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Schools in Surfside Beach · Horry County School District

Surfside Beach’s public schools outscore 77% of South Carolina districts

Math proficiency in Surfside Beach’s districts is 49%, above the South Carolina average (41%). The grade covers the public school district serving Surfside Beach, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within South Carolina, not nationally.

#50of 169 South Carolina townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From South Carolina state tests taken in spring 2022, when 100% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
57%
▲ 5 pts vs SC 52%
2021–22
Math proficiency
49%
▲ 8 pts vs SC 41%
2021–22
Graduate on time
82%
▼ 2 pts vs SC 84%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$14.3K
▼ 5% vs SC $15.1K
FY2024
Students per teacher
15.7
SC 14.3 · larger classes
Schools in town
0
45,263 students on the public path
In brief

Surfside Beach’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 157 South Carolina towns with household incomes within a quarter of Surfside Beach’s, its schools beat 65%, lower than their 77% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on tests

Reading proficiency is 57% and math 49% in spring 2022, against 52% and 41% statewide; 82% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 84%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

The district spends $14,340 per student, against $15,090 across South Carolina (FY2024). Spending doesn’t count toward the grade. Districts ↓

25 elementary schools, then 13 middle and 11 high schools

Which school depends on the address at every step. Enrollment is up 9% since 2020–21. See the path ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Surfside Beach’s grade

A Test scoresC Graduation

A−: better than 77% of South Carolina school districts, #50 of 169 South Carolina towns. Test scores are above the South Carolina average; graduation is below it.

South Carolina school districts we grade (92)Better than 77%
Lower resultsHigher results
South Carolina towns with similar household incomes (157)Better than 65%
A firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 24,640 test results and a graduating class of 3,525 wouldn’t change the letter. The tests are from spring 2022, when 100% of Surfside Beach’s students in the tested grades sat them (24,099 in math, 25,182 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Surfside Beach, with each school’s own grade.

25 schools teach K in Surfside Beach’s district. Which one depends on your address. Their grades range from C+ to A, so check the specific school.
River Oaks Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
B+
1,426 students16:1Rate it →
Carolina Forest Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A−
1,336 students15:1Rate it →
Ocean Bay Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A
1,181 students17:1Rate it →
Waccamaw Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B−
1,047 students15:1Rate it →
Forestbrook Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A−
930 students16:1Rate it →
Pee Dee Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B−
927 students14:1Rate it →
Waterway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Little River
B
912 students16:1Rate it →
St. James Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Myrtle Beach
A
884 students16:1Rate it →
Lakewood Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A−
866 students14:1Rate it →
Ocean Drive Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · North Myrtle Beach
A−
852 students16:1Rate it →
Socastee Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
B−
850 students14:1Rate it →
Loris Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Loris
C+
790 students14:1Rate it →
Aynor Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aynor
B
781 students16:1Rate it →
Midland Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Galivants Ferry
B+
744 students16:1Rate it →
Burgess Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Myrtle Beach
A−
697 students16:1Rate it →
Riverside Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Little River
B
697 students15:1Rate it →
Homewood Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
C+
671 students13:1Rate it →
South Conway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B
642 students13:1Rate it →
Daisy Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Loris
B−
631 students13:1Rate it →
Conway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B+
583 students14:1Rate it →
Green Sea Floyds Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Green Sea
B
560 students12:1Rate it →
Palmetto Bays Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
B
556 students14:1Rate it →
Myrtle Beach Early Childhood
Elementary · Grades PK–K · Myrtle Beach
555 students18:1Rate it →
Kingston Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B
517 students13:1Rate it →
Seaside Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Garden City
B+
398 students12:1Rate it →
The path, start to finish
PK–525 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressC+ to A
6–813 middle schoolsDepends on your addressC to A−
9–1211 high schoolsDepends on your addressB− to A+

Surfside Beach’s public schools are run by Horry County School District, which also serves Atlantic Beach, Aynor, Briarcliffe Acres and Conway and others. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

The district

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Horry County School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 55 schools · 48,662 students, up 9% since 2020–21 · 15.7 per teacher (SC 14.3)
$14,340SC $15,090 · FY2024
A−
Test scores · 2021–22

Above the state in reading

Reading57%
State average 52.1% · 25182 students tested
Math49%
State average 41% · 24099 students tested

Surfside Beach vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the South Carolina towns that share Surfside Beach’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Surfside BeachA−Horry County

Every school in Surfside Beach

48 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with South Carolina’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

Also serving Surfside Beachin other towns
River Oaks Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
B+
1,426 students16:1Rate it →
Carolina Forest Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A−
1,336 students15:1Rate it →
Ocean Bay Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A
1,181 students17:1Rate it →
Waccamaw Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B−
1,047 students15:1Rate it →
Forestbrook Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A−
930 students16:1Rate it →
Pee Dee Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B−
927 students14:1Rate it →
Waterway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Little River
B
912 students16:1Rate it →
St. James Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Myrtle Beach
A
884 students16:1Rate it →
Lakewood Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
A−
866 students14:1Rate it →
Ocean Drive Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · North Myrtle Beach
A−
852 students16:1Rate it →
Socastee Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
B−
850 students14:1Rate it →
Loris Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Loris
C+
790 students14:1Rate it →
Aynor Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Aynor
B
781 students16:1Rate it →
Midland Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Galivants Ferry
B+
744 students16:1Rate it →
Burgess Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Myrtle Beach
A−
697 students16:1Rate it →
Riverside Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Little River
B
697 students15:1Rate it →
Homewood Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
C+
671 students13:1Rate it →
South Conway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B
642 students13:1Rate it →
Daisy Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Loris
B−
631 students13:1Rate it →
Conway Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B+
583 students14:1Rate it →
Green Sea Floyds Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Green Sea
B
560 students12:1Rate it →
Palmetto Bays Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Myrtle Beach
B
556 students14:1Rate it →
Myrtle Beach Early Childhood
Elementary · Grades PK–K · Myrtle Beach
555 students18:1Rate it →
Kingston Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Conway
B
517 students13:1Rate it →
Seaside Elementary
Elementary · Grades PK–4 · Garden City
B+
398 students12:1Rate it →
North Myrtle Beach Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Little River
B
1,267 students16:1Rate it →
Ten Oaks Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Myrtle Beach
B+
1,264 students16:1Rate it →
Myrtle Beach Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Myrtle Beach
C+
1,146 students16:1Rate it →
Whittemore Park Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Conway
C
1,013 students14:1Rate it →
Forestbrook Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Myrtle Beach
B−
816 students16:1Rate it →
Ocean Bay Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Myrtle Beach
A−
801 students17:1Rate it →
Black Water Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Conway
C+
789 students15:1Rate it →
Aynor Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Galivants Ferry
B−
742 students15:1Rate it →
Loris Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Loris
C
725 students13:1Rate it →
Green Sea Floyds High
High · Grades 6–12 · Green Sea
B−
693 students12:1Rate it →
Conway Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Conway
B−
578 students14:1Rate it →
Socastee Middle
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Myrtle Beach
B+
527 students14:1Rate it →
St. James Middle
Middle · Grades 7–8 · Myrtle Beach
B+
913 students16:1Rate it →
Carolina Forest High
High · Grades 9–12 · Myrtle Beach
A+
3,176 students19:1Rate it →
St. James High
High · Grades 9–12 · Murrells Inlet
A+
1,826 students18:1Rate it →
Conway High
High · Grades 9–12 · Conway
A
1,724 students18:1Rate it →
Socastee High
High · Grades 9–12 · Myrtle Beach
A
1,720 students18:1Rate it →
North Myrtle Beach High
High · Grades 9–12 · Little River
A
1,673 students18:1Rate it →
Myrtle Beach High
High · Grades 9–12 · Myrtle Beach
A
1,510 students18:1Rate it →
Aynor High
High · Grades 9–12 · Aynor
A+
901 students18:1Rate it →
Loris High
High · Grades 9–12 · Loris
A
857 students16:1Rate it →
HCS Early College High
High · Grades 9–12 · Conway
A+
360 students16:1Rate it →
HCS Scholars Academy High
High · Grades 9–12 · Conway
209 students17:1Rate it →

Questions about Surfside Beach’s schools

Are Surfside Beach’s schools good?

By South Carolina’s own tests, yes: the public schools Surfside Beach children attend outscore 77% of South Carolina’s school districts on tests and graduation, an A− Schools grade, #50 of 169 South Carolina towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 65%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Surfside Beach in?

Horry County School District, which runs grades PK–12 and enrolls 48,662 students in 55 schools (2024–25).

Where do Surfside Beach kids go to high school?

One of 11 high schools, depending on your address: Carolina Forest High, St. James High, Conway High, Socastee High, North Myrtle Beach High, Myrtle Beach High, Aynor High, Loris High, Green Sea Floyds High, HCS Early College High and HCS Scholars Academy High.

What is Surfside Beach’s graduation rate?

82% of the class of 2023 in Horry County School District graduated in four years, against 84% across South Carolina.

How much does Surfside Beach spend per student?

$14,340 in Horry County School District (FY2024), against $15,090 across South Carolina. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Surfside Beach families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Surfside Beach → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within South Carolina. Stars are from neighbors.