East Point Academy, 1043 Chris Drive SC

Original Research by School Decision on East Point Academy

East Point Academy is a public charter school serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. It operates as one school within the South Carolina Public Charter School District, which is a statewide authorizer rather than a traditional geographic district. The school sits on a dedicated campus in West Columbia, a suburban area classified as a large suburb within the greater Columbia metropolitan region. No recent district-level policy or funding changes were identified in publicly available materials; the charter district’s role as an authorizer means local decision-making largely resides at the school level.

State assessment results show a clear pattern: English language arts is a pronounced strength. Across grades three through eight, the share of students scoring proficient or above on the SC Ready exam is consistently high, with all grades meeting or exceeding roughly seven in ten students, and several grades reaching above eight in ten. In math the picture is more uneven. Third graders perform at a similarly high level, but fifth-grade math proficiency drops well below half, while sixth through eighth graders land closer to the midpoint. A parent considering this school should ask about math instruction, particularly how the school supports students in the transition between elementary and middle grades. Science results, available for fourth and sixth grades, show a solid majority of students at proficiency, though the state changed the science assessment in recent years, making direct comparisons difficult. Social studies data is older, from before the pandemic, and not current enough to rely on.

Compared with other districts in Lexington County, East Point Academy’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quarter. That comparison is based on the school’s results rather than on district-level averages because the school is its own reporting entity within the charter district.

Enrollment is moderate for its grade band. More than two in five students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which is a substantial share and suggests economic diversity. The student body is majority white, with about three in ten Black students, one in eight multiracial students, and smaller shares of Asian and Hispanic students. No data is available on the share of students with disabilities or English learners, so parents with children in those groups should reach out to the school directly for information.

The school serves no high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Civil rights data, chronic absenteeism figures, and staffing ratios were also absent from the available records. Without those, a parent cannot fully assess the school’s climate or staffing stability from this profile alone.

Housing in the area is priced below both the national and South Carolina median values, and rents have risen moderately. For a family living nearby, the school is a local option, not a magnet or a residential assignment from a traditional district. Its charter status means it operates with its own governance and enrollment process, typically through an application or lottery.

East Point Academy offers a reliable academic experience for students through eighth grade, with especially strong performance in reading and writing. The math dip in fifth grade is a specific point to investigate. Families whose children have disabilities or are learning English will need to gather information directly, as the available data does not speak to those supports.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 383%

School 83% · District 50% · ▲ 33 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Grade 469%

School 69% · District 44% · ▲ 24 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 19 pts above county median

Grade 528%

School 28% · District 36% · ▼ 8 pts below district

▼ 17 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Grade 650%

School 50% · District 35% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 14 pts above county median

Grade 747%

School 47% · District 32% · ▲ 15 pts above district

▲ 19 pts above state median · ▲ 18 pts above county median

Grade 849%

School 49% · District 24% · ▲ 25 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 381%

School 81% · District 59% · ▲ 22 pts above district

▲ 22 pts above state median · ▲ 21 pts above county median

Grade 480%

School 80% · District 60% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 13 pts above county median

Grade 571%

School 71% · District 58% · ▲ 13 pts above district

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 685%

School 85% · District 62% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 32 pts above state median · ▲ 26 pts above county median

Grade 784%

School 84% · District 64% · ▲ 20 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Grade 888%

School 88% · District 59% · ▲ 29 pts above district

▲ 35 pts above state median · ▲ 34 pts above county median

Science

Grade 465%

School 65% · District 43% · ▲ 23 pts above district

▲ 20 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 671%

School 71% · District 50% · ▲ 21 pts above district

▲ 27 pts above state median · ▲ 27 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 66% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 9 pts below county median

Grade 782%

School 82% · District 65% · ▲ 17 pts above district

▲ 17 pts above state median · ▲ 17 pts above county median

This schoolSC Public Charter School District, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income69%Higher-income87%18 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income63%Higher-income92%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income60%Higher-income82%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income83%Higher-income88%4 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income85%Higher-income83%2 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income77%Higher-income96%19 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income72%Higher-income89%17 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income49%Higher-income83%35 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income17%Higher-income39%22 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income52%Higher-income48%5 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income29%Higher-income63%34 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income32%Higher-income63%31 pp gap