Charleston County
Charleston County
Charleston County, located in South Carolina, forms the heart of the Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area. Established in 1769, the county boasts a rich historical legacy, deeply tied to the early Colonial era and the cultural charm of the Lowcountry. County has experienced significant growth, driven by its vibrant economy, historical landmarks, and thriving tourism industry. Known for iconic sites such as the Charleston Historic District, Fort Sumter, and pristine beaches, the county seamlessly blends modern development with its storied past, making it a hub for culture, commerce, and coastal living.
Municipalities
Charleston County is an incubator for entrepreneurial invention; it’s the place where incredible vision is conceptualized; the very spot ideas turn into investments. Fueled by a talented workforce, strategic coastal location, and enviable quality of life, it comes as no surprise why people from around the world choose Charleston County.
Economic Development
Key Industries and Workforce Development
Charleston County serves as a hub for industries such as aerospace, automotive, life sciences, IT, and advanced manufacturing. Global companies like Boeing, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo thrive in the region, supported by a skilled workforce and tailored training programs through institutions like Trident Technical College. Workforce development programs, including readySC, ensure businesses have access to well-trained talent, fueling Charleston’s economic growth and competitiveness in global markets.
Business-Friendly Initiatives and Strategic Growth
Charleston County offers a pro-business environment with competitive incentives, tax credits, and workforce training opportunities for companies looking to expand or relocate. The region’s strategic growth is strengthened by its port infrastructure, modern industrial parks, and robust transportation networks. Coupled with access to international markets via the Port of Charleston, these initiatives make Charleston an attractive destination for businesses and industries seeking sustainable growth and innovation.
Charleston County School District
School Name | Format |
|---|---|
| Daniel Jenkins Academy | Alternative High |
| Septima P. Clark Corporate Academy | Alternative High |
| Turning Point Academy | Alternative High |
| Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies | Career & Tech |
| East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies | Career & Tech |
| West Ashley Center for Advanced Studies | Career & Tech |
| Carolina Voyager Charter School | Charter Elementary |
| Charleston Development Academy | Charter Elementary |
| East Cooper Montessori Charter School | Charter Elementary |
| Orange Grove Charter School | Charter Elementary |
| Allegro Charter School | Charter High |
| Charleston Charter for Math and Science | Charter High |
| Greg Mathis Charter School | Charter High |
| James Island Charter High School | Charter High |
| Allegro Charter School | Charter Middle |
| Carolina Voyager Charter School | Charter Middle |
| Charleston Charter School for Math and Science | Charter Middle |
| Charleston Development Academy | Charter Middle |
| East Cooper Montessori Charter School | Charter Middle |
| Orange Grove Charter School | Charter Middle |
| St. James-Santee Elementary-Middle School | Combined |
| St. James-Santee Middle School | Combined Elementary/Middle |
| Baptist Hill Middle/High School | Combined Middle/High |
| Military Magnet Academy | Combined Middle/High |
| Baptist Hill Middle High School | Combined Middle/High |
| Military Magnet Academy | Combined Middle/High |
| Mary Ford Early Learning and Family Center | Early Learning |
| A.C. Corcoran Elementary School | Elementary |
| Angel Oak Elementary School | Elementary |
| Ashley River Creative Arts Elementary School | Elementary |
| Belle Hall Elementary School | Elementary |
| Buist Academy | Elementary |
| Carolina Park Elementary School | Elementary |
| Charles Pinckney Elementary School | Elementary |
| Charleston Progressive Academy | Elementary |
| Chicora Elementary School | Elementary |
| Drayton Hall Elementary School | Elementary |
| E.B. Ellington Elementary School | Elementary |
| Edith L. Frierson Elementary School | Elementary |
| Harbor View Elementary School | Elementary |
| Hunley Park Elementary School | Elementary |
| James B. Edwards Elementary School | Elementary |
| James Island Elementary School | Elementary |
| Jane Edwards Elementary School | Elementary |
| Jennie Moore Elementary School | Elementary |
| Julian Mitchell Elementary School | Elementary |
| Ladson Elementary School | Elementary |
| Lambs Elementary School | Elementary |
| Laurel Hill Primary School | Elementary |
| Mamie Whitesides Elementary School | Elementary |
| Matilda Dunston Elementary School | Elementary |
| Memminger Elementary School | Elementary |
| Midland Park Primary School | Elementary |
| Minnie Hughes Elementary School | Elementary |
| Mount Pleasant Academy | Elementary |
| Mt. Zion Elementary School | Elementary |
| North Charleston Creative Arts Elementary School | Elementary |
| North Charleston Elementary School | Elementary |
| Oakland Elementary School | Elementary |
| Pepperhill Elementary School | Elementary |
| Pinehurst Elementary School | Elementary |
| Sanders-Clyde Elementary School | Elementary |
| Springfield Elementary School | Elementary |
| St. Andrew's School of Math and Science | Elementary |
| Stiles Point Elementary School | Elementary |
| Stono Park Elementary School | Elementary |
| Sullivan's Island Elementary School | Elementary |
| W.B. Goodwin Elementary School | Elementary |
| Academic Magnet High School | High |
| Burke High School | High |
| Charleston County School of the Arts | High |
| Early College High School | High |
| Lucy G. Beckham High School | High |
| North Charleston High School | High |
| R.B. Stall High School | High |
| St. John's High School | High |
| Wando High School | High |
| West Ashley High School | High |
| Buist Academy | Middle |
| Camp Road Middle School | Middle |
| C.E. Williams Middle School | Middle |
| Charleston School of the Arts | Middle |
| Deer Park Middle School | Middle |
| Haut Gap Middle School | Middle |
| Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science | Middle |
| Laing Middle School | Middle |
| Meeting Street @ Brentwood | Middle |
| Morningside Middle School | Middle |
| Moultrie Middle School | Middle |
| Northwoods Middle School | Middle |
| Simmons Pinckney Middle School | Middle |
| Thomas C. Cario Middle School | Middle |
| Montessori Community School of Charleston | Montessori |
| James Simons Montessori School | Montessori Elementary |
| Malcolm C. Hursey Montessori School | Montessori Elementary |
| Murray-LaSaine Montessori School | Montessori Elementary |
| James Simons Montessori School | Montessori Middle |
| Malcolm C. Hursey Montessori School | Montessori Middle |
| Murray-LaSaine Montessori School | Montessori Middle |
| Pattison's Academy for Comprehensive Education | Special Needs |
Public Library
Bees Ferry West Ashley Library
3035 Sanders Road, Charleston, SC, US, 29414
Ph: 843-805-6892
Main Library
68 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC, US, 29401
Ph: 843-805-6930
Baxter-Patrick James Island
1858 S Grimball Rd, Charleston, SC, US, 29412
Ph: 843-795-6679
John L. Dart Library
1067 King St, Charleston, SC, US, 29403
Ph: 843-722-7550
Dorchester Road Library
6325 Dorchester Road , North Charleston, SC, US, 29418
Ph: 843-552-6466
Edgar Allan Poe/Sullivan’s Island Library
1921 I’On Avenue, Sullivan’s Island, SC, US, 29482
Phone: 843-883-3914
Edisto Island Library
1589 Highway 174, Edisto Island, SC, US, 29438
Ph: 843-869-2355
Folly Beach Library
55 Center Street , Folly Beach, SC, US, 29439
Ph: 843-588-2001
Hurd/St. Andrews Library
1735 N. Woodmere Drive, Charleston, SC, US, 29407
Ph: 843-766-2546
John’s Island Library
3531 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC, US, 29455
Ph: 843-559-1945
Keith Summey North Charleston Library
3503 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston, SC, US, 29405
Ph: 843-744-2489
McClellanville Library
222 Baker Street, McClellanville, SC, US, 29458
Ph: 843-887-3699
Mt. Pleasant Library
1133 Mathis Ferry Road, Mount Pleasant, SC, US, 29464
Ph: 843-849-6161
Otranto Road Library
2261 Otranto Road, North Charleston, SC, US, 29406
Ph: 843-572-4094
St. Paul’s/Hollywood Library
5130 HWY 165, Hollywood, SC, US, 29449
Ph: 843-889-3300
Village Library
430 Whilden Street, Mount Pleasant, SC, US, 29464
Ph: 843-884-9741
Wando Mount Pleasant Library
1400 Carolina Park Boulevard, Mount Pleasant, SC, US, 29466
Ph: 843-805-6888
West Ashley Library
45 Windermere Blvd., Charleston, SC, US, 29407
Ph: 843-766-6635
| Name | Address | City | Zip | Phone | Grade Span | Country | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Faith Christian School |
337 Farmington Road |
Summerville |
29486 |
843-873-8464 |
K3-12 |
Berkeley County |
Berkeley |
|
St. John’s Christian Academy |
204 West Main Street |
Moncks Corner |
29461 |
843-761-8539 |
K3-12 |
Berkeley County |
Berkeley |
|
St. Timothy’s Children Center |
200 South Goose Creek Blvd. |
Goose Creek |
29445 |
843-553-7175 |
K5 |
Berkeley County |
Berkeley |
|
Addlestone Hebrew Academy
|
Charleston
|
29407
|
843-571-1105
|
12 mo – 8th grade
|
12 mo – 8th grade
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Adventist Christian Academy of Charleston
|
2518 Savannah Hwy.
|
Charleston
|
29414
|
843-571-7519
|
1-8
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Ashley Hall
|
172 Rutledge Avenue
|
Charleston
|
29403
|
843-722-4088
|
age 2 – 12th grade
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Charles Towne Montessori
|
56 Leinbach Drive
|
Charleston
|
29407
|
843-571-1140
|
15 mo – 12 years
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Coastal Christian Preparatory School
|
681 McCants Drive
|
Mt. Pleasant
|
29464
|
843-884-3663
|
K-8
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston |
|
First Baptist School of Charleston
|
48 Meeting Street
|
Charleston
|
29401
|
843-722-6646
|
K2-12
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Harvest Time International Academy
|
227 Huger Street
|
Charleston
|
29403
|
843-647-5911
|
K-12
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
James Island Christian School
|
15 Crosscreek Drive
|
Charleston
|
29412
|
843-795-1762
|
K-8
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Little School at Grace Church
|
98 Wentworth Street
|
Charleston
|
29401
|
843-345-0907
|
K5
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Northside Christian School
|
7800 Northside Drive
|
N. Charleston
|
29420
|
843-797-2690
|
K5-12
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Owens Christian Academy
|
3377 Ridgeway Street
|
N. Charleston
|
29405
|
843-744-5087
|
K-1st
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Palmetto Christian Academy
|
361 Egypt Road
|
Mt. Pleasant
|
29466
|
843-881-9967
|
K-12
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Porter-Gaud School
|
300 Albemarle Road
|
Charleston
|
29407
|
843-402-4773
|
1-12
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Sundrops Montessori School
|
955 Houston Northcutt Blvd
|
Mt. Pleasant
|
29464
|
843-849-3652
|
K5-9
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
The Academy of El-Shaddai: Primary
|
4708 Durant Avenue
|
N. Charleston
|
29405
|
843-225-2337
|
1st
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
The Cooper School
|
13 Oakdale Place
|
Charleston
|
29407
|
843-573-1033
|
K-8
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
The O’Quinn School of Porter-Gaud
|
1567 Harbor View Road
|
Charleston
|
29412
|
843-795-6708
|
K5
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
The O’Quinn School of Porter-Gaud
|
761 South Shelmore Blvd.
|
Mt. Pleasant
|
29464
|
843-881-8506
|
2’s – K5
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Trident Academy
|
1455 Wakendaw Road
|
Mt. Pleasant
|
29464
|
843-884-7046
|
K-12
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston
|
|
Trinity Montessori Christian School
|
1293 Orange Grove Road
|
Charleston
|
29407
|
843-556-6686
|
Infant – 6th grade
|
Charleston County
|
Charleston |
|
Bethany Child Development Center |
118 W. Third South Street |
Summerville |
29483 |
843-821-1946 |
2 yo – K5 |
Dorchester County |
Dorchester 02 |
|
Charis Academy |
301 E. Richardson Avenue |
Summerville |
29483 |
843-252-0432 |
6-12 |
Dorchester County |
Dorchester 02 |
|
Pinewood Preparatory School |
1114 Orangeburg Road |
Summerville |
29483 |
843-873-1643 |
PreK3-12 |
Dorchester County |
Dorchester 02 |
|
Trinity Classical Academy |
111 Waring Street |
Summerville |
29483 |
843-327-7444 |
K-8 |
Dorchester County |
Dorchester 02 |
|
Dorchester Academy Inc. |
234 Academy Road |
St. George |
29477 |
843-563-9511 |
K12 |
Dorchester County |
Dorchester 04 |
School Report Cards
They also publish yearly School and District Report Cards. “Not to be confused with student report cards, these Report Cards provide information about each school and district, including test performance, teacher qualifications, student safety, awards, parent involvement and much more.”
School Attendance Zones
Public schools have attendance zones, or school attendance boundaries. “School district administrators create attendance areas to help organize and plan district-wide services, and districts may adjust individual school boundaries to help balance the capacity of local schools with changes in the local school-age population.” National Center for Education Statistics
Many new home buyers consult school attendance zone maps and school report cards before they choose a home.
Berkeley Country School District:
Charleston County School District:
Dorchester School District Two:
Learn More and by Subdivision
Dorchester School District Four:
Family Resources
The district websites are rich sources of information for new families. They include important topics like student registration, the academic calendar, the bell schedule, and multilingual student support. Each website has special pages for family resources:
Transportation - School Buses
The school district websites also explain the free school bus transportation that is available for your neighborhood. That includes the bus stops in your neighborhood. Parents are not required to use school buses for their children, they are not mandatory, but they are a free service that students are provided regardless of citizenship or visa status. They are available to all children in South Carolina who live more than 1.5 miles from school per South Carolina Title 59 – Education, Chapter 67, Transportation of Pupils; School Buses, Article 3.
Private Schools
Private schools are also listed on the SCDE website:
From this page, click “Directory Exports” for the spreadsheet titled, “Private Schools Listing.” Private schools in the Charleston-metro area are listed below. Unlike public schools, students must apply to be accepted into private schools. They charge tuition fees, often have a dress code that includes required uniforms, and transportation is usually provided by parents or guardians. The Charleston-metro area has several excellent private schools from which to choose. Some are single-gender only, refer to their websites for additional eligibility and admission information.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools funded by taxpayers so usually do not have tuition fees. They are sometimes known for special academic emphases. They are also listed by the SCDE website by district under the heading, “Charter.” In the Charleston-metro area, currently only the Charleston County School District offers charter school options. They are:
International Baccalaureate® Programs
“The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.”
The Charleston-metro area has three IB schools, one for each level. Please see the list below. Families sometimes choose the IB diploma because it is accepted in other countries as a university entrance qualification when school-issued diplomas are not. In Germany, for example, an IB diploma is accepted as a qualification to begin study at a German university, thus avoiding additional preparatory courses at Studienkollegs or Arbitur examinations that are required for students who apply from the United States.
Three IB Schools
Memminger Elementary School
(Primary Years Programme)
Buist Academy for Advanced Studies
(Middle Years Programme)
James Island Charter High School
(Diploma Programme)
