Carolina Forest High

Summary:

Carolina Forest High is a public high school located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 3,059 students. The school is part of the Horry 01 school district, which is ranked 9th out of 75 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Carolina Forest High consistently performs well on state assessments, with high proficiency rates in core subjects like Algebra, English, and U.S. History. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had an 85.01% proficiency rate in Algebra, compared to the state average of 72.5%. The school's student population is also more racially diverse than the surrounding schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic and Asian students. This diversity is a key strength of the school, and it has a strong track record of student success, as evidenced by its high rankings among Conway High, Socastee High, Coastal High School, Myrtle Beach High, Palmetto Academy of Learning Motorsports (PALM), HCS Early College High, and HCS Scholars Academy High.

Carolina Forest High offers a variety of specialized programs, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses, dual enrollment opportunities, and a STEM-focused curriculum. While the school has a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, it has been able to maintain strong academic performance and student outcomes, suggesting that the school is effectively supporting and meeting the needs of students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The school's consistent performance across various student subgroups, including female students, male students, African American students, Hispanic students, and students with disabilities, further demonstrates its commitment to providing a high-quality education to all students, regardless of their background or demographic.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 700 Gardner Lacy Road
       Myrtle Beach, SC  29579


(843) 236-7997

District: Horry 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
36th of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,330 Help


Feeder schools for Carolina Forest High:

Elementary:    Carolina Forest Elementary
    Ocean Bay Elementary
    Palmetto Bays Elementary
    River Oaks Elementary
    More...
Middle:    Black Water Middle
    Ocean Bay Middle
    Ten Oaks Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  19.4 Help
Number of students:  3,181

Racial breakdown:

White:
60.7%
Hispanic:
17.7%
African American:
13.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44.7% Help


 See top rated South Carolina high schools

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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Carolina Forest High ranks better than 84.7% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 6th among 12 ranked high schools in the Horry 01 School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 75.4. (See more...)
Help
The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Carolina Forest 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 Carolina Forest High has the largest high school student body size in the Horry 01 School District. Student population at Carolina Forest High is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (60.7%), Hispanic (17.7%), African American (13.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Carolina Forest High is 19.4, which is the highest among 14 high schools in the Horry 01 School District! (See more...)
Help
Compare Carolina Forest High employs 163.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Carolina Forest High is $11,330. 10 high schools in the Horry 01 School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Carolina Forest High:

SchoolDigger ranks Carolina Forest High 36th of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Carolina Forest 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:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Horry 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Horry 01 9th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Carolina Forest High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 71.99 38th 187 79.7%
2006 71.99 33rd 191 82.7%
2007 71.13 29th 191 84.8%
2008 79.98 28th 185 84.9%
2009 79.27 26th 188 86.2%
2010 84.19 27th 199 86.4%
2011 75.90 42nd 199 78.9%
2012 66.18 68th 202 66.3%
2013 65.89 69th 203 66.0%
2014 74.49 45th 210 78.6%
2015 70.89 34th 232 85.3%
2016 69.98 36th 231 84.4%
2017 64.55 36th 223 83.9%
2018 61.81 48th 216 77.8%
2019 69.47 26th 225 88.4%
2021 75.93 28th 227 87.7%
2022 75.91 27th 226 88.1%
2023 78.59 29th 237 87.8%
2024 75.40 36th 235 84.7%
See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.13 11th 22 50.0%
2019 76.57 5th 23 78.3%
2021 45.35 22nd 31 29.0%
2022 60.03 18th 48 62.5%
2023 68.74 19th 57 66.7%
2024 59.26 21st 53 60.4%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.53 9th 58 84.5%
2019 83.89 5th 64 92.2%
2021 51.58 24th 46 47.8%
2022 47.87 30th 61 50.8%
2023 72.53 15th 68 77.9%
2024 56.72 32nd 71 54.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 67.81 30th 214 86.0%
2019 75.35 17th 217 92.2%
2021 87.07 8th 213 96.2%
2022 82.76 17th 220 92.3%
2023 86.56 15th 226 93.4%
2024 84.16 17th 229 92.6%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 64.17 50th 210 76.2%
2019 69.21 33rd 213 84.5%
2021 69.63 47th 213 77.9%
2022 74.37 37th 220 83.2%
2023 82.39 22nd 223 90.1%
2024 74.03 38th 225 83.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.49 22nd 137 83.9%
2019 83.64 13th 143 90.9%
2021 89.65 7th 115 93.9%
2022 88.22 11th 139 92.1%
2023 87.32 12th 141 91.5%
2024 88.93 6th 145 95.9%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 68.75 41st 156 73.7%
2024 67.93 47th 157 70.1%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 79.81 1st 15 93.3%
2024 64.99 4th 15 73.3%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 62.25 49th 213 77.0%
2019 72.78 24th 218 89.0%
2021 79.25 26th 215 87.9%
2022 75.54 31st 224 86.2%
2023 73.72 40th 229 82.5%
2024 76.06 33rd 228 85.5%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 55.58 63rd 183 65.6%
2019 64.99 39th 184 78.8%
2021 82.24 14th 178 92.1%
2022 74.78 29th 190 84.7%
2023 64.73 47th 199 76.4%
2024 74.46 33rd 194 83.0%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.01 16th 80 80.0%
2019 78.35 10th 86 88.4%
2021 68.93 22nd 93 76.3%
2022 68.56 26th 108 75.9%
2023 79.98 14th 119 88.2%
2024 64.44 36th 121 70.2%
See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Carolina Forest High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools SC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.60 69th 185 62.7%
2019 65.00 40th 191 79.1%
2021 66.91 53rd 189 72.0%
2022 69.38 44th 192 77.1%
2023 73.90 44th 197 77.7%
2024 75.20 36th 196 81.6%
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.

Carolina Forest 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: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Open Quote Worst School Ive ever seen. They know there is a 40min traffic jam for the school yet they still are giving out detention to the kids for being late. This morning I had my disable wife with me and needed to park in a parking space to let my daughter out of the back seat and the creepy looking guy at the stop sign started yelling at me. I told him to kiss it cause I don't deal with creepy looking people. He then sends the principle after me and I told her I had to park cause my wife is disable so I could let my daughter out and she didnt care. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Carolina Forest High

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1361 1361
1999 579 95 2 7 1 n/a n/a 191 875
2000 953 187 6 20 6 n/a n/a 0 1172
2001 1088 229 14 23 3 n/a n/a 0 1357
2002 1091 246 20 28 4 n/a n/a 7 1396
2003 1091 246 20 28 4 n/a n/a 7 1396
2004 1055 265 24 31 2 n/a n/a 10 1387
2005 1109 261 26 38 2 n/a n/a 18 1454
2006 1158 273 32 44 8 n/a n/a 18 1533
2007 1293 287 42 65 16 n/a n/a 0 1703
2008 1369 293 52 92 18 n/a n/a 29 1853
2009 1382 303 62 111 26 n/a n/a 29 1913
2010 1400 309 60 124 25 n/a n/a 40 1958
2011 1434 284 23 129 11 10 56 0 1947
2012 1461 274 31 126 8 5 78 0 1983
2013 1422 283 32 135 8 3 84 0 1967
2014 1484 303 39 148 7 1 84 0 2066
2015 1551 301 42 175 6 3 103 0 2181
2016 1567 350 48 175 6 3 113 0 2262
2017 1625 347 61 199 9 3 116 0 2360
2018 1655 340 61 239 6 4 124 0 2429
2019 1667 348 58 290 7 2 125 0 2497
2020 1693 352 61 366 9 3 132 0 2616
2021 1826 368 59 391 9 2 137 0 2792
2022 1925 381 66 450 8 3 140 0 2973
2023 1942 372 63 524 7 3 148 0 3059
2024 1932 423 69 562 14 6 175 0 3181

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 Carolina Forest High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 1361 90.0 15.1 34.8
1999 875 64.0 13.7 39.8
2000 1172 74.0 15.8 29.9
2001 1357 78.8 17.2 29.9
2002 1396 76.0 18.4 34.3
2003 1396 76.0 18.4 34.3
2004 1387 80.0 17.3 37
2005 1454 82.0 17.7 39.7
2006 1533 77.3 19.8 37.2
2007 1703 111.4 15.3 38.1
2008 1853 95.5 19.4 39
2009 1913 100.5 19.0 41.9
2010 1958 102.5 19.1 47
2011 1947 100.0 19.4 46.3
2012 1983 105.3 18.8 45.6
2013 1967 102.3 19.2 43.8
2014 2066 101.8 20.2 44.1
2015 2181 110.0 19.8 45.3
2016 2262 113.0 20.0 41.3
2017 2360 113.3 20.8 41.6
2018 2429 119.2 20.3 36.5
2019 2497 120.2 20.7 35.2
2020 2616 125.0 20.9 37.5
2021 2792 134.5 20.7 31.5
2022 2973 139.5 21.3 22.7
2023 3059 156.8 19.5 57.8
2024 3181 163.5 19.4 44.7

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 Carolina Forest High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 1361 90.0 15.1 34.8
1999 875 64.0 13.7 39.8
2000 1172 74.0 15.8 29.9
2001 1357 78.8 17.2 29.9
2002 1396 76.0 18.4 34.3
2003 1396 76.0 18.4 34.3
2004 1387 80.0 17.3 37
2005 1454 82.0 17.7 39.7
2006 1533 77.3 19.8 37.2
2007 1703 111.4 15.3 38.1
2008 1853 95.5 19.4 39
2009 1913 100.5 19.0 41.9
2010 1958 102.5 19.1 47
2011 1947 100.0 19.4 46.3
2012 1983 105.3 18.8 45.6
2013 1967 102.3 19.2 43.8
2014 2066 101.8 20.2 44.1
2015 2181 110.0 19.8 45.3
2016 2262 113.0 20.0 41.3
2017 2360 113.3 20.8 41.6
2018 2429 119.2 20.3 36.5
2019 2497 120.2 20.7 35.2
2020 2616 125.0 20.9 37.5
2021 2792 134.5 20.7 31.5
2022 2973 139.5 21.3 22.7
2023 3059 156.8 19.5 57.8
2024 3181 163.5 19.4 44.7

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 Carolina Forest 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 $644 (6.4%) $222 (2.2%) $866 (8.6%) $7,878 (77.9%) $1,364 (13.5%) $9,242 (91.4%) $10,107
2020 $375 (3.8%) $227 (2.3%) $602 (6.1%) $8,027 (80.9%) $1,299 (13.1%) $9,326 (93.9%) $9,928
2021 $370 (3.6%) $217 (2.1%) $588 (5.8%) $8,390 (82.6%) $1,176 (11.6%) $9,566 (94.2%) $10,154
2022 $442 (4.2%) $467 (4.4%) $909 (8.6%) $8,454 (79.9%) $1,219 (11.5%) $9,673 (91.4%) $10,583
2023 $660 (5.8%) $1,072 (9.5%) $1,733 (15.3%) $8,283 (73.1%) $1,314 (11.6%) $9,598 (84.7%) $11,330

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Carolina Forest 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 26th of 225 High schoolsRanks 29th of 237 High schools
 0.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Carolina Forest High)84.378.1
 6.3%
   End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Horry 01)81.881.4
 0.4%
   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 (Carolina Forest High)85.575.8
 9.7%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Horry 01)79.669.3
 10.3%
   End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)67.259.1
 8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Carolina Forest High)8090.1
 10.1%
   End of Course English 1 (Horry 01)83.387.1
 3.8%
   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 Students24973059
 22.5%
African American348372
 6.9%
American Indian77
Asian5863
 8.6%
Hispanic290524
 80.7%
Pacific Islander23
 50%
White16671942
 16.5%
Two or More Races125148
 18.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients35.2%57.8%
 22.6%


Schools Near Carolina Forest High









Frequently Asked Questions about Carolina Forest High

In the 2023-24 school year, 3,181 students attended Carolina Forest High.

Carolina Forest High is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Carolina Forest Elementary
Elementary : Ocean Bay Elementary
Elementary : Palmetto Bays Elementary
Elementary : River Oaks Elementary
Elementary : Waccamaw Elementary
Middle : Black Water Middle
Middle : Ocean Bay Middle
Middle : Ten Oaks Middle

Students at Carolina Forest High are 61% White, 18% Hispanic, 13% African American, 6% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Carolina Forest High ranks 36th of 235 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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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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