Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 46 schools in district

Philip Simmons High

3080 River Village Drive, Charleston, SC 29492Berkeley 01 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
771
Students
Total enrolled
$13,148
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 8% vs nat'l
14.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 6% vs nat'l
34/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 32% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 771 students in grades 09–12 in Charleston, South Carolina.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,148 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 34th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Philip Simmons High is a large high in Charleston, South Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 771 students. The district invests $13,148 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 21% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 34/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Philip Simmons High

771
Total Students
14.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
21%
Free Lunch
53
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution407 male · 364 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility21%
National avg 52% · 159 students
Student Composition
68%
23%
Asian1%
White68%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Black23%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450117001681

Academic Outcomes at Philip Simmons High

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
34
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 34th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 8th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29492

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,148Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,148
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,785
Student Support$2,498
Administration$1,578
Operations$1,972
Other$1,315
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,148 spent per student, an estimated $5,825 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
43%
44%
State government
43.0%
Local (property tax)
43.7%
Federal programs
13.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 21% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (34/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Cane Bay ElementaryDaniel Island SchoolWhitesville ElementaryFoxbank Elementary
+13 more
↓
Middle
Cane Bay MiddleBerkeley MiddleSedgefield MiddleWestview Middle
+3 more
↓
High School
Stratford HighCane Bay HighGoose Creek HighBerkeley High
+2 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyBerkeley County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBerkeley 01 →
Phone: (843)471-2960
NCES ID: 450117001681
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Charleston seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Berkeley 01
High
Stratford High
2,653 students · 09–12
● 41 opp42% FRL
High
Cane Bay High
2,158 students · 09–12
● 37 opp28% FRL
High
Goose Creek High
1,981 students · 09–12
● 41 opp52% FRL
High
Berkeley High
1,776 students · 09–12
● 35 opp50% FRL
Mid
Cane Bay Middle
1,487 students · 05–08
● 37 opp29% FRL
Mid
Berkeley Middle
1,403 students · 06–08
● 35 opp57% FRL
Elem
Cane Bay Elementary
1,263 students · PK–04
● 37 opp29% FRL
Elem
Daniel Island School
1,170 students · PK–08
● 34 opp4% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3080 River Village Drive, Charleston, SC 29492
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.