Fort Dorchester High

Summary:

Fort Dorchester High is a public high school in North Charleston, South Carolina, serving 2,312 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Dorchester 02 school district, which is ranked 17 out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Fort Dorchester High consistently ranks among the top high schools in South Carolina, placing 68th out of 235 schools in the state for the 2023-2024 school year. The school has a diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 30.84% White, 41.65% African American, 16.05% Hispanic, 3.63% Asian, and 7.48% two or more races. Fort Dorchester High students outperform the state and district averages on End-of-Course (EOCEP) exams, with 86.53% of students proficient or better in Algebra 1/Mathematics, compared to 81.23% in the Dorchester 02 district and 72.5% statewide. The school also ranks in the top 20% of South Carolina high schools for African American, Hispanic, and English Language Learner students.

While Fort Dorchester High outperforms many nearby schools, it is interesting to note the differences in student demographics and academic outcomes. For example, Charleston School of the Arts and Academic Magnet High, both in the Charleston 01 district, have even higher academic rankings and test scores, but serve a student population that is less racially diverse than Fort Dorchester High. Additionally, Fort Dorchester High has a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 62.5% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, yet the school is still able to effectively support the academic achievement of these students.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 8500 Patriot Boulevard
       North Charleston, SC  29420


(843) 760-4450

District: Dorchester 02

SchoolDigger Rank:
68th of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,538 Help


Feeder schools for Fort Dorchester High:

Elementary:    Eagle Nest Elementary
    Fort Dorchester Elementary
    Joseph R. Pye Elementary
    Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary
Middle:    River Oaks Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  17.9 Help
Number of students:  2,312

Racial breakdown:

African American:
41.7%
White:
30.8%
Hispanic:
16.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  62.5% Help


 See top rated South Carolina high schools

 Compare Fort Dorchester High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Fort Dorchester High ranks better than 71.1% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked high schools in the Dorchester 02 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.27. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Fort Dorchester High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
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
Help
Compare Details Fort Dorchester High has the largest high school student body size in the Dorchester 02 School District.  (See more...)
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Fort Dorchester High is $10,538, which is the highest among 3 high schools in the Dorchester 02 School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Fort Dorchester High:

SchoolDigger ranks Fort Dorchester High 68th of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Fort Dorchester High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Disabled students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Dorchester 02:

SchoolDigger ranks Dorchester 02 17th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Fort Dorchester High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 74.59 26th 187 86.1%
2006 74.59 22nd 191 88.5%
2007 68.30 47th 191 75.4%
2008 72.74 50th 185 73.0%
2009 68.70 58th 188 69.1%
2010 69.95 54th 199 72.9%
2011 63.63 72nd 199 63.8%
2012 74.62 48th 202 76.2%
2013 70.51 57th 203 71.9%
2014 73.81 50th 210 76.2%
2015 61.18 57th 232 75.4%
2016 57.70 71st 231 69.3%
2017 55.58 64th 223 71.3%
2018 63.57 46th 216 78.7%
2019 60.94 50th 225 77.8%
2021 65.12 59th 227 74.0%
2022 60.15 67th 226 70.4%
2023 64.85 63rd 237 73.4%
2024 63.27 68th 235 71.1%
See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.02 1st 22 95.5%
2019 74.72 6th 23 73.9%
2021 70.88 10th 31 67.7%
2022 61.99 17th 48 64.6%
2023 81.26 8th 57 86.0%
2024 88.12 3rd 53 94.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 76.36 10th 58 82.8%
2019 79.96 10th 64 84.4%
2021 84.09 5th 46 89.1%
2022 80.48 7th 61 88.5%
2023 73.54 14th 68 79.4%
2024 76.77 13th 71 81.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.75 43rd 214 79.9%
2019 61.13 44th 217 79.7%
2021 63.74 51st 213 76.1%
2022 62.19 60th 220 72.7%
2023 63.45 59th 226 73.9%
2024 64.45 60th 229 73.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.75 35th 210 83.3%
2019 62.48 55th 213 74.2%
2021 63.29 66th 213 69.0%
2022 58.61 75th 220 65.9%
2023 64.39 68th 223 69.5%
2024 63.71 66th 225 70.7%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.32 53rd 137 61.3%
2019 63.35 44th 143 69.2%
2021 54.89 43rd 115 62.6%
2022 54.70 52nd 139 62.6%
2023 65.23 38th 141 73.0%
2024 59.16 54th 145 62.8%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.95 65th 156 58.3%
2024 66.34 59th 157 62.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 65.92 5th 15 66.7%
2024 66.16 3rd 15 80.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.51 58th 213 72.8%
2019 62.17 46th 218 78.9%
2021 65.42 53rd 215 75.3%
2022 61.58 61st 224 72.8%
2023 64.07 65th 229 71.6%
2024 61.08 66th 228 71.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 83.71 1st 7 85.7%
2021 63.71 4th 9 55.6%
2022 2.84 11th 11 0.0%
2024 27.00 11th 13 15.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.69 20th 183 89.1%
2019 75.32 17th 184 90.8%
2021 78.60 19th 178 89.3%
2022 73.60 32nd 190 83.2%
2023 72.09 32nd 199 83.9%
2024 73.44 34th 194 82.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.75 8th 80 90.0%
2019 81.05 7th 86 91.9%
2021 77.75 13th 93 86.0%
2022 69.75 24th 108 77.8%
2023 79.01 16th 119 86.6%
2024 63.47 37th 121 69.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Fort Dorchester High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 71.95 30th 185 83.8%
2019 71.49 26th 191 86.4%
2021 72.70 35th 189 81.5%
2022 72.80 36th 192 81.3%
2023 72.96 46th 197 76.6%
2024 74.69 37th 196 81.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina 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.

Fort Dorchester High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 



Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.5)
0%

50%

50%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, February 24, 2018

Open Quote Fort Dorchester High School provides a number of various academic pursuits for the academically inclined. Students can pursue an Advanced Placement Capstone diploma, an International Baccalaureate diploma (FDHS is the only high school in the Dorchester District 2 with an IB program), Dual Enrollment, multiple AP, IB and Honors classes to choose from.
I feel my child is receiving a quality education at FDHS with the necessary opportunities to prepare them for success in their chosen career in the field of Engineering. The staff and administration are dedicated to the success of their students education. Close Quote


by a student
Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Open Quote Forts an "okay" school. I hope you/your child has an outgoing personality, otherwise they will get unnoticed by the students and Teachers. its best if you/they play a sport that way the coach or teammates will look out for them. this school has gone through many changes since I started a couple years ago. you'll do just fine in this school if you mind your own (the students aren't loyal). Their are few to little fights here and rarely any pep-rallies or student activities ( most you have to pay a small fee for)!! they have a good sports department also, fort is generally a good school; but has minor issues that need to be fixed. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Fort Dorchester High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1993 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 691 691
1994 790 219 17 11 3 n/a n/a 0 1040
1995 1344 340 45 23 6 n/a n/a 0 1758
1996 1344 340 45 23 6 n/a n/a 0 1758
1997 1147 378 35 24 6 n/a n/a 0 1590
1998 1181 396 45 23 4 n/a n/a 0 1649
1999 1303 485 48 27 6 n/a n/a 0 1869
2000 1267 535 44 24 9 n/a n/a 0 1879
2001 1186 561 47 29 9 n/a n/a 0 1832
2002 1292 638 42 31 8 n/a n/a 3 2014
2003 1292 638 42 31 8 n/a n/a 3 2014
2004 1322 689 52 49 6 n/a n/a 1 2119
2005 1398 706 61 51 8 n/a n/a 1 2225
2006 1465 726 87 49 7 n/a n/a 0 2334
2007 1463 844 78 72 6 n/a n/a 0 2463
2008 1456 915 92 80 5 n/a n/a 0 2548
2009 1276 943 89 78 9 n/a n/a 0 2395
2010 1144 989 102 95 7 n/a n/a 0 2337
2011 1092 969 67 101 15 11 2 0 2257
2012 1004 866 63 108 16 10 21 0 2088
2013 954 831 60 108 7 7 46 0 2013
2014 915 830 56 137 6 8 69 0 2021
2015 910 927 65 161 1 6 91 0 2161
2016 899 1009 80 183 6 13 1 0 2191
2017 911 1042 80 205 7 13 44 0 2302
2018 850 1035 89 247 7 11 78 0 2317
2019 814 1020 70 251 4 9 103 0 2271
2020 776 963 73 279 4 9 148 0 2252
2021 737 926 89 314 6 9 156 0 2237
2022 705 954 88 340 4 5 164 0 2260
2023 713 963 84 371 4 4 173 0 2312

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 Fort Dorchester High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 691 27.5 25.1 9.7
1994 1040 54.6 19.0 11.9
1995 1758 79.5 22.1 8.7
1996 1758 79.5 22.1 8.7
1997 1590 85.0 18.7 10.5
1998 1649 93.0 17.7 10.7
1999 1869 97.3 19.2 14.6
2000 1879 103.0 18.2 13.1
2001 1832 113.0 16.2 13.4
2002 2014 110.0 18.3 16.7
2003 2014 110.0 18.3 16.7
2004 2119 113.0 18.8 18.9
2005 2225 125.0 17.8 20.5
2006 2334 131.0 17.8 20.4
2007 2463 158.9 15.5 22.6
2008 2548 145.3 17.5 22.6
2009 2395 142.3 16.8 24.3
2010 2337 112.5 20.7 29.2
2011 2257 102.8 21.9 31.8
2012 2088 110.3 18.9 29.8
2013 2013 125.3 16.0 33
2014 2021 120.0 16.8 33.6
2015 2161 122.0 17.7 35.3
2016 2191 125.0 17.5 33.5
2017 2302 126.6 18.1 38.8
2018 2317 133.5 17.3 38.5
2019 2271 129.5 17.5 39.8
2020 2252 129.5 17.3 40.3
2021 2237 128.4 17.4 41.6
2022 2260 128.2 17.6 50.7
2023 2312 129.0 17.9 62.5

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 Fort Dorchester High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1993 691 27.5 25.1 9.7
1994 1040 54.6 19.0 11.9
1995 1758 79.5 22.1 8.7
1996 1758 79.5 22.1 8.7
1997 1590 85.0 18.7 10.5
1998 1649 93.0 17.7 10.7
1999 1869 97.3 19.2 14.6
2000 1879 103.0 18.2 13.1
2001 1832 113.0 16.2 13.4
2002 2014 110.0 18.3 16.7
2003 2014 110.0 18.3 16.7
2004 2119 113.0 18.8 18.9
2005 2225 125.0 17.8 20.5
2006 2334 131.0 17.8 20.4
2007 2463 158.9 15.5 22.6
2008 2548 145.3 17.5 22.6
2009 2395 142.3 16.8 24.3
2010 2337 112.5 20.7 29.2
2011 2257 102.8 21.9 31.8
2012 2088 110.3 18.9 29.8
2013 2013 125.3 16.0 33
2014 2021 120.0 16.8 33.6
2015 2161 122.0 17.7 35.3
2016 2191 125.0 17.5 33.5
2017 2302 126.6 18.1 38.8
2018 2317 133.5 17.3 38.5
2019 2271 129.5 17.5 39.8
2020 2252 129.5 17.3 40.3
2021 2237 128.4 17.4 41.6
2022 2260 128.2 17.6 50.7
2023 2312 129.0 17.9 62.5

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 Fort Dorchester High

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $556 (6.1%) $290 (3.2%) $846 (9.3%) $6,789 (75.0%) $1,418 (15.7%) $8,207 (90.7%) $9,053
2020 $492 (5.6%) $252 (2.9%) $744 (8.5%) $6,809 (77.7%) $1,206 (13.8%) $8,016 (91.5%) $8,760
2021 $600 (6.6%) $271 (3.0%) $872 (9.6%) $7,005 (77.2%) $1,191 (13.1%) $8,196 (90.4%) $9,068
2022 $577 (6.1%) $684 (7.3%) $1,261 (13.4%) $7,101 (75.4%) $1,052 (11.2%) $8,153 (86.6%) $9,413
2023 $820 (7.8%) $712 (6.8%) $1,532 (14.5%) $7,460 (70.8%) $1,547 (14.7%) $9,006 (85.5%) $10,538

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Fort Dorchester 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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 50th of 225 High schoolsRanks 63rd of 237 High schools
 4.4%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Fort Dorchester High)66.578.8
 12.3%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Dorchester 02)74.579.5
 5%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)68.668.3
 0.3%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Fort Dorchester High)75.560.7
 14.8%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Dorchester 02)75.365.1
 10.2%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)67.259.1
 8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Fort Dorchester High)80.588.5
 8%
   End of Course English 1 (Dorchester 02)84.491
 6.6%
   End of Course English 1 (South Carolina)78.984
 5.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students22712312
 1.8%
African American1020963
 5.6%
American Indian44
Asian7084
 20%
Hispanic251371
 47.8%
Pacific Islander94
 55.6%
White814713
 12.4%
Two or More Races103173
 68%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients39.8%62.5%
 22.7%


Schools Near Fort Dorchester High









Frequently Asked Questions about Fort Dorchester High

Fort Dorchester High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Eagle Nest Elementary
Elementary : Fort Dorchester Elementary
Elementary : Joseph R. Pye Elementary
Elementary : Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary
Middle : River Oaks Middle

Students at Fort Dorchester High are 42% African American, 31% White, 16% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

Fort Dorchester High ranks 68th of 235 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,312 students attended Fort Dorchester 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.





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