The greater Florence area provides exceptional public and private educational choices for pre-school through college. Three institutions of higher education have brought national recognition to the region while local students have earned state, regional and national awards for academic excellence, athletics and extra-curricular activities.

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Elementary and Secondary Schools

School District 1 operates 12 elementary, one intermediate, three middle schools, three high schools, and a career center in the area serving approximately 14,500 students in the Florence, Effingham and Quinby areas. The school district is one of the largest employers in the Florence area, and its schools have been recognized as being among the state's best with numerous awards, including the Palmetto's Finest Award.

School District 2 serves approximately 1,240 students in and around Pamplico. Recent construction provides the district with new facilities while new classroom computers have upgraded its technological advancement. Cooperative programs with area colleges offer baccalaureate credit courses for students still in high school.

School District 3 operates eight schools in the Lake City area with a total enrollment of more than 4,300. The district boasts strong family literacy and early childhood education programs, elementary technology instruction and an at-risk student-mentoring program. The district also takes pride in its successful fine-arts curriculum.

School district 4 in Timmonsville serves approximately 1,250 students. A new facility, housing kindergarten through 12th grade, comes complete with computer and long-distance learning technology labs. The district also has a CISCO lab where students can learn how to network computers and design networking systems, which, if students pass the national CISCO certification test, can lead to a high-paying and successful job in the technology industry. Partnerships with higher education and local business and an invigorated staff create an atmosphere of strong academic achievement in the district.

School District 5 in Johnsonville operates three schools and has a student population of 1,450. Students have received a number of accolades for their achievements in academics, music and athletics.

Poynor Adult and Community Education, an alternative school located in downtown Florence, offers a wide range of programs to serve the local community. Many people have gotten back "on track" by completing the requirements for their GED at the historic Poynor School.

The Governor's School for Science and Mathematics offers a public residential program for selected 11th and 12th grade students from around the state. It is ranked among the best secondary schools in the nation with a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio. The school also takes pride in the fact that all faculty members hold either a master's or doctoral degree. The Governor's School, which operates in a prominent structure in downtown Hartsville, has class schedules more similar to a college than a high school. Admission is based on an application process and the state keeps the cost of the program low with financial aid available to those qualified students.
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Private Schools

Florence Christian School is one of the largest Christian schools in the Palmetto State. The school, accredited by the South Carolina Independent School Association, offers a Bible-based college preporatory curriculum.

As the oldest independent school in the Pee Dee, The Byrnes Schools has been providing academically rigorous college preparatory education for pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade since 1966.

Trinity Collegiate School, established in 1995, is a college preparatory school of academic excellence rooted in the faith, values and caring of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and is conveniently located near Florence, Darlington and Hartsville. Trinity is fully accredited by SACS and SCISA and serves students in grades 7 - 12. Trinity is proud of its 100 percent record of graduates attending schools of higher education.

The King's Academy of Trinity Presbyterian Church is a fully accredited, private Christian school, serving students in grades K5 - 12. Founded in 1990, the school's goal is to offer the finest Christian education in an environment that enables students to grow intellectually, socially and spiritually. The school is located on Ebenezer Road near Florence, where it continues its tradition of excellence.

As part of Florence's educational community for 26 years, the Montessori School provides parents and students with a quality option for independent education in grades 3K - 6. With "hands on" activities, Montessori education relays abstract concepts in easy-to-understand ways and provides students with an excellent opportunity for academic success. The Montessori School is located on Palmetto Street in Florence.

Established in 1960, All Saints Episcopal Day School serves more than 300 students in K-3 through 6th grade. All Saints is accredited by SCISA and all classroom teachers are state certified.

Serving the community since 1956, St. Anthony's School prepares children for the future by giving them the best in religious, moral and academic instruction for 3K through 8th grade. This parochial school is a ministry of St. Anthony's Catholic Church.
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Post-Secondary Education

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College (FDTC) has provided affordable, quality technical education to thousands of Pee Dee area students since 1963. The college currently serves nearly 4,000 curriculum students and more than 25,000 regional residents through its continuing education division. The main campus is comprised of eight major buildings on 246 adres. FDTC operates satelitte campuses in Hartsville, Lake City and Mullins. In addition, a site in Darlington County houses the socmetology center and downtown Florence is home to the Health Sciences Campus. The college's commitment to the advancement of economic development is reflected in its motto: "Growing the economy...one graduate at a time."

The Southeastern Institute for Manufacturing and Technology (SIMT) will open in mid 2007 on a 146-acre tract behind FDTC's main campus. SIMT will aid the College in achieving its mission of assisting business and industry in training workers for tomorrow's jobs.
The FDTC online college was the first in South Carolina to offer complete programs via the Internet and has grown to offer more than 100 courses and several associate degree programs via the web.
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Francis Marion University

As one of the city's attractions, Francis Marion University, founded in 1970 with a 400-acre campus, prides itself on providing a strong liberal arts education. With 4,000 students, it has the look and feel of a small college with all the benefits of a state-supported comprehensive university. While 93 percent of its students come from South Carolina, the University also serves students from 32 states and 25 foreign countries. The student-faculty ratio is 17 to 1, and the overall class size is 20.

Fully accredited and offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees, a number of the university's individual academic programs have also been accredited by specialized agencies and gained national recognition.

U.S. News and World Report ranked FMU as one of the top 100 master's-level universities in the South in its 2007 edition of America's Best Colleges. The magazine has also recognized FMU for haing one of the most ethnically diverse student bodies in the South.

Most of the university's buildings have been constructed or renovated since 1970 and all are fully accessible. A new state-of-the-art nursing education facility was completed during the summer of 2006. Plans are underway for a new Fine Arts Center in downtown Florence and will incorporate FMU's drama and related studios department along with providing a technically superior auditorium for such things as symphony concerts and traveling Broadway shows. These state-of-the-art edifices are funded in large part by the private Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation. One of the busiest places on campus is the James A. Rogers Library, which is a valuable resource for students, residents, business and industries in the region.

Francis Marion University offers programs and services in continuing education, technical and professional assistance, industrial and economic development, and artistic and cultural enrichment. Many of the community's cultural arts exhibits are sponsored by the university, including concerts, lectures, plays, art exhibits and film series.

The school has an outstanding NCAA Division II athletic program with seven different sprots for men women, and has announced plans to move to Division I within the next few years.
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Coker College

Nestled in a wooded, historic district of Hartsville, Coker is an independent liberal arts college founded in 1908. Throughout its distinguished history, Coker has been a community leader meeting the educational needs of students from South Carolina and around the world.

With an enrollment of more than 1,100 students and an academic program supporting 31 majors, Coker College's highly interactive and personalized learning experience is nationally recognized for building communication and leadership skills. The average class size is just 12 students and many course are taught at round table rather than in lecture halls. The college's evening program offers bachelor's degrees for adults in Hartsville, Lake City, Mullins and at Fort Jackson in Columbia.

Outside the classroom, Coker students benefit from internship and studies abroad opportunities as well as involvement in many clubs and organizations. Coker boasts state-of-the-art teaching facilities, spacious residence halls, and several buildings that are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The NCAA II school also has a 22-acre athletics complex, a recreational facility on Prestwood Lake and Kalmia Gardens, a 30-acre botanical garden and nature preserve about three miles from campus. The Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center, which opened on campus in 1997, is a focal point for superior cultural events in the region, from national touring companies to student productions. The college recently completed a one million dollar campus landscaping plan and will soon open the ten million dollar Charles W. and Joan S. Coker Library-Information Technology Center.

Coker is consistently ranked a Best Comprehensive College in the South by U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review rates Coker a Best Southeastern College. Smart Parents Guide to College identifies the Coker round table teaching style as a model learning experience.
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Limestone College

Limestone College is a regionally accredited, liberal arts, four-year institution established in 1845 as the first woman's college in South Carolina and one of the first in the United States. Although the main campus is located in Gaffney, Limestone offers a block program in Florence, along with 10 other locations throughout the state, giving adults the opportunity to go back to school and receive an associate's or bachelor's degree.

Limestone's block program is a unique and convenient was for adult students to take one class at a time every four weeks. Classes are held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Madison Square on West Palmetto Street, and degrees are available in liberal studies, general business, business administration, business management and socail work.
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Phone Listings for Pee Dee area schools

Public Schools

School District One - Florence - 843-669-4141

School District Two - Pamplico - 843-493-2502

School District Three - Lake City - 843-374-8652

School District Four - Timmonsville - 843-346-5391

School District Five - Johnsonville - 843-386-2358
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Colleges & Universities

Coker College - 843-383-8014

Francis Marion University - 843-661-1362

Florence-Darlington Technical College - 843-661-8324

Limestone College - 843-662-3517
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Private Schools

Florence Christian School (Pre-K - 12) - 843-662-0454

All Saints Episcopal Day School (3K-6) - 843-662-8134

The Byrnes Schools (3K-12) - 843-662-0131

Calvary Baptist Church (2K-5K) - 843-667-1798

Christian Assembly School - 843-667-1798

Ebenezer Christian Academy - 843-664-9699

Florence Adventist School - 843-669-9858

Highland Park Kindergarten - 843-662-1242

KEMET Afro-Centric School - 843-669-3013

The Kings Academy (K-12) - 843-661-7464

Maranatha Christian School (3K-12) - 843-665-6395

Montessori School of Florence (3K-6) - 843-629-2920

St. Anthony Chatholic School (3K-8) - 843-662-1910

Trinity Collegiate School (7-12) - 843-395-9124