schoolsbycounty

McCormick County Schools & Education

School Score

40/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

74.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

74.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 84.2%

Per-Pupil Spending

$8,932

National avg $13,239

State avg $7,165

School Score

40/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 33/100

State Score Position

#16

of 46 counties by score

Education Data Brief: McCormick County

Measured School Summary

McCormick County has midrange measured school signals (score: 40/100) with a graduation rate of 74.0%, which warrants review in official state and district records.

Funding Context

McCormick County spends $8,932 per student, which is on the lower end of adequate and may require careful resource allocation to maintain quality.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 22% above the South Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 10.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 25% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read McCormick 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

4 public schools and 2 districts 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

40/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #16 of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data.

Completion

74.0%

10.2 pts below the state average

Funding context

$8,932

$1,767 above the state average

School coverage

4

2 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

McCormick County has 4 public schools across 2 districts, 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 McCormick 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.

Small-system county

McCormick County has a compact public-school footprint. A single school change, boundary rule, or district update can move the lived experience more than the county score suggests.

State position

#16

of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points above 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.

McCormick 01

Elementary to high school visible

582 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe Scho

High school only in this slice

75 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

McCormick 01 is the largest listed district slice, with 3 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 McCormick County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different McCormick County district systems?

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

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

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

Education Overview

About Schools in McCormick 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.

An Intimate and Specialized School Landscape

McCormick County features one of the smallest and most specialized school systems in the state, with just four public schools serving 657 students. The infrastructure includes one elementary, one middle, and two high schools. Despite the small student body, two separate districts operate here, including a specialized agricultural governor's school.

General Education and Specialized Agriculture

The McCormick 01 district serves the majority of students with three schools and 582 enrolled. The county is also home to the SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, a unique single-school district serving 75 students. No charter schools exist in the county, as the specialized needs of the region are met by these two distinct public districts.

Small-Scale Learning in Rural Settings

Education in McCormick is entirely rural, with all four schools located in quiet, countryside settings. The average school size is remarkably small at just 164 students, providing a level of individual attention rarely seen in larger counties. McCormick Elementary is the largest campus with 241 students, while the Governor's School for Agriculture offers a highly focused environment with only 75 students.

School Overview

Total Schools

4

in McCormick County

Reported Enrollment

657

4 schools reporting

School Districts

2

districts

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary1
Middle1
High2
Other0

2 School Districts in McCormick County

McCormick 01

3 schools
582 students

SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe Scho

1 school
75 students

4 Public Schools in McCormick 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 4 of 4 matching schools

McCormick Elementary

McCormick 01

McCormick, 29835 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary241 students

McCormick High

McCormick 01

McCormick, 29835 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High188 students

McCormick Middle

McCormick 01

McCormick, 29835 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle153 students

SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe

SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe Scho

McCormick, 29835 / Rural: Remote

Record10–12High75 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$8,932

State avg $7,165

Compare Nearby Counties

Review McCormick 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.

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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 McCormick County?
McCormick County has a school score of 40/100, which is a midrange 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 McCormick County?
The high school graduation rate in McCormick County is 74.0%, 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 McCormick County spend per student?
McCormick County spends $8,932 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 McCormick County, South Carolina — FAQ

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

McCormick County features one of the smallest and most specialized school systems in the state, with just four public schools serving 657 students. The infrastructure includes one elementary, one middle, and two high schools. Despite the small student body, two separate districts operate here, including a specialized agricultural governor's school.

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

The McCormick 01 district serves the majority of students with three schools and 582 enrolled. The county is also home to the SC Governor's School for Agriculture at John de la Howe, a unique single-school district serving 75 students. No charter schools exist in the county, as the specialized needs of the region are met by these two distinct public districts.

What is the school experience like in McCormick County?

Education in McCormick is entirely rural, with all four schools located in quiet, countryside settings. The average school size is remarkably small at just 164 students, providing a level of individual attention rarely seen in larger counties. McCormick Elementary is the largest campus with 241 students, while the Governor's School for Agriculture offers a highly focused environment with only 75 students.

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.