The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in English language arts. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on The South Carolina Preparatory Academy
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy is a public charter school in Anderson serving grades six through twelve. As a charter school, it operates with some autonomy under the oversight of the Charter Institute at Erskine, a statewide authorizer, and families choose to enroll rather than being assigned by a residential boundary. The school is located on East Greenville Street in Anderson, a city that sits on the I-85 corridor between Atlanta and Charlotte and serves as the county seat, with a manufacturing-heavy economy and the presence of Anderson University.
On state assessments, performance varies by subject and grade level, and the overall picture is one where English language arts outcomes are solidly in the middle range while math and science results are areas where a parent may want to look into this further with the school. In math, proficiency rates drop across the middle grades, with sixth grade showing a modest share of students meeting the bar and seventh and eighth grade rates notably lower. English language arts results are stronger: roughly two out of five students in sixth grade scored at proficient or above, and the rates hold in the mid-thirties for seventh and eighth graders, which positions the school around the middle range compared to state averages. Science data is limited to a single sixth-grade year, where fewer than one in five students were proficient, though this is a thin data point and may not reflect the full program.
The student body is predominantly white and Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students and a few other racial groups. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. Enrollment by grade shows the school growing from a small sixth-grade cohort to a larger upper school, with the biggest numbers in ninth and tenth grades, then a gradual decline through eleventh and twelfth. This pattern is common in secondary schools where some students leave after tenth grade, but the school’s retention through graduation is not something we can assess from available data. We looked for a graduation rate and for program offerings such as Advanced Placement, dual credit, or career pathways, but neither was reported in the data we have. A parent should ask the school directly about its graduation outcomes and what academic or career-oriented programs are available for high school students.
Housing in the area around the school is roughly in line with the broader region. Home values are a bit higher than the typical South Carolina home but still below the national median, and rents appear consistent with what is typical for the Upstate. Anderson itself offers the amenities of a mid-sized city with a historic downtown, a university, and a growing manufacturing sector, but the built environment is largely car-oriented except for the downtown core. The school’s location on a commercial corridor means it is accessible by car, and the city operates a bus system that may serve some families.
The Charter Institute at Erskine, which authorizes this school, has grown significantly and now sponsors a large number of charter schools across the state. A recent state legislative audit examined its oversight and operations, which could lead to changes in how schools under this authorizer are governed. For a family considering this school, the audit adds a layer of context about the district-level environment, but the school’s day-to-day operation would not necessarily be affected directly.
The South Carolina Preparatory Academy is a mid-sized charter secondary school with a diverse and economically mixed student body. Its academic strengths appear to lie in English language arts, while math and science proficiency are weaker and worth investigating. The lack of reported data on graduation rates and high school programs means that a family evaluating this school for the upper grades will need to gather additional information from the school itself to get a full picture of the academic pathway and outcomes.
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