The Aiken County Public School District, South Carolina’s emerging premier school district, is helping all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by ensuring that all students from Kindergarten through twelfth grade are on a clear trajectory to College and Career Readiness ensuring they have the literacy and numeracy skills to be successful. The District leverages technology to support student learning and offers a robust 1-to-1 initiative in grades 1-12. The Aiken County School District was recognized as the very first school District in South Carolina to receive the ‘Purple Star’ School District designation. The Purple Star is a national program aimed at distinguishing District’s that make a significant commitment to support military connected students and their families transition to new schools and support them as they relocate due to deployments or duty assignments as well as other transitions and challenges faced by military families.
The Aiken County Public School District is a literacy and numeracy-focused school system distinguished by rigorous, personalized learning opportunities; safe, state of the art learning environments, highly effective, service-driven professionals; and mutually beneficial partnerships. A strategic focus on increased rigor, a challenging, coherent curriculum and instructional delivery model has resulted in an overall steady increase in the metrics used to monitor the overall success of our district in achieving our mission.
Aiken County provides challenging, authentic and personalized learning experiences for all students including thematic programs at the elementary, middle and high schools levels. Several elementary schools are undergirded on a Leadership Model through the Leader-in-Me school model to prepare students with college, career, and life-readiness skills that are necessary to thrive in today’s ever-changing, fast-paced environment.
All Aiken County high school students have the opportunity pursue rigorous Career and Technology training through their high school and the Aiken County Career and Technology Centers. In 2023, 590 Aiken County students completed requirements for Career and Technology credentials in 18 different career clusters.
Aiken County high school’s offer Advanced Placement Academies open to all students at South Aiken High and North Augusta High, and the rigorous Cambridge International program at both Aiken High School and Schofield Middle School. There are several opportunities for high school students to earn college credits while still in high school through the Early College program at Midland Valley High or through admittance to the Aiken Scholars Academy, which allows high school students the opportunity to earn an associate degree before graduation. The Aiken Scholars Academy is a partnership with the University of South Carolina where students take accelerated classes during their freshman and sophomore years and then take USCA classes to earn college credits during their junior and senior years.
The Aiken County Public School District serves over 23,000 students in 43 schools – 21 elementary, 11 middle, 7 high schools, a combined middle/high in Ridge Spring, SC a career and technology center, and an adult education center.
