Public schools in North Charleston, SC
34 open public schools with an address in North Charleston, operated by 3 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
34
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
19,771
34 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
12.4:1
South Carolina median 13.6:1
Charter schools
5
5 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of North Charleston public schools
The federal directory lists 34 public schools in North Charleston, SC: 18 elementary, 5 middle, 11 high. The 34 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 19,771 students, an average of 582 per school. The largest campus is Fort Dorchester High (2,344 students), and the largest elementary school is Meeting Street Brentwood (806).
Charleston 01 operates the most schools here (27), and 2 regular districts have at least one North Charleston campus, 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 12.4:1, lower than 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 5 charter schools, 5 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 9 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 7 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 9 of 9 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving North Charleston
Elementary schools in North Charleston
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. C. Corcoran Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 743 | 15:1 | |
| Chicora Elementary Charleston 01 | 01–05 | 316 | 9.5:1 | |
| Eagle Nest Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 653 | 14.4:1 | |
| Hunley Park Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 487 | 12.8:1 | |
| Lambs Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 580 | 15.5:1 | |
| Malcolm C. Hursey Montessori Charleston 01 | PK–08 | 471 | 13.1:1 | |
| Mary Ford Early Childhood Learning and Family Center Charleston 01 | PK–KG | 244 | 9.3:1 | |
| Matilda F. Dunston Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 569 | 12.9:1 | |
| Meeting Street at Burns Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 295 | 8.9:1 | |
| Meeting Street Brentwood Charleston 01 | PK–08 | 806 | 7.4:1 | |
| Midland Park Primary Charleston 01 | PK–KG | 357 | 11.2:1 | |
| Movement School Bridge View SC Public Charter School District · Charter | KG–02 | 79 | 15.8:1 | |
| North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary Charleston 01 · Magnet | PK–05 | 399 | 10.5:1 | |
| North Charleston Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 329 | 12:1 | |
| Pepperhill Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 453 | 13.4:1 | |
| Pinehurst Elementary Charleston 01 | 01–05 | 758 | 11.5:1 | |
| W. B. Goodwin Elementary Charleston 01 | PK–05 | 423 | 13.3:1 | |
| Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 622 | 11.6:1 |
Middle schools in North Charleston
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Park Middle Charleston 01 | 06–08 | 315 | 11.9:1 | |
| Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science Charleston 01 · Magnet | 06–08 | 513 | 8.9:1 | |
| Morningside Middle Charleston 01 | 06–08 | 552 | 11.2:1 | |
| Northwoods Middle Charleston 01 | 06–08 | 708 | 14.4:1 | |
| River Oaks Middle Dorchester 02 | 06–08 | 728 | 13:1 |
High schools in North Charleston
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Magnet High Charleston 01 · Magnet | 09–12 | 740 | 16.6:1 | |
| Allegro Charter School of Music Charleston 01 · Charter | 06–12 | 250 | 9.3:1 | |
| Charleston School of the Arts Charleston 01 · Magnet | 06–12 | 1,102 | 16:1 | |
| Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies Charleston 01 · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Fort Dorchester High Dorchester 02 | 09–12 | 2,344 | 17.4:1 | |
| Greg Mathis Charter High Charleston 01 · Charter | 09–12 | 71 | 14.2:1 | |
| Military Magnet Academy Charleston 01 · Magnet | 06–12 | 393 | 8.7:1 | |
| North Charleston High Charleston 01 | 09–12 | 829 | 9.2:1 | |
| Palmetto Excel SC Public Charter School District · Charter | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Palmetto Scholars Academy SC Public Charter School District · Charter | 06–12 | 507 | 14.5:1 | |
| R. B. Stall High Charleston 01 | 09–12 | 2,135 | 15.5:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White18.8%
- Hispanic33%
- Black40.4%
- Asian1.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial5.6%
Enrollment-weighted across 32 North Charleston schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (19,771 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in North Charleston
How many public schools are in North Charleston, SC?
The current NCES directory lists 34 open public schools with a location address in North Charleston: 18 elementary, 5 middle, 11 high. Together they reported 19,771 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve North Charleston?
Schools with an address in North Charleston belong to 3 education agencies, led by Charleston 01 (27 schools), Dorchester 02 (4 schools), SC Public Charter School District (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 North Charleston?
Fort Dorchester High reported the largest high-school enrollment in North Charleston, with 2,344 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in North Charleston?
Yes. 5 of the 34 public schools in North Charleston are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Allegro Charter School of Music, Greg Mathis Charter High, Movement School Bridge View. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in North Charleston schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across North Charleston public schools is 12.4:1, lower than 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 North 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