The top reported proficiency rate is 81% in English language arts. The lowest is 58% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Murray-lasaine Montessori
Murray-LaSaine Montessori is a public school on James Island in Charleston, serving preschool through eighth grade with a Montessori curriculum. That approach sets it apart from most schools in Charleston County: learning is self-directed, multi-age classrooms are the norm, and students move through lessons at their own pace. For a family drawn to that philosophy, this is one of the few public Montessori options in the area, and it covers a wide grade span under one roof, which can mean fewer transitions.
The school is small for a PK-8 building. Its enrollment is concentrated in the early and middle elementary grades, with notably smaller groups in sixth, seventh, and eighth. The student body is predominantly white, with a modest share of Black and Hispanic students and a smaller number of multiracial students. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, so the school draws from a mix of income levels but leans toward more affluent households given the area.
State test results are available only for grades three through five; results for older grades are suppressed because the tested groups are too small to report. In the grades where data exists, the picture is uneven. English language arts proficiency is high across third, fourth, and fifth grades, with most students meeting or exceeding state standards. This is a clear academic strength. Math proficiency is lower, especially in fifth grade, where fewer than half of students reached the proficient level. Fourth-grade science results sit between those two subjects. Because the school has only a single year of reported scores and the state changed cut scores for ELA and science that year, it is not possible to tell from this data whether performance is trending up or down. A parent may want to ask the school directly for multi-year patterns or classroom-level assessments.
The school does not serve high school, so there is no graduation rate. Students leaving after eighth grade move on to a high school within the Charleston 01 district. Which high school they attend depends on attendance zones or choice options; the data here does not specify the feeder pattern. No information was available about course offerings, advanced programs, arts, athletics, or after-school activities, so that is a gap a curious family would need to fill with a school visit.
The community context matters. The school sits in one of the most expensive housing markets in the state. Home values and rents in the surrounding zip code are notably above both the South Carolina median and the national median. For a family moving into the area, the cost of living will be high, and the school’s free-lunch share suggests that the neighborhood is not uniformly wealthy. The broader Charleston economy is anchored by tourism, the port, aerospace, and a growing tech sector, so job opportunities are diverse but competition for housing is intense. The city has publicly stated a goal of increasing affordable housing, though its effect on this particular neighborhood is not documented here.
The district itself, Charleston 01, is the larger entity overseeing this school. A search for recent district changes—referendums, curriculum shifts, boundary adjustments—turned up little of lasting parent-relevant information, so it would be wise to check the district website for current news or upcoming meetings.
What this school offers is a specific academic philosophy in a small setting with strong early literacy outcomes. The math results in the middle grades are worth a closer look, especially since the Montessori method sometimes produces different pacing in math. The lack of reported data for grades six through eight leaves a blind spot. Families who value a Montessori approach and want a PK-8 option within the Charleston public school system will find that here. Those who prioritize a school with a track record of high math proficiency or who want a wide array of extracurricular programs may find the picture incomplete and will want to investigate further.
See more original research from School Decision →