Finding a new school district for your child to attend can be very stressful. Towns can have multiple school districts, making you prioritize what is best for your child. We’re here to help make that choice easier for those living in or moving to Rock Hill, South Carolina. Here are our picks for the best school districts in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Table of Contents
Rock Hill School District
The Rock Hill School District is the main school district covering the Rock Hill area. This district is home to over 16,000 students, making it the second-largest district in York County.
Location
This district is located right in the heart of Rock Hill. They have campuses on 1,200 acres of land throughout the town. This school district is perfect if you want a school right in Rock Hill.
The district has one preschool, 14 elementary schools, five middle schools, and three high schools. This allows you to pick which school will be best for your child. This district is also one of the fastest-growing districts in York County.
Academics
The Rock Hill School District has an average academic standing. On the SAT they score around 1110. They also average a 23 on the ACT. Both of these test scores are right near the state average.
The district also offers high school students college credit opportunities. They have 21 different AP classes for students to take. Students who pass the test at the end of the year receive college credit for taking the class. Dual credit classes are also offered in this district. They offer classes through three different colleges. These classes help students earn college credits while still in high school.
Unique Feature
The Rock Hill School District is well known for teaching world languages. Three of their schools include French or Spanish immersion programs. In elementary schools, students will spend the first half of the day learning in French or Spanish while the second half of the day will then be taught in English.
In middle school and high school, students will then get options to take classes in French or Spanish. Some of these classes are about the language and the surrounding culture. They also offer core classes that are completely taught in one of these foreign languages.
This program allows students to learn another language while they’re young.
Fort Mills School District
The Fort Mills School District is the largest in York County. Over 17,000 students are enrolled in the district.
Location
Located in Fort Mills, South Carolina, this district is about 20 minutes from Rock Hill.
The district has a total of 20 different schools. They have 11 elementary schools, six middle schools, and three high schools outside of Rock Hill. This district is perfect if you want your child to be close by while meeting people from neighboring towns.
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Academics
The Fort Mills School District has above-average academic standings. They perform well on state testing. 71% of students perform at or above proficiency for reading. 65% are at or above state standards for math.
The district has a graduation rate of 95%. High school students also score above the state average for the SAT and the ACT. These students also have many opportunities to earn college credit while still in high school. Students can take both AP and dual credit classes.
Unique Feature
Fort Mills schools are well known for having STEAM opportunities. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. These programs focus on providing hands-on, creative, and collaborative experiences for students.
The school district provides over 200 STEAM lessons and activities for teachers. These activities can be sorted by grade, subject, standards, and what skill the students will use. Access to these activities allows any teacher to bring STEAM into the classroom.
Clover School District
The Clover School District is one of the smaller districts near Rock Hill. The district has a little over 9,000 students. Perfect for a slightly smaller school that is still in a larger town.
Location
This district is a little over 30 minutes away from Rock Hill. People living in the Rock Hill suburbs and on the edge of town often consider this school. The smaller enrollment size makes it worth the drive.
Clover School District has a total of 11 schools and 1 virtual school. They have seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools within driving distance of Rock Hill. The elementary schools are split up by what part of town you live in. However, the district has open enrollment so you can still go to any of the schools no matter where you live. All you must do is fill out open enrollment paperwork.
Academics
The school district scores slightly above average on state testing. A little over 60% of students score at or above proficiency in both reading and math. Students also scored right near the state average for the SAT. Similarly, students scored an average of 26 on the ACT. This is above the state average for South Carolina.
High school students in the district also often earn college credits while still in high school. They do this through both AP classes and dual enrollment classes. 76% of students score a three or better during AP testing. This earns them college credits at the majority of accredited colleges.
Unique Feature
The Clover School District wants to help children of all ages. This is why they created the Bright Beginnings program. Bright Beginnings helps parents of young kids get their children ready for school.
This program has a variety of different groups and activities you can go to. They do home visits, classes with both the child and parents, parent-only classes, and music and movement groups. These groups all help parents and kids through fun and engaging activities. They’re open to children ages zero to five.
York School District
The York School District is the smallest district in York County. The district has a little over 5,000 students. This small district is perfect for parents and students who prefer smaller class sizes.
Location
York School District is about a 30-minute drive from Rock Hill. This school district is more out in the country and has many smaller towns surrounding it.
They have five elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school outside of Rock Hill. The district also has an alternative learning center and technology center. York School District may be smaller, but this means the schools provide a nice small-town feel. Your child will have smaller class sizes and be part of a tight-knit community.
Academics
The York School District is successful at hitting the average marks on state tests. High school students also do well on the SAT and the ACT. The district’s average SAT score is 1120, which is right near the state average. The average ACT score is 23 which is also right at the state average.
Even though they’re a smaller district, York schools still offer AP classes for high school students. These classes are offered online via a virtual learning academy. This still allows students to gain college credits while in high school.
Unique Feature
The York School District is well known for its Cougar Band. This band opportunity is for students in 6th through 12th grade. Students have opportunities to be in concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands, percussion ensembles, and more.
Band students also can take part in various performance opportunities. They can compete in solos or group ensembles in competitions year-round. Being in a band allows students to showcase their musical talents. It also surrounds students with a group of like-minded peers.
Moving to Rock Hill, South Carolina
Besides choosing a school district for your child, moving to Rock Hill comes with many other tasks to complete. The biggest of these tasks is moving your items to your new home. If you’re looking for help with the heavy lifting portion of moving, UniMovers is perfect for you. We are a labor-only moving company that saves you 30-50% of the cost of hiring a traditional moving company. Check out our rates and full list of services to decide if we’re the right moving company for you.
Hiring a moving company can help make your move easier and quicker. This will give you more time to focus on which school district to choose for your children.
Conclusion
Picking a school district for your child to attend can be very intimidating. Having multiple school districts in Rock Hill to compare and choose from helps make this choice easier.
Want a bigger school district for your children? Rock Hill and Fort Mill School Districts are the ideal larger districts. These two districts each have over 15,000 students and 20 different schools. Perfect for if your student thrives in a bustling environment.
Is a smaller school better for your family? Clover and York School Districts are both under 10,000 students. This allows for smaller class sizes and for the students to know all their peers.
No matter what is best for you and your child, Rock Hill, South Carolina has you covered.
Jessica is a students at the University of Northern Iowa. She is majoring in English Education with a creative writing minor. In her free time she loves to read books of every genre, write short stories, and spend time with friends. In the future she hopes to share her love for reading and writing with her future students.
