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Yes, I think DD2 would be next then James Island, then Hanahan, then the rest of Berkeley County. I only researched the high schools, though. Read everything you can on the school rating sites and visit the schools in person, if possible. With a narrowed down list, you can do this in a day or two. When looking for housing, verify your location is assigned to the school you choose by calling the school district office and checking the bus routes online. I know of one subdivision that covers two different high schools. You can't always trust the real estate listing sites.
Yes, I think DD2 would be next then James Island, then Hanahan, then the rest of Berkeley County. I only researched the high schools, though. Read everything you can on the school rating sites and visit the schools in person, if possible. With a narrowed down list, you can do this in a day or two. When looking for housing, verify your location is assigned to the school you choose by calling the school district office and checking the bus routes online. I know of one subdivision that covers two different high schools. You can't always trust the real estate listing sites.
This is good advice and I can vouch for BSJSAS's ability to research a school! I'd point out though that if it's elementary schools you're focused on, James Island has two schools rated 10 on GreatSchools.org and another that has been changed into a public Montessori school. GreatSchools and similar sites are just a beginning point to research and not the final word imo, but still a source worth considering.
Usually the decision between the different communities that are generally accepted to have good schools comes down to budget with Mt Pleasant being the most expensive area and Summerville being the least. West Ashley is not to be ignored all together as there are some excellent schools there as well. The picture is a bit more complicated there though with a bigger difference from school to school and grade level to grade level.
WA is also a pretty diverse area with some parts consisting of newer (90's and up) homes and others with older homes. Both areas have some good and not so good schools and both areas have family friendly neighborhoods. Again, budget will help determine which neighborhoods work best for you. The WA area is definitely going to be changing fast over the next few years.
I also agree about the listings not always having the correct school matched up with the listing. It's usually right but it's one of the things you do need to double check on if interested in a specific property. This is a map that gives you the school attendance zones for Charleston County: Charleston CSD, SC
James Island would be 'second best.' It has two elementary schools that go toe to toe with any in the area, one more that's good and a final one that just became a Montessori magnate and will probably shoot up the rankings. The middle schools are good and the high school is the next best after Wando. Plus the HS is also a Charter so its exempt from a lot of BS that the other schools have to deal with from the state or regime changes at the district.
Dorchester District 2's big bragging point is that its the overall stronger district. That is due to it having fewer poorly performing schools and not suffering the talent drain that most Charleston County schools face with private schools and the two magnate high schools siphoning off many of the top kids. If someone is in West Ashley the magnates become even more of a draw for a lot of families because there is no increase since commute time than the actual West Ashley High School when you factor in traffic.
I agree with whoever mentioned West Ashley being most likely to improve because the outer area is booming and a lot of people with school age kids are either moving or staying in the areas inside 526. Even ten years ago you saw most of that area as either young people or older residents. That is why St Andrews Math/Science Elementary in Windermere was treated as a magnate. It was a good school but its boundary lines basically were older people, young people without children and people who preferred the two nearby private schools. Now those seats are on a limited basis and they actually reduced the attendance area slightly a few years ago. There are already about a half dozen strong elementary schools. The high school has always had a full range of kids from top performers to low achievers. The trick with he overall WA schools though is going to be when the bulk of the new residents/kids start hitting those middle schools which have been the week link.
I also think Hanahan is also worth a look. It can be a lot more convenient than Summerville and the schools are good even though they don't get the automatic head nod of a couple of the other areas (namely Wando and DD2.)
The big kicker will be timeframe. Because no one can really predict how things will shake out 10 or even 5 years down the line. Wando will definitely be split into two high school zones by that time. DD2 might be trying to wedge an additional school into its attendance area- they added Ft Dorchester about 20 years ago and Ashley Ridge more recently. And the influx of more educated or simply more mobile workers could change the composition of the Berkeley County schools as well. There might also be a lot more charter & magnate options in all the areas.
I lived on James Island and my daughter went to school there, but she now lives with her mom in the Bees Ferry Grand Oaks area in West Ashley. She goes to Drayton Hall. The schools out there are excellent.
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