Philip Simmons High

Q: Is Philip Simmons High a good school?

Philip Simmons High ranks 57 th of 235 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Philip Simmons High is a public high school in Charleston, South Carolina, serving 771 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Charleston 01 school district, which is ranked 37 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

Philip Simmons High has consistently ranked among the top 50 high schools in South Carolina, with a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance on End-of-Course (EOC) exams is generally above the district and state averages, particularly in English 1, English 2, and U.S. History and the Constitution. While the student population is predominantly White, the school has a higher percentage of African American and Hispanic students compared to the state average. Additionally, Philip Simmons High has relatively low rates of free and reduced lunch recipients and a low student-teacher ratio, suggesting a higher socioeconomic status and more individualized attention for students.

When comparing Philip Simmons High to nearby schools, some interesting patterns emerge. Charleston School of the Arts and Academic Magnet High consistently outperform Philip Simmons High on EOC exams, ranking among the top 10 high schools in the state. In contrast, Greg Mathis Charter High and North Charleston High have significantly lower performance on EOC exams and lower statewide rankings. The performance of other nearby schools, such as Military Magnet Academy and Oceanside Collegiate Academy, is more variable. These findings suggest that while Philip Simmons High is a strong-performing school overall, there are still areas for improvement, particularly in addressing the achievement gaps between different student subgroups.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3080 River Village Drive
Charleston, SC 29492

(843) 471-2960

District: Berkeley 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
57^th of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,345

Feeder schools for Philip Simmons High:

Elementary:	Cainhoy Elementary
	Daniel Island School
	Philip Simmons Elementary
Middle:	Philip Simmons Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 771

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.7%

African American:

23.0%

Hispanic:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 20.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Philip Simmons High ranks better than 75.7% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks first among 8 ranked high schools in the Berkeley 01 School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 65.91. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Philip Simmons High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Philip Simmons High has the largest high school student body size in the Berkeley 01 School District. (See more...)

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Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Philip Simmons High is $11,345. 4 high schools in the Berkeley 01 School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Philip Simmons High:

SchoolDigger ranks Philip Simmons High 57^th of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Philip Simmons High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Berkeley 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Berkeley 01 37^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Philip Simmons High

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Rank History for all students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2021	74.13	36^th	227	84.1%
2022	67.80	50^th	226	77.9%
2023	70.97	49^th	237	79.3%
2024	65.91	57^th	235	75.7%

See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	49.74	84^th	214	60.7%
2019	43.61	94^th	217	56.7%
2021	60.08	58^th	213	72.8%
2022	34.53	143^rd	220	35.0%
2023	34.53	146^th	226	35.4%
2024	23.68	185^th	229	19.2%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	48.22	91^st	210	56.7%
2019	60.68	60^th	213	71.8%
2021	72.14	37^th	213	82.6%
2022	65.30	55^th	220	75.0%
2023	70.42	53^rd	223	76.2%
2024	70.94	48^th	225	78.7%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2022	56.88	47^th	139	66.2%
2023	79.21	21^st	141	85.1%
2024	52.40	63^rd	145	56.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.52	46^th	156	70.5%
2024	53.25	104^th	157	33.8%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	65.18	44^th	213	79.3%
2019	58.75	58^th	218	73.4%
2021	74.37	30^th	215	86.0%
2022	69.04	45^th	224	79.9%
2023	69.13	47^th	229	79.5%
2024	62.94	61^st	228	73.2%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	56.07	61^st	183	66.7%
2019	53.31	66^th	184	64.1%
2021	52.33	66^th	178	62.9%
2022	36.74	117^th	190	38.4%
2023	37.81	116^th	199	41.7%
2024	25.41	161^st	194	17.0%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for White students at Philip Simmons High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	68.01	40^th	185	78.4%
2019	70.49	27^th	191	85.9%
2021	78.70	23^rd	189	87.8%
2022	69.71	43^rd	192	77.6%
2023	77.06	36^th	197	81.7%
2024	72.42	43^rd	196	78.1%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Philip Simmons High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2018	110	88	3	10	0	6	217
2019	218	128	6	20	0	18	390
2020	324	170	7	24	0	20	545
2021	407	183	6	31	1	20	648
2022	485	169	5	41	1	30	731
2023	522	177	7	37	1	27	771

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Philip Simmons High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	217	21.5	10.0	41
2019	390	32.0	12.1	30.3
2020	545	44.0	12.3	28.4
2021	648	48.0	13.5	20.4
2022	731	50.2	14.5	21.8
2023	771	53.2	14.4	20.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Philip Simmons High

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	217	21.5	10.0	41
2019	390	32.0	12.1	30.3
2020	545	44.0	12.3	28.4
2021	648	48.0	13.5	20.4
2022	731	50.2	14.5	21.8
2023	771	53.2	14.4	20.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Philip Simmons High

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$522 (3.3%)	$118 (0.7%)	$641 (4.1%)	$13,060 (82.6%)	$2,108 (13.3%)	$15,168 (95.9%)	$15,809
2020	$161 (1.1%)	$43 (0.3%)	$204 (1.4%)	$12,595 (84.9%)	$2,036 (13.7%)	$14,631 (98.6%)	$14,835
2021	$197 (2.1%)	$108 (1.1%)	$305 (3.2%)	$8,487 (89.9%)	$647 (6.9%)	$9,134 (96.8%)	$9,439
2022	$347 (3.1%)	$410 (3.6%)	$757 (6.7%)	$9,166 (81.0%)	$1,398 (12.3%)	$10,564 (93.3%)	$11,321
2023	$517 (4.6%)	$578 (5.1%)	$1,095 (9.7%)	$8,738 (77.0%)	$1,512 (13.3%)	$10,250 (90.3%)	$11,345

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Philip Simmons High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Philip Simmons High)	65.3	60.5	4.8%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Berkeley 01)	62.3	60.4	1.9%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)	68.6	68.3	0.3%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Philip Simmons High)	79.1	67	12.1%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Berkeley 01)	69.3	57.8	11.5%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)	67.2	59.1	8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Philip Simmons High)	75.7	90.1	14.4%
End of Course English 1 (Berkeley 01)	78.9	83.5	4.6%
End of Course English 1 (South Carolina)	78.9	84	5.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	390	771	97.7%
African American	128	177	38.3%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	6	7	16.7%
Hispanic	20	37	85%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	218	522	139.4%
Two or More Races	18	27	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	30.3%	20.6%	9.6%

Schools Near Philip Simmons High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)			SC READY Mathematics (2024)			EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2024)	EOCEP English 1 (2024)	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution (2024)	EOCEP English 2 (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	EOCEP English 1 End of Course	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution End of Course	EOCEP English 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Philip Simmons High	Public	9-12	3080 River Village Drive	Charleston	29492	Berkeley County	Berkeley 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 471-2960	771	53	14.4	20.6%	522 (67.7%)	177 (23.0%)	37 (4.8%)	7 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.5%)	65.9	57^th of 235 public high schools	75.7%		71	49^th of 237 public high schools	79.3%	8							58.6	76.9	76.2	87.7	$11,345	$517	$578	$1,095	$8,738	$1,512	$10,250
Oceanside Collegiate Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	580 Faison Road	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charter Institute at Erskine	Yes	No	No	No	(843) 936-7128	651	23	27.9	3.2%	551 (84.6%)	36 (5.5%)	37 (5.7%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.5%)	91.8	10^th of 235 public high schools	95.7%		94.2	6^th of 237 public high schools	97.5%	4							92.4	92.6	87.7	99.4
East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies	Public	9-12	900 Warrior Way	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 856-5800	0	23	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Wando High	Public	9-12	1000 Warrior Way	Mount Pleasant	29466	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 881-8200	2,596	153	17.0	19.4%	2,087 (80.4%)	269 (10.4%)	102 (3.9%)	51 (2.0%)	3 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	83 (3.2%)	86.8	15^th of 235 public high schools	93.6%		88	16^th of 237 public high schools	93.2%	1							87.8	85.6	82.6	96.5	$12,370	$707	$677	$1,384	$8,732	$2,254	$10,986
Lucy Garrett Beckham High	Public	9-12	1560 Mathis Ferry Road	Mount Pleasant	29464	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 856-6790	1,673	93	17.9	20.3%	1,378 (82.4%)	156 (9.3%)	62 (3.7%)	19 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	55 (3.3%)	84.8	21^st of 235 public high schools	91.1%		83.4	21^st of 237 public high schools	91.1%								83.8	88.2	84.5	96.0
Cooper River Center for Advanced Studies	Public	9-12	1088 East Montague Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 953-3231	0	12	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
North Charleston High	Public	9-12	1087 East Montague Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 745-7140	768	89	8.6	100.0%	26 (3.4%)	573 (74.6%)	151 (19.7%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.1%)	2.6	233^rd of 235 public high schools	0.9%		2.5	234^th of 237 public high schools	1.3%	1							32.2	27.4	24.4	63.2	$17,300	$1,623	$1,066	$2,690	$11,072	$3,538	$14,610
Military Magnet Academy	Public, Magnet	6-12	2950 Carner Avenue	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	Yes	(843) 745-7102	428	42	10.1	100.0%	10 (2.3%)	274 (64.0%)	139 (32.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.9%)	28.2	170^th of 235 public high schools	27.7%		35.7	142^nd of 237 public high schools	40.1%	28	45.3	27.6	38.9	39.6	15.5	27.8	82.4	47.4	34.4	73.9	$26,553	$1,922	$1,996	$3,918	$17,700	$4,935	$22,635
Greg Mathis Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	2872 Azalea Drive	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	Yes	No	No	Yes	(843) 557-1611	58	6	9.6	100.0%	0 (0.0%)	56 (96.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.4%)	0.9	235^th of 235 public high schools	0.0%		0.9	236^th of 237 public high schools	0.4%	1								22.7		50.0	$27,906	$4,186	$3,394	$7,580	$11,292	$9,033	$20,326
Charleston School of the Arts	Public, Magnet	6-12	5109-B West Enterprise Street	North Charleston	29405	Charleston County	Charleston 01	No	Yes	No	No	(843) 529-4990	1,061	72	14.8	22.2%	731 (68.9%)	148 (13.9%)	82 (7.7%)	50 (4.7%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	46 (4.3%)	91.9	9^th of 235 public high schools	96.2%		91.7	9^th of 237 public high schools	96.2%		91.0	92.5	88.4	84.0	88.7	75.6	96.9	93.9	97.1	98.8	$16,269	$1,091	$976	$2,067	$10,639	$3,563	$14,202

Frequently Asked Questions about Philip Simmons High

Is Philip Simmons High a good school?

Philip Simmons High ranks 57^th of 235 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Philip Simmons High?

Philip Simmons High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Cainhoy Elementary
Elementary : Daniel Island School
Elementary : Philip Simmons Elementary
Middle : Philip Simmons Middle

What district is Philip Simmons High in?

Berkeley 01

What is the racial makeup of Philip Simmons High?

Students at Philip Simmons High are 68% White, 23% African American, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend Philip Simmons High?

In the 2022-23 school year, 771 students attended Philip Simmons High.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the South Carolina Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.