Is Gray Collegiate Academy a good school?

Yes. Gray Collegiate Academy ranks in the top 5.1% of South Carolina high schools.

How many students attend Gray Collegiate Academy?

In the 2023-24 school year, 869 students attended Gray Collegiate Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Gray Collegiate Academy?

Students at Gray Collegiate Academy are 72% White, 17% African American, 7% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

Gray Collegiate Academy

Summary:

Gray Collegiate Academy is a public charter high school serving grades 6-12 in West Columbia, South Carolina, with a student population of 803. This high-performing school consistently outshines the state and its district, the School Public Charter School District, on academic measures.

Gray Collegiate Academy's exceptional academic performance is evident in its significantly higher proficiency rates compared to the state and district in subjects like Algebra 1 (92.91% vs. 72.5% state), English 1 (92.4% vs. 62.89% state), and English 2 (98.33% vs. 85.83% state). The school has been ranked among the top 12 high schools in South Carolina, a remarkable achievement for a relatively small school. Gray Collegiate Academy also excels in supporting the academic success of various student subgroups, consistently ranking in the top 15-20 schools in the state for female, male, African American, and low socioeconomic status students.

When compared to nearby high schools, such as Irmo High and Brookland-Cayce High, Gray Collegiate Academy significantly outperforms them on academic measures, highlighting the exceptional educational opportunities it provides. However, the school's performance in the Gifted and Talented student subgroup is less impressive, ranking 74th out of 157 high schools in the state, suggesting a need to enhance its offerings and support for its most academically advanced students.

Detail:

Public, Charter 6-12

3833 Leaphart Road
West Columbia, SC 29169

(803) 951-3321

District: Charter Institute at Erskine

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

Student/teacher ratio: 23.1

Number of students: 869

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.2%

African American:

16.8%

Hispanic:

7.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 15%

See top rated South Carolina high schools

Compare Gray Collegiate Academy to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gray Collegiate Academy ranks better than 95.1% of middle schools in South Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.82. (See more...)

Compare Details Gray Collegiate Academy ranks better than 94.9% of high schools in South Carolina. It also ranks 3^rd among 6 ranked high schools in the Charter Institute at Erskine School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 88.82. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Gray Collegiate Academy 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 Gray Collegiate Academy has the largest high school student body size in the Charter Institute at Erskine School District. Racial makeup is: White (72.2%), African American (16.8%), Hispanic (7.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 15% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gray Collegiate Academy is 23.1. 5 high schools in the Charter Institute at Erskine School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Gray Collegiate Academy employs 37.5 full-time teachers.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Gray Collegiate Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Gray Collegiate Academy 16^th of 325 South Carolina public middle schools. (See Gray Collegiate Academy in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Gray Collegiate Academy 12^th of 235 South Carolina public high schools. (See Gray Collegiate Academy in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

African American students:

White students:

Charter Institute at Erskine:

SchoolDigger ranks Charter Institute at Erskine 34^th of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Gray Collegiate Academy?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Gray Collegiate Academy

Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	93.33	19^th	325	94.2%
2024	95.82	16^th	325	95.1%

See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	97.43	6^th	313	98.1%

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

Rank History for middle school Female students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	79.77	52^nd	299	82.6%
2024	96.46	13^th	294	95.6%

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

Rank History for middle school Gifted and Talented students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	46.14	123^rd	185	33.5%

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

Rank History for middle school Male students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	97.64	10^th	303	96.7%
2024	93.93	15^th	294	94.9%

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

Rank History for middle school White students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	84.83	35^th	260	86.5%
2024	89.00	25^th	255	90.2%

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

Rank History for Gray Collegiate Academy

Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	65.24	38^th	225	83.1%
2021	67.12	49^th	227	78.4%
2022	80.85	23^rd	226	89.8%
2023	87.06	17^th	237	92.8%
2024	88.82	12^th	235	94.9%

See the entire list of South Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	73.92	22^nd	217	89.9%
2021	70.28	37^th	213	82.6%
2022	82.30	19^th	220	91.4%
2023	93.49	8^th	226	96.5%
2024	89.98	12^th	229	94.8%

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

Rank History for high school Female students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	69.27	32^nd	213	85.0%
2021	64.75	61^st	213	71.4%
2022	82.05	21^st	220	90.5%
2023	84.95	18^th	223	91.9%
2024	88.02	13^th	225	94.2%

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

Rank History for high school Gifted and Talented students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	72.44	23^rd	156	85.3%
2024	62.89	74^th	157	52.9%

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

Rank History for high school Male students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	65.45	38^th	218	82.6%
2021	66.53	48^th	215	77.7%
2022	78.31	26^th	224	88.4%
2023	89.03	14^th	229	93.9%
2024	88.67	12^th	228	94.7%

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

Rank History for high school African American students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	68.57	31^st	184	83.2%
2021	62.82	46^th	178	74.2%
2022	89.66	9^th	190	95.3%
2023	87.65	15^th	199	92.5%
2024	95.33	5^th	194	97.4%

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

Rank History for high school White students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	SC State Percentile
2019	63.52	44^th	191	77.0%
2021	64.66	54^th	189	71.4%
2022	71.59	40^th	192	79.2%
2023	84.02	17^th	197	91.4%
2024	85.52	13^th	196	93.4%

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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Gray Collegiate Academy.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Gray Collegiate Academy, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Gray Collegiate Academy

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2019	321	126	2	13	2	15	479
2020	341	125	5	24	1	13	509
2021	407	151	4	41	1	19	623
2022	438	161	4	49	1	17	670
2023	577	154	6	51	0	15	803
2024	627	146	5	64	0	27	869

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 Gray Collegiate Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	479	12.3	38.9	21.9
2020	509	15.0	33.9	18.5
2021	623	18.0	34.6	21.3
2022	670	24.0	27.9	30.4
2023	803	39.0	20.5	21.5
2024	869	37.5	23.1	15

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 Gray Collegiate Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	479	12.3	38.9	21.9
2020	509	15.0	33.9	18.5
2021	623	18.0	34.6	21.3
2022	670	24.0	27.9	30.4
2023	803	39.0	20.5	21.5
2024	869	37.5	23.1	15

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.

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gray Collegiate Academy

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 38^th of 225 High schools	Ranks 17^th of 237 High schools	9.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Gray Collegiate Academy)	66.7	87.8	21.1%
End of Course Algebra 1/Mathematics for the Technologies 2 (Charter Institute at Erskine)	62.2	55.7	6.5%
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 (Gray Collegiate Academy)	77.2	91	13.8%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (Charter Institute at Erskine)	65.6	63.4	2.2%
End of Course Biology 1/Applied Biology 2 (South Carolina)	67.2	59.1	8.1%
End of Course English 1 (Gray Collegiate Academy)	84.9	95.8	10.9%
End of Course English 1 (Charter Institute at Erskine)	83.5	87.2	3.7%
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	479	803	67.6%
African American	126	154	22.2%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	2	6	200%
Hispanic	13	51	292.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	321	577	79.8%
Two or More Races	15	15
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	21.9%	21.5%	0.4%

Schools Near Gray Collegiate Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)			SC READY Mathematics (2024)			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	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	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
Gray Collegiate Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	3833 Leaphart Road	West Columbia	29169	Lexington County	Charter Institute at Erskine	Yes	No	No	No	(803) 951-3321	869	38	23.1	15.0%	627 (72.2%)	146 (16.8%)	64 (7.4%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (3.1%)	88.8	12^th of 235 public high schools	94.9%		87.1	17^th of 237 public high schools	92.8%	5	86.5	73.6	78.9	67.3	56.5	57.4	92.9	92.4	78.2	98.3
River Bluff High	Public	9-12	320 Corley Mill Road	Lexington	29072	Lexington County	Lexington 01	No	No	No	No	(803) 821-0700	2,160	140	15.4	26.3%	1,475 (68.3%)	246 (11.4%)	190 (8.8%)	146 (6.8%)	4 (0.2%)	7 (0.3%)	92 (4.3%)	80.2	25^th of 235 public high schools	89.4%		72.5	45^th of 237 public high schools	81.0%	20							78.8	79.3	75.1	95.0	$12,362	$507	$427	$934	$9,988	$1,441	$11,428
Midlands Middle College	Public, Charter	10-12	1260 Lexington Drive	West Columbia	29170	Lexington County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(803) 822-7043	134	7	20.3	42.5%	71 (53.0%)	46 (34.3%)	11 (8.2%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.0%)								(n/a)									47.1		$15,684	$723	$276	$999	$10,047	$4,639	$14,685
Columbia High	Public	9-12	1701 Westchester Drive	Columbia	29210	Richland County	Richland 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 731-8950	693	47	14.9	100.0%	21 (3.0%)	596 (86.0%)	35 (5.1%)	16 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.6%)	20.1	194^th of 235 public high schools	17.4%		15.3	203^rd of 237 public high schools	14.3%	9							53.7	35.6	19.3	85.7	$18,517	$848	$978	$1,826	$13,740	$2,951	$16,691
Airport High	Public	9-12	1315 Boston Avenue	West Columbia	29170	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	No	No	No	(803) 822-5600	1,338	72	18.5	85.1%	505 (37.7%)	444 (33.2%)	311 (23.2%)	11 (0.8%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	64 (4.8%)	29.6	165^th of 235 public high schools	29.8%		35.6	144^th of 237 public high schools	39.2%	21							49.1	57.0	44.9	81.3	$12,767	$551	$1,256	$1,808	$9,035	$1,924	$10,959
The Palmetto Empowerment and Enrichment Academy	Public	5-12	5000 Broad River Road	Columbia	29210	Richland County	Dept of Juvenile Justice	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 896-5952	0	10	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Irmo High	Public, Magnet	9-12	6671 St. Andrews Road	Columbia	29212	Lexington County	Lexington 05	No	Yes	No	No	(803) 476-5000	1,268	105	12.1	100.0%	293 (23.1%)	721 (56.9%)	102 (8.0%)	48 (3.8%)	3 (0.2%)	10 (0.8%)	91 (7.2%)	40.5	131^st of 235 public high schools	44.3%		29.4	160^th of 237 public high schools	32.5%	29							52.2	53.0	53.0	88.3	$14,454	$706	$769	$1,475	$11,009	$1,970	$12,979
Empowerment and Enrichment Academy	Public	5-12	5000 Broad River Road	Columbia	29212	Lexington County	Dept of Juvenile Justice	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 896-9114	0	18	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)			26.7			0.0	19.4
Brookland-Cayce High	Public	9-12	1300 State Street	Cayce	29033	Lexington County	Lexington 02	No	No	No	No	(803) 791-5000	1,222	89	13.7	100.0%	338 (27.7%)	382 (31.3%)	389 (31.8%)	54 (4.4%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (4.5%)	20.5	191^st of 235 public high schools	18.7%		29.8	159^th of 237 public high schools	32.9%	32							40.0	46.8	51.3	75.5	$16,787	$858	$1,471	$2,329	$12,067	$2,391	$14,458
Sara Babb High	Public	9-12	4450 Broad River Road	Columbia	29210	Richland County	Dept Of Correction N04	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 896-2714	3	4	.7		0 (0.0%)	2 (66.7%)	1 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)

Gray Collegiate Academy

Gray Collegiate Academy:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Charter Institute at Erskine:

What do you think?

Rank History for Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for all middle school students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for middle school Female students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for middle school Gifted and Talented students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for middle school Male students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for middle school White students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for all high school students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for high school Female students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for high school Gifted and Talented students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for high school Male students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for high school African American students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Rank History for high school White students at Gray Collegiate Academy

Enrollment information for Gray Collegiate Academy

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gray Collegiate Academy

Student/Teacher Ratio Gray Collegiate Academy

Impact of COVID-19 on Gray Collegiate Academy

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Gray Collegiate Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Gray Collegiate Academy

Rate Gray Collegiate Academy!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Sign up for updates!