schoolsbycounty

Chester County Schools & Education

School Score

19/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

83.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

83.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 84.2%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,311

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,165

School Score

19/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 33/100

State Score Position

#38

of 46 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Chester County

Measured School Summary

Chester County faces educational challenges with a school score of 19/100 and a graduation rate of 83.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,311 per pupil, Chester County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 41% below the South Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 12% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Chester County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

12 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

19/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #38 of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

83.0%

1.2 pts below the state average

Funding context

$6,311

$854 below the state average

School coverage

12

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Chester County has 12 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Chester County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Chester 01 carries most of the listed public-school system, with 12 of 12 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#38

of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 14 points below the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Chester 01

Elementary to high school visible

4,767 students

Elementary 6Middle 2High 4Other 0

12 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Chester 01 is the largest listed district slice, with 12 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Chester County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Chester County, South Carolina

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Chester's Local School Network

Chester County maintains a focused network of 12 public schools serving 4,767 students. This infrastructure includes six elementary schools and four high schools under a single district.

Performance and Spending Metrics

Chester County reports an 83.0% graduation rate, slightly below the state average of 84.2%. Educational investment stands at $6,311 per pupil, which is below the state median of $7,165.

The Unified Chester 01 District

The Chester 01 district oversees all 12 schools and 4,767 students within the county. One charter school operates here, providing residents with alternative educational pathways.

Rural Character and Intimate Schools

The majority of schools are in rural locales, contributing to an average school size of 433 students. Chester Senior High is the largest school with 754 students, while Lewisville Elementary serves 510.

School Overview

Total Schools

12

in Chester County

Reported Enrollment

4,767

12 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

1

8% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary6
Middle2
High4
Other0

1 School District in Chester County

Chester 01

Guide
12 schools
4,767 students enrolled
Open district guide

12 Public Schools in Chester County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Every NCES public school remains listed here; no school-level profile pages are included in the current generated coverage for this county.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 12 of 12 matching schools

Chester Senior High

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Town: Distant

Record9–12High754 students

Chester Middle

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle517 students

Lewisville Elementary

Chester 01

Richburg, 29729 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–4Primary510 students

Lewisville High

Chester 01

Richburg, 29729 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High416 students

Lewisville Middle

Chester 01

Richburg, 29729 / Rural: Distant

Record5–8Middle416 students

Chester Park School Elementary of Inquiry

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary409 students

Great Falls High

Chester 01

Great Falls, 29055 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High386 students

Chester Park Elementary School for the Arts

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary360 students

Great Falls Elementary

Chester 01

Great Falls, 29055 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary348 students

Academy for Teaching and Learning

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–8Charter328 students

Chester Park Elementary School of Literacy and Technology

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary323 students

Chester County Career Center

Chester 01

Chester, 29706 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,311

State avg $7,165

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Chester County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which South Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?
Lee County (92.0%), Darlington County (91.1%), and Dorchester County (91.1%) currently lead South Carolina among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in South Carolina?
Across South Carolina counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $7,165. The highest current county values are Fairfield County ($11,084), Richland County ($10,146), and McCormick County ($8,932). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Chester County?
Chester County has a school score of 19/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Chester County?
The high school graduation rate in Chester County is 83.0%, which is below the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Chester County spend per student?
Chester County spends $6,311 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Chester County, South Carolina — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Chester County, South Carolina?

Chester County maintains a focused network of 12 public schools serving 4,767 students. This infrastructure includes six elementary schools and four high schools under a single district.

How do schools in Chester County perform academically?

Chester County reports an 83.0% graduation rate, slightly below the state average of 84.2%. Educational investment stands at $6,311 per pupil, which is below the state median of $7,165.

What are the major school districts in Chester County, South Carolina?

The Chester 01 district oversees all 12 schools and 4,767 students within the county. One charter school operates here, providing residents with alternative educational pathways.

What is the school experience like in Chester County?

The majority of schools are in rural locales, contributing to an average school size of 433 students. Chester Senior High is the largest school with 754 students, while Lewisville Elementary serves 510.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.