19,212 students, an average of 600 per school. The largest campus is West Ashley High (2,069 students), and the largest elementary school is Orange Grove Charter School (1,170).
Charleston 01 operates the most schools here (29), and 2 regular districts have at least one Charleston campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 14.1:1, similar to the statewide school median of 13.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 6 charter schools, 10 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 7 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 6 of 7 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Charleston
Elementary schools in Charleston
20| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–05 | 618 | 14:1 | |
| Carolina Voyager Charter Charleston 01 · Charter | KG–08 | 402 | 13.6:1 | |
| Charleston Development Academy Charleston 01 · Charter | PK–08 | 151 | 10.2:1 | |
| Charleston Progressive Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–05 | 184 | 8.6:1 | |
| Daniel Island School Berkeley 01 | KG–08 | 1,151 | 16.1:1 | |
| Drayton Hall Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 640 | 15.1:1 | |
| Harbor View Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 621 | 14.7:1 | |
| James Island Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 580 | 14.1:1 | |
| James Simons Montessori Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–08 | 392 | 14.2:1 | |
| Memminger Elementary Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–05 | 438 | 11.8:1 | |
| Mitchell Elementary Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–05 | 188 | 7.9:1 | |
| Montessori Community School Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–08 | 280 | 16.9:1 | |
| Murray-LaSaine Montessori Charleston 01 | PK–08 | 347 | 14.2:1 | |
| Oakland Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 556 | 13.9:1 | |
| Orange Grove Charter School Charleston 01 · Charter | PK–08 | 1,170 | 15.5:1 | |
| Sanders-Clyde Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 369 | 9.2:1 | |
| Springfield Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 679 | 13.9:1 | |
| St. Andrew's School of Math and Science Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–05 | 769 | 14.9:1 | |
| Stiles Point Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 866 | 17.1:1 | |
| Stono Park Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 337 | 13.5:1 |
Middle schools in Charleston
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buist Academy Charleston 01 · Magnet | 03–08 | 521 | 14.1:1 | |
| C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art Charleston 01 | 06–08 | 1,299 | 13.7:1 | |
| Camp Road Middle Charleston 01 | 06–08 | 901 | 16.9:1 | |
| Simmons Pinckney Middle Charleston 01 | 06–08 | 190 | 7.6:1 |
High schools in Charleston
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley County Middle College High Berkeley 01 · Magnet | 11–12 | 117 | 23.4:1 | |
| Burke High Charleston 01 · Magnet | 09–12 | 342 | 5.6:1 | |
| Charleston Charter School for Math and Science Charleston 01 · Charter | 06–12 | 573 | 11.9:1 | |
| James Island Charter High Charleston 01 · Charter | 09–12 | 1,612 | 15.3:1 | |
| Philip Simmons High Berkeley 01 | 09–12 | 797 | 14.5:1 | |
| West Ashley Center for Advance Studies Charleston 01 · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| West Ashley High Charleston 01 | 09–12 | 2,069 | 16.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Charleston
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pattison's Academy for Comprehensive Education Charleston 01 · Charter | PK–12 | 53 | 5.9:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White58.3%
- Hispanic6.6%
- Black27.7%
- Asian1.8%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial5.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 31 Charleston schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (19,212 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Charleston
How many public schools are in Charleston, SC?
The current NCES directory lists 32 open public schools with a location address in Charleston: 20 elementary, 4 middle, 7 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 19,212 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Charleston?
Schools with an address in Charleston belong to 2 education agencies, led by Charleston 01 (29 schools), Berkeley 01 (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Charleston?
West Ashley High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Charleston, with 2,069 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Charleston?
Yes. 6 of the 32 public schools in Charleston are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Carolina Voyager Charter, Charleston Charter School for Math and Science, Charleston Development Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Charleston schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Charleston public schools is 14.1:1, similar to the South Carolina school median of 13.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Charleston guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby South Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All South Carolina cities