Is Buford High a good school?

Buford High ranks 104 th of 235 South Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Buford High?

In the 2023-24 school year, 554 students attended Buford High.

What is the racial makeup of Buford High?

Students at Buford High are 88% White, 6% African American, 4% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

What schools feed into Buford High?

Buford High is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Buford Elementary Middle : A. R. Rucker Middle

Buford High

Summary:

Buford High is a public high school serving 561 students in grades 9-12 in Lancaster, South Carolina. The school has a predominantly White student population (88.24%), with smaller percentages of African American, Hispanic, and other racial groups.

Buford High has consistently performed above the district and state averages in several End-of-Course (EOC) exams, particularly in Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 and English 2. The school has also shown strong performance among specific student subgroups, ranking 77th out of 225 South Carolina high schools for female students and 112th out of 228 for male students, both with a 3-star rating. Additionally, Buford High's low socioeconomic status students and disabled students have performed exceptionally well, ranking 104th out of 229 and 67th out of 145 high schools, respectively, in the 2023-2024 school year. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined from 81st out of 226 high schools in 2021-2022 to 104th out of 235 in 2023-2024, suggesting that it may be facing challenges in keeping up with the performance of other high schools in the state.

When compared to other high schools in the Lancaster 01 district, Buford High generally performs better than Andrew Jackson High but lags behind the higher-ranked Indian Land High. However, Buford High outperforms the lower-ranked Lancaster High, which serves a more diverse student population with a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

4290 Tabernacle Road
Lancaster, SC 29720

(803) 286-7068

District: Lancaster 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
104^th of 235 South Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,216

Feeder schools for Buford High:

Elementary:	Buford Elementary
Middle:	A. R. Rucker Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 12.6

Number of students: 554

Racial breakdown:

White:

87.7%

African American:

6.0%

Hispanic:

3.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.8%

See top rated South Carolina high schools

Compare Buford High to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Buford High ranks better than 55.7% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked high schools in the Lancaster 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.75. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Buford High who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (87.7%), African American (6%), Hispanic (3.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Buford High is 12.6, which is the 2^nd best among 4 high schools in the Lancaster 01 School District. (See more...)

Compare Buford High employs 43.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Buford High is $14,216, which is the highest among 5 high schools in the Lancaster 01 School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Buford High:

SchoolDigger ranks Buford High 104^th of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Buford High in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Disabled students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

White students:

Lancaster 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Lancaster 01 30^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Buford High?

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Rank History for Buford High

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Rank History for all students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2005	70.34	49^th	187	73.8%
2006	61.93	80^th	191	58.1%
2007	70.07	40^th	191	79.1%
2008	57.71	101^st	185	45.4%
2009	49.72	115^th	188	38.8%
2010	57.49	91^st	199	54.3%
2011	45.54	116^th	199	41.7%
2012	64.04	76^th	202	62.4%
2013	59.41	85^th	203	58.1%
2014	52.15	106^th	210	49.5%
2015	32.74	153^rd	232	34.1%
2016	40.31	126^th	231	45.5%
2017	36.44	123^rd	223	44.8%
2018	34.10	128^th	216	40.7%
2019	46.63	90^th	225	60.0%
2021	41.50	124^th	227	45.4%
2022	55.49	81^st	226	64.2%
2023	54.09	89^th	237	62.4%
2024	48.75	104^th	235	55.7%

See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	32.11	141^st	214	34.1%
2019	41.43	103^rd	217	52.5%
2021	40.83	121^st	213	43.2%
2022	63.92	55^th	220	75.0%
2023	60.96	64^th	226	71.7%
2024	49.43	104^th	229	54.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	39.19	120^th	210	42.9%
2019	51.16	84^th	213	60.6%
2021	42.49	117^th	213	45.1%
2022	57.16	81^st	220	63.2%
2023	63.02	70^th	223	68.6%
2024	59.49	77^th	225	65.8%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	54.32	56^th	137	59.1%
2019	62.77	46^th	143	67.8%
2022	88.02	12^th	139	91.4%
2023	83.84	18^th	141	87.2%
2024	51.18	67^th	145	53.8%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	68.20	45^th	156	71.2%
2024	57.16	92^nd	157	41.4%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	31.18	139^th	213	34.7%
2019	44.58	99^th	218	54.6%
2021	40.41	122^nd	215	43.3%
2022	61.34	62^nd	224	72.3%
2023	49.42	98^th	229	57.2%
2024	45.30	112^th	228	50.9%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Buford High

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	11.99	172^nd	185	7.0%
2019	28.92	133^rd	191	30.4%
2021	15.46	171^st	189	9.5%
2022	29.86	134^th	192	30.2%
2023	27.63	149^th	197	24.4%
2024	24.93	155^th	196	20.9%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: South Carolina State Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Buford High

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1988	603	105	0	0	4	n/a	n/a	712
1989	567	97	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	664
1990	550	92	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	643
1991	576	89	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	665
1992	567	87	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	654
1993	533	94	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	627
1994	360	63	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	424
1995	369	67	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	436
1996	369	67	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	436
1997	359	62	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	421
1998	367	73	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	440
1999	375	66	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	441
2000	363	62	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	425
2001	365	52	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	418
2002	405	66	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	471
2003	405	66	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	471
2004	426	67	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	496
2005	452	67	0	1	3	n/a	n/a	523
2006	479	71	1	1	4	n/a	n/a	556
2007	479	70	0	4	3	n/a	n/a	556
2008	507	69	0	5	2	n/a	n/a	583
2009	523	79	0	6	3	n/a	n/a	611
2010	503	73	3	10	0	n/a	n/a	589
2011	489	69	4	7	0	0	0	569
2012	540	58	3	3	0	0	2	606
2013	553	47	4	2	0	1	5	612
2014	556	47	2	6	2	0	11	624
2015	574	47	4	10	2	0	12	649
2016	557	54	3	13	3	0	10	640
2017	542	58	3	15	0	0	9	627
2018	529	49	3	11	0	0	12	604
2019	501	51	1	11	1	0	12	577
2020	505	40	1	15	2	0	8	571
2021	477	39	0	19	3	0	8	546
2022	495	36	0	20	3	0	9	563
2023	495	32	0	18	2	0	14	561
2024	486	33	0	20	2	0	13	554

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Buford High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	712	41.4	17.1	n/a
1989	664	39.5	16.8	n/a
1990	643	41.5	15.4	n/a
1991	665	40.0	16.6	10.8
1992	654	38.4	17.0	11.9
1993	627	38.9	16.1	12.6
1994	424	38.0	11.2	13
1995	436	31.2	14.0	9.6
1996	436	31.2	14.0	9.6
1997	421	32.2	13.1	12.4
1998	440	36.0	12.2	9.8
1999	441	34.0	13.0	11.3
2000	425	29.0	14.7	11.8
2001	418	29.5	14.2	13.2
2002	471	29.0	16.2	15.1
2003	471	29.0	16.2	15.1
2004	496	31.5	15.7	29.8
2005	523	34.6	15.1	33.3
2006	556	39.0	14.3	34
2007	556	52.0	10.7	32.7
2008	583	41.6	14.0	32.1
2009	611	38.6	15.8	35.4
2010	589	41.0	14.3	41.3
2011	569	39.0	14.5	49.2
2012	606	41.0	14.7	48.2
2013	612	43.0	14.2	44
2014	624	43.0	14.5	42.8
2015	649	43.0	15.0	49.5
2016	640	44.0	14.5	42.2
2017	627	44.0	14.2	42.1
2018	604	46.0	13.1	36.3
2019	577	44.0	13.1	34.3
2020	571	44.0	12.9	34.3
2021	546	40.6	13.4	32.8
2022	563	44.6	12.6	32.5
2023	561	42.7	13.1	53.5
2024	554	43.8	12.6	55.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Buford High

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	712	41.4	17.1	n/a
1989	664	39.5	16.8	n/a
1990	643	41.5	15.4	n/a
1991	665	40.0	16.6	10.8
1992	654	38.4	17.0	11.9
1993	627	38.9	16.1	12.6
1994	424	38.0	11.2	13
1995	436	31.2	14.0	9.6
1996	436	31.2	14.0	9.6
1997	421	32.2	13.1	12.4
1998	440	36.0	12.2	9.8
1999	441	34.0	13.0	11.3
2000	425	29.0	14.7	11.8
2001	418	29.5	14.2	13.2
2002	471	29.0	16.2	15.1
2003	471	29.0	16.2	15.1
2004	496	31.5	15.7	29.8
2005	523	34.6	15.1	33.3
2006	556	39.0	14.3	34
2007	556	52.0	10.7	32.7
2008	583	41.6	14.0	32.1
2009	611	38.6	15.8	35.4
2010	589	41.0	14.3	41.3
2011	569	39.0	14.5	49.2
2012	606	41.0	14.7	48.2
2013	612	43.0	14.2	44
2014	624	43.0	14.5	42.8
2015	649	43.0	15.0	49.5
2016	640	44.0	14.5	42.2
2017	627	44.0	14.2	42.1
2018	604	46.0	13.1	36.3
2019	577	44.0	13.1	34.3
2020	571	44.0	12.9	34.3
2021	546	40.6	13.4	32.8
2022	563	44.6	12.6	32.5
2023	561	42.7	13.1	53.5
2024	554	43.8	12.6	55.8

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Buford High

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$398 (3.6%)	$142 (1.3%)	$540 (4.9%)	$8,824 (80.4%)	$1,615 (14.7%)	$10,439 (95.1%)	$10,978
2020	$443 (3.5%)	$153 (1.2%)	$596 (4.7%)	$9,874 (78.6%)	$2,094 (16.7%)	$11,968 (95.3%)	$12,564
2021	$488 (3.7%)	$86 (0.6%)	$573 (4.3%)	$10,765 (80.7%)	$1,997 (15.0%)	$12,761 (95.7%)	$13,334
2022	$540 (4.0%)	$374 (2.8%)	$915 (6.8%)	$10,697 (80.0%)	$1,767 (13.2%)	$12,464 (93.2%)	$13,379
2023	$741 (5.2%)	$558 (3.9%)	$1,299 (9.1%)	$11,391 (80.1%)	$1,526 (10.7%)	$12,917 (90.9%)	$14,216

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Buford High

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 90^th of 225 High schools	Ranks 89^th of 237 High schools	2.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Buford High)	61.5	67.4	5.8%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Lancaster 01)	71.7	64.6	7.1%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (South Carolina)	68.6	68.3	0.3%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Buford High)	73.4	59.6	13.8%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Lancaster 01)	63.1	52.1	11%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)	67.2	59.1	8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Buford High)	62.1	85.3	23.2%
End of Course English 1 (Lancaster 01)	78.1	83.4	5.3%
End of Course English 1 (South Carolina)	78.9	84	5.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	577	561	2.8%
African American	51	32	37.3%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	1	0	100%
Hispanic	11	18	63.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	501	495	1.2%
Two or More Races	12	14	16.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.3%	53.5%	19.2%

Schools Near Buford High

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (2024)	EOCEP English 1 (2024)	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution (2024)	EOCEP English 2 (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOCEP Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 End of Course	EOCEP English 1 End of Course	EOCEP U.S. History and the Constitution End of Course	EOCEP English 2 End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Buford High	Public	9-12	4290 Tabernacle Road	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 286-7068	554	44	12.6	55.8%	486 (87.7%)	33 (6.0%)	20 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.3%)	48.8	104^th of 235 public high schools	55.7%		54.1	89^th of 237 public high schools	62.4%	15	68.1	59.2	60.4	84.6	$14,216	$741	$558	$1,299	$11,391	$1,526	$12,917
Lancaster High	Public	9-12	625 Woodland Drive	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 283-2001	1,393	83	16.8	87.0%	332 (23.8%)	683 (49.0%)	311 (22.3%)	13 (0.9%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	49 (3.5%)	17.2	198^th of 235 public high schools	15.7%		8	223^rd of 237 public high schools	5.9%	25	55.6	35.1	38.9	79.6	$10,764	$955	$471	$1,425	$8,113	$1,226	$9,338
Lancaster County School District Career Center	Public	9-12	625 Normandy Road	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 289-4885	0	21	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Andrew Jackson High	Public	9-12	6925 Kershaw-Camden Highway	Kershaw	29067	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 475-2381	594	44	13.4	61.3%	401 (67.5%)	143 (24.1%)	20 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.9%)	49.5	101^st of 235 public high schools	57.0%		42	124^th of 237 public high schools	47.7%	23	64.8	67.8	46.7	90.2	$12,948	$583	$550	$1,133	$10,207	$1,609	$11,815
Indian Land High	Public	9-12	6100 Charlotte Hwy	Lancaster	29720	Lancaster County	Lancaster 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 286-8470	1,821	100	18.1	29.3%	1,102 (60.5%)	303 (16.6%)	233 (12.8%)	75 (4.1%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	104 (5.7%)	72.3	45^th of 235 public high schools	80.9%		75.3	39^th of 237 public high schools	83.5%	6	74.2	72.4	76.5	91.3	$10,054	$524	$511	$1,035	$7,730	$1,289	$9,019
Central High	Public	9-12	200 Zion Church Road	Pageland	29728	Chesterfield County	Chesterfield 01	No	No	No	No	(843) 672-6115	653	37	17.6	100.0%	249 (38.1%)	243 (37.2%)	114 (17.5%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.4%)	18.4	195^th of 235 public high schools	17.0%		22.4	177^th of 237 public high schools	25.3%	18	19.3	49.7	32.2	81.9	$12,950	$963	$898	$1,860	$9,332	$1,757	$11,089

Buford High

Buford High:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Lancaster 01:

What do you think?

Rank History for Buford High

Rank History for all students at Buford High

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Buford High

Rank History for Female students at Buford High

Rank History for Disabled students at Buford High

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Buford High

Rank History for Male students at Buford High

Rank History for White students at Buford High

Enrollment information for Buford High

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Buford High

Student/Teacher Ratio Buford High

Per Pupil Expenditures for Buford High

Impact of COVID-19 on Buford High

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Buford High

Buford High

Lancaster High

Lancaster County School District Career Center

Andrew Jackson High

Indian Land High

Central High

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