Charleston Co., S.C. schools earn higher ratings overall

MORNING HEADLINES | Results from the 2026 South Carolina School Report Card show more schools earning top ratings and the state’s graduation rate reaching its highest level in a decade. Of the 1,295 South Carolina public schools that received report cards this year, 90% were “average” or higher.

For the fifth year in a row, the number of schools rating “excellent” also has risen — 320 compared to 259 in 2022. In that same period, “unsatisfactory” schools have dropped from 74 to 24.

“When we support our teachers, when we put tools in our teachers’ toolboxes that enable them to teach our high-quality instructional materials with impact, that’s going to benefit students,” said State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver in Columbia. “It’s really no more complicated than that.”

The Charleston County School District saw 57 schools earn “good” or “excellent” ratings. Burns and Brentwood are the two Title I elementary schools in Charleston rated “excellent.” Military Magnet Academy, also a Title I school, earned its first “excellent” rating after moving from “average” to “good” over the past two years. Burke High School jumped two rating levels in this year’s report card, going from “below average” to “good,” for the first time in its history.

Overall, six schools were below average. Only one school in Charleston, Greg Mathis Charter, remained unsatisfactory, while seven schools, including two charters, declined in ratings.

“We know there is still work to do, particularly in schools where students are not yet achieving at the levels we expect, but these results affirm that our focus on strong instruction, supporting our educators, and providing students with the resources they need is making a difference,” said Charleston County School District Superintendent Anita Huggins.

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