Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 19 schools in district

Waccamaw High

2412 Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, SC 29585Georgetown 01 →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
858
Students
Total enrolled
91%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
↑ 5% vs nat'l
$18,708
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 30% vs nat'l
15.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 29% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 858 students in grades 09–12 in Pawleys Island, South Carolina.
30% above average funding
District spends $18,708 per pupil, 30% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Waccamaw High is a large high in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, serving grades 09–12 with 858 students. The district invests $18,708 per student — 30% above the national average of $14,347, with a 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 35% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Waccamaw High

858
Total Students
15.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
35%
Free Lunch
54
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 Distribution451 male · 407 female
53%
47%
Male 53%Female 47%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility35%
National avg 52% · 303 students
Student Composition
75%
14%
Asian1%
White75%
Hispanic / Latino5%
Black14%
Multiracial4%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 450228001440

Academic Outcomes at Waccamaw High

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
91
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
91%
State avg
84%
National avg
87%
Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 11th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 29585

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$18,708Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$18,708
State avg
$17,188
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,232
Student Support$3,555
Administration$2,245
Operations$2,806
Other$1,871
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $18,708 spent per student, an estimated $8,288 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
39%
45%
State government
39.4%
Local (property tax)
45.1%
Federal programs
15.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 91% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Above-average funding — $18,708/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — 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
Andrews ElementaryKensington ElementaryWaccamaw ElementaryMaryville Elementary
+6 more
↓
Middle
Georgetown MiddleWaccamaw IntermediateRosemary MiddleWaccamaw Middle
+1 more
↓
High School
Georgetown HighAndrews HighCarvers Bay High
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyGeorgetown County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictGeorgetown 01 →
Phone: (843)237-9899
NCES ID: 450228001440
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Pawleys Island seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Georgetown 01
High
Georgetown High
940 students · 09–12
● 34 opp77% FRL
Mid
Georgetown Middle
712 students · 06–08
● 34 opp100% FRL
Elem
Andrews Elementary
684 students · PK–05
● 39 opp100% FRL
Elem
Kensington Elementary
555 students · PK–05
● 34 opp100% FRL
Elem
Waccamaw Elementary
519 students · PK–03
● 35 opp100% FRL
High
Andrews High
519 students · 09–12
● 39 opp100% FRL
Elem
Maryville Elementary
445 students · PK–05
● 34 opp100% FRL
Elem
McDonald Elementary
429 students · PK–05
● 34 opp100% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
2412 Kings River Road, Pawleys Island, SC 29585
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.