Public schools in Summerville, SC
28 open public schools with an address in Summerville, operated by 4 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
28
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
29,556
28 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.2:1
South Carolina median 13.6:1
Charter schools
3
1 virtual
An overview of Summerville public schools
The federal directory lists 28 public schools in Summerville, SC: 18 elementary, 6 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. The 28 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 29,556 students, an average of 1,056 per school. The largest campus is Summerville High (3,361 students), and the largest elementary school is Sand Hill Elementary (1,169).
Dorchester 02 operates the most schools here (18), and 2 regular districts have at least one Summerville campus, plus 2 charter, service, or other agencies. 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 15.2:1, higher 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 3 charter schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Summerville
Dorchester 02
Public school district
18 schools in Summerville · 25 total
Berkeley 01
Public school district
7 schools in Summerville · 46 total
Charter Institute at Erskine
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Summerville · 28 total
Limestone Charters Association
Independent charter agency
1 school in Summerville · 17 total
Elementary schools in Summerville
18| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alston-Bailey Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 646 | 12.8:1 | |
| Beech Hill Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 1,079 | 15.2:1 | |
| Berkeley Preparatory Academy Charter Institute at Erskine · Charter | KG–08 | 764 | 12:1 | |
| Cane Bay Elementary Berkeley 01 | PK–05 | 1,161 | 15.7:1 | |
| Carolyn Lewis School Berkeley 01 | PK–08 | 1,078 | 16.1:1 | |
| Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 791 | 14.8:1 | |
| Flowertown Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 783 | 13:1 | |
| Fort Dorchester Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 801 | 14:1 | |
| James H. Spann Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 577 | 12.4:1 | |
| Knightsville Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 833 | 13.4:1 | |
| Newington Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 862 | 14.5:1 | |
| Nexton Elementary Berkeley 01 | PK–05 | 944 | 15.2:1 | |
| Sand Hill Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 1,169 | 16:1 | |
| Sangaree Elementary Berkeley 01 | PK–02 | 578 | 15.1:1 | |
| Sangaree Intermediate Berkeley 01 | 03–05 | 521 | 20:1 | |
| Summerville Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 548 | 13:1 | |
| Summerville Prep Limestone Charters Association · Charter | KG–06 | 595 | 15.5:1 | |
| William M. Reeves Elementary Dorchester 02 | PK–05 | 930 | 16.2:1 |
Middle schools in Summerville
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alston Middle Dorchester 02 | 06–08 | 732 | 13.1:1 | |
| Cane Bay Middle Berkeley 01 | 06–08 | 1,464 | 18.1:1 | |
| Charles B. DuBose Middle Dorchester 02 | 06–08 | 947 | 14.8:1 | |
| East Edisto Middle Dorchester 02 | 06–08 | 1,031 | 17.5:1 | |
| Gregg Middle Dorchester 02 | 06–08 | 810 | 13.9:1 | |
| Rollings Middle School of the Arts Dorchester 02 | 06–08 | 797 | 16.3:1 |
High schools in Summerville
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Ridge High Dorchester 02 | 09–12 | 2,599 | 18.6:1 | |
| Cane Bay High Berkeley 01 | 09–12 | 2,412 | 17.7:1 | |
| Summerville High Dorchester 02 | 09–12 | 3,361 | 19.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Summerville
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowcountry Connection Academy Charter Institute at Erskine · Charter · Virtual | KG–12 | 743 | 24.8:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White53.3%
- Hispanic12.3%
- Black23.3%
- Asian1.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial9.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 28 Summerville schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (29,556 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Summerville
How many public schools are in Summerville, SC?
The current NCES directory lists 28 open public schools with a location address in Summerville: 18 elementary, 6 middle, 3 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 29,556 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Summerville?
Schools with an address in Summerville belong to 4 education agencies, led by Dorchester 02 (18 schools), Berkeley 01 (7 schools), Charter Institute at Erskine (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Summerville?
Summerville High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Summerville, with 3,361 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Summerville?
Yes. 3 of the 28 public schools in Summerville are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Berkeley Preparatory Academy, Lowcountry Connection Academy, Summerville Prep. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Summerville schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Summerville public schools is 15.2:1, higher 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 Summerville 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