With education central to South Carolina's and Charleston's Legislative agendas:

• Recent bond referendums throughout the Charleston region have helped create a boom in new investment and construction for elementary, middle and high schools. Schools are being designed to accommodate rapid advancements in technology and to serve many learning styles.
• In 2008, South Carolina was a top-five state in terms of teachers earning National Board certification. Charleston and Berkeley counties were among the state’s leading counties for new board certifications.
• South Carolina has adopted a "Personal Pathways to Success" program to better prepare students for the workforce and college through early career planning and industrialized curriculum. School districts must organize their high school curriculum around career clusters of study to foster creativity, critical thinking and self-discipline. Learn more by visiting the South Carolina Department of Education.
• The state is also instrumental in creating public education programs for children with special needs, for gifted and talented children, and for pre-schoolers through its First Steps program.

The Charleston area offers a number of the best performing schools in South Carolina. The region is divided into four public school districts, which support more than 130 schools and serve nearly 90,000 students, or nearly 90% of the school-age population.

School District	Enrollment
Berkeley County School District	27,478
Charleston County School District	48,500
Dorchester County School District 2	20,400
Dorchester School District 4	2,600

For a county-by-county listing of public schools, visit the South Carolina Department of Education.

Charter Schools	Enrollment	Grades
Charleston Development Academy	90	K-5
East Cooper Montessori Charter School	161	1-8
James Island Charter High School (conversion)	1,517	9-12
Orange Grove Elementary Charter School	646	CD-5
Sea Island YouthBuild (843-557-1611)	75	9-12
Susan G. Boykin Academy (843-744-8882)	180	K-5

In addition to charter schools, students can attend one of the region's highly acclaimed magnet schools such as Academic Magnet High School, which was recently rated as a top ten U.S. school by Newsweek.

Magnet Schools	Enrollment	Grades
Academic Magnet High School	559	9-12
Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School	528	K-12
Buist Academy for Advanced Studies	397	K-8
CE Williams Middle School for Creative & Scientific Arts	701	5-8
Charleston County School of the Arts	1,025	6-12
Charleston Progressive Academy	316	K-8
Charlestowne Academy	421	K-12
Garrett Academy of Technology	712	9-12
Jennie Moore Elementary School	630	CD-5
Military Magnet Academy	546	6-12
Septima P. Clark Corporate Academy	86	9-12
St. Andrews School of Math & Science	750	CD-5

Approximately 65 independent schools serve the three-county Charleston region, educating about 11,000 students.

Nationally recognized schools include:

• Ashley Hall (grades K-12) - Barbara Bush and Kate Jackson are alumni of this all-girls school.
• Porter Gaud (grades 1-12) - all graduates of this school go on to college. SAT scores generally average over 1250.
• Pinewood Preparatory (grades K-12) - Pinewood Prep offers German language instruction, serving a growing base of German-owned companies located in the region.
• Trident Academy (grades K-12) - serves students of average to above average intelligence with diagnosed learning disabilities, and is one of just 10 schools in the United States accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (OG).

For a county-by-county listing of private schools, visit the South Carolina Department of Education.

Gifted students are also eligible to attend the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, or the Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, which is ranked among the best academic secondary schools in the nation.

Other schools within the Charleston region are regularly honored by the South Carolina Department of Education with Palmetto Gold or Silver awards.

Award-Winning Schools	Enrollment	Grades
Ashley River Creative Arts	528	K-5
Belle Hall Elementary School	710	PreK-5
Charles Pinckney Elementary	784	3-5
Jane Edwards Community School	152	CD-8
Whitesides Elementary	647	PreK-5
Windsor Hill Elementary	860	PreK-5