Dorchester 02 operates 25 public schools serving 26,135 students, placing it in the mid-size range in South Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 15 other, 7 middle, 3 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 25,928 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Dorchester County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,014 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 32.4% local, 53.8% state, and 13.8% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $62,611 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 24/100, ranked #69 of 73 in South Carolina against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 25 schools offering Advanced Placement (59 AP courses district-wide), a 337.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 30.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 45.0% White, 28.5% African American, 15.0% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.
Dorchester 02 school enrollment varies 6.1× across entities
Dorchester 02 school enrollment ranges from 548 students (lowest) to 3,361 students (highest), a spread of 2,813 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio — most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Dorchester 02 has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 58.7% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Dorchester 02 student-counselor ratio is 337:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Dorchester 02 is typically wider than the Dorchester 02-aggregate figure suggests.
Dorchester 02 chronic absenteeism rate is 30.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
Dorchester 02 has 25 schools, including 3 high, 15 other, 7 middle. Total enrollment is 26,135 students.
How much does Dorchester 02 spend per student?
Dorchester 02 spends $13,014 per student. The district has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #69 in South Carolina.
What is the average teacher salary in Dorchester 02?
The average teacher salary in Dorchester 02 is $62,611 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near Dorchester 02?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Dorchester County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of Dorchester 02?
Dorchester 02 students are 45.0% White, 28.5% African American, 15.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% Asian, averaged across 25 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Dorchester 02?
Dorchester 02 has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #69 out of 73 districts in South Carolina. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.