Public schools in Florence, SC
22 open public schools with an address in Florence, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
15,297
22 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
13.4:1
South Carolina median 13.6:1
Charter schools
1
6 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Florence public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Florence, SC: 11 elementary, 4 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. The 22 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 15,297 students, an average of 695 per school. The largest campus is West Florence High (1,827 students), and the largest elementary school is Delmae Heights Elementary (988).
Florence 01 operates the most schools here (21), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. 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 13.4:1, 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 1 charter school, 6 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 3 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 0 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 3 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Florence
Elementary schools in Florence
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briggs Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 451 | 13.4:1 | |
| Carver Elementary Florence 01 · Magnet | KG–05 | 615 | 14.1:1 | |
| Delmae Heights Elementary Florence 01 · Magnet | KG–05 | 988 | 15.7:1 | |
| Greenwood Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 530 | 13.6:1 | |
| Henry Timrod Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 413 | 13.3:1 | |
| Lucy T. Davis Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 632 | 14.4:1 | |
| McLaurin Elementary Florence 01 | PK–02 | 552 | 13.8:1 | |
| North Vista Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 446 | 12.4:1 | |
| Royall Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 512 | 12.8:1 | |
| Theodore Lester Elementary Florence 01 | 03–05 | 362 | 12.1:1 | |
| Wallace Gregg Elementary Florence 01 | KG–05 | 283 | 10.5:1 |
Middle schools in Florence
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry L. Sneed Middle Florence 01 | 06–08 | 634 | 12.2:1 | |
| John W. Moore Middle Florence 01 | 06–08 | 1,056 | 14.5:1 | |
| Southside Middle Florence 01 · Magnet | 06–08 | 1,138 | 14.2:1 | |
| Williams Middle Florence 01 · Magnet | 06–08 | 792 | 11.6:1 |
High schools in Florence
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advantage Academy Florence 01 · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| South Florence High Florence 01 · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,580 | 15.3:1 | |
| West Florence High Florence 01 | 09–12 | 1,827 | 17.3:1 | |
| Wilson High Florence 01 · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,373 | 14.9:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Florence
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child Development Center at Woods Road Florence 01 | PK–PK | 189 | 11.8:1 | |
| R.N. Beck Child Development Center Florence 01 | PK–PK | 168 | 12:1 | |
| Virtus Academy of South Carolina Charter Institute at Erskine · Charter | KG–12 | 756 | 12.7:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White30.6%
- Hispanic6.4%
- Black52.5%
- Asian2.3%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0%
- Multiracial8%
Enrollment-weighted across 21 Florence schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (15,297 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Florence
How many public schools are in Florence, SC?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Florence: 11 elementary, 4 middle, 4 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 15,297 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Florence?
Schools with an address in Florence belong to 2 education agencies, led by Florence 01 (21 schools), Charter Institute at Erskine (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Florence?
West Florence High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Florence, with 1,827 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Florence?
Yes. 1 of the 22 public schools in Florence are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Virtus Academy of South Carolina. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Florence schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Florence public schools is 13.4:1, 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 Florence 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