Dorchester County
Dorchester County
Dorchester County, located in South Carolina, is part of the Charleston-North Charleston metropolitan area, with close proximity to Charleston and Summerville. Established in 1897, the county has deep historical roots, dating back to early Colonial settlements. With a population of approximately 168,000 as of 2023, Dorchester County has experienced steady growth, driven by its rich heritage, strategic location, and thriving community.
Municipalities
“Located in the Charleston region of South Carolina, Dorchester County is one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, and for good reason. Discover what makes Dorchester County a premier business community.”
Economic Development
Dorchester County, South Carolina, offers a thriving environment for economic development, balancing its natural beauty with a strong focus on business and industrial growth.
Key Industries and Workforce Development
Dorchester County thrives as a hub for industries and hosts more than 80 companies, from Fortune 500 giants to local startups. These businesses span diverse industries, with many focusing on key market clusters such as Aerospace, Automotive, Bioscience, Distribution, and Marine.
Business-Friendly Initiatives and Strategic Growth
Dorchester County actively fosters a business-friendly environment through strategic initiatives designed to support and attract enterprises. These efforts include streamlined permitting processes, tax incentives, and infrastructure development, all aimed at promoting economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for residents. The county’s commitment to business development is evident in its comprehensive resources and support systems available to both new and existing businesses.
School District
| Name | Format | District |
|---|---|---|
| Alston-Bailey Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Beech Hill Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Dr. Eugene Sires Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Eagle Nest Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Flowertown Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Fort Dorchester Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Joseph R. Pye Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Knightsville Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Newington Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Oakbrook Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Sand Hill Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Spann Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Summerville Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| William M. Reeves, Jr. Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Clay Hill Elementary School | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Four |
| Harleyville Elementary School | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Four |
| Williams Memorial Elementary School | Elementary Schools | Dorchester School District Four |
| Alston Middle | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| DuBose Middle | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| East Edisto Middle | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Gregg Middle | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Oakbrook Middle | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| River Oaks Middle | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Rollings Middle School of the Arts | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Woodland Middle School | Middle Schools | Dorchester School District Four |
| Ashley Ridge High | High Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Fort Dorchester High | High Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Summerville High | High Schools | Dorchester School District Two |
| Woodland High School | High Schools | Dorchester School District Four |
| Adult Education | Program | Dorchester School District Two |
| RISE Academy | Program | Dorchester School District Two |
| Odyssey Educational Center | Program | Dorchester School District Four |
Public Library
Dorchester County Library on the Ashley River
2824 Bacons Bridge Rd
Summerville, SC 29485
Ph: 843-871-5075 ext.4
St. George
Jennie J. McMahan Library
506 N Parler Ave
St. George, SC 29477
Ph: 843-563-9189 ext.1
Summerville
George H. Seago, Jr Library
76 Old Trolley Rd
Summerville, SC 29485
Ph: 843-871-5075 ext. 2
North Charleston Library
8620 Patriot Blvd
North Charleston, SC 29420
Ph: 843-871-5075 ext. 3
Dorchester County Important Links
| 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)
