Sumter County Schools & Education
Sumter County, South Carolina
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
14/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
81.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
81.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 84.2%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,096
National avg $13,239
State avg $7,165
School Score
14/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 33/100
State Score Position
#45
of 46 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Sumter County
Measured School Summary
Sumter County faces educational challenges with a school score of 14/100 and a graduation rate of 81.0%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,096 per pupil, Sumter County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 57% below the South Carolina average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 3.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 15% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Sumter 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
27 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
14/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #45 of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data.
Completion
81.0%
3.2 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,096
$1,069 below the state average
School coverage
27
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
Sumter County has 27 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.
What Sumter 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
Sumter 01 carries most of the listed public-school system, with 25 of 27 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#45
of 46 South Carolina counties with school score data. The county score is 19 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.
Sumter 01
Elementary to high school visible
14,800 students
25 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Sumter 01 is the largest listed district slice, with 25 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 Sumter 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 Sumter 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.
City-Centered Learning in Sumter
Sumter County manages 27 public schools that serve a total of 15,132 students within a single county-wide district. The system features a strong primary foundation with 16 elementary schools supported by 6 middle and 5 high schools.
Sumter 01 District Dynamics
The Sumter 01 district controls nearly all local education, overseeing 25 schools and 14,800 students. The county includes one charter school, representing roughly 3.7% of the total public education options available to residents.
A Blend of City and Rural Life
With 12 schools in city settings and 9 in rural areas, the county offers diverse learning environments. While the average school size is 582, Sumter High School stands out as a major regional hub with 2,289 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
27
in Sumter County
Reported Enrollment
15,132
27 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
1
4% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Sumter County
27 Public Schools in Sumter County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 27 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter High School | Profile | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29154City: Small | 9–12 | High | 2,289 |
| Crestwood High | Profile | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29153Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,100 |
| Lakewood High | Profile | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150Suburb: Small | 9–12 | High | 1,036 |
| Alice Drive Middle | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | 6–8 | Middle | 841 |
| Furman Middle | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29154Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 729 |
| Millwood Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 682 |
| Pocalla Springs Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29154Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 652 |
| Kingsbury Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29154City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 612 |
| Bates Middle | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | 6–8 | Middle | 569 |
| Alice Drive Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 560 |
| Willow Drive Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 551 |
| Cherryvale Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29154Suburb: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 534 |
| Oakland Primary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29154Suburb: Small | PK–1 | Primary | 524 |
| Crosswell Drive Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 460 |
| Shaw Heights Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Shaw Air Force Base, 29152Suburb: Small | 2–3 | Primary | 442 |
| High Hills Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Shaw Air Force Base, 29152Suburb: Small | 4–5 | Primary | 424 |
| Lemira Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 402 |
| Chestnut Oaks Middle | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29153Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 396 |
| Manchester Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Pinewood, 29125Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 383 |
| Wilder Elementary | Record | Sumter 01 | Sumter, 29150City: Small | PK–5 | Primary | 376 |
Sumter High School
Sumter 01
Sumter, 29154 / City: Small
Crestwood High
Sumter 01
Sumter, 29153 / Rural: Fringe
Lakewood High
Sumter 01
Sumter, 29150 / Suburb: Small
Shaw Heights Elementary
Sumter 01
Shaw Air Force Base, 29152 / Suburb: Small
High Hills Elementary
Sumter 01
Shaw Air Force Base, 29152 / Suburb: Small
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,096
State avg $7,165
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Sumter County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which South Carolina counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in South Carolina?
How should I read the school score in Sumter County?
What is the graduation rate in Sumter County?
How much does Sumter County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Sumter County, South Carolina — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Sumter County, South Carolina?
Sumter County manages 27 public schools that serve a total of 15,132 students within a single county-wide district. The system features a strong primary foundation with 16 elementary schools supported by 6 middle and 5 high schools.
What are the major school districts in Sumter County, South Carolina?
The Sumter 01 district controls nearly all local education, overseeing 25 schools and 14,800 students. The county includes one charter school, representing roughly 3.7% of the total public education options available to residents.
What is the school experience like in Sumter County?
With 12 schools in city settings and 9 in rural areas, the county offers diverse learning environments. While the average school size is 582, Sumter High School stands out as a major regional hub with 2,289 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
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.