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Horse Creek Academy

Aiken, SC 29803

Phone: (803) 646-3506

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charter • Grades KG,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 • 1392 students

Horse Creek Academy, a charter school located in Aiken, SC, serves grades K-12 in the Limestone Charter Association.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 4 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.

Horse Creek Academy is a charter school located in Aiken, SC. 1392 students attend Horse Creek Academy.

School Ratings

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	5/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2024 End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) Tests data from South Carolina Department of Education, and using 2024 College and Career Ready Assessments (READY) data from South Carolina Department of Education.
College Readiness	4/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2024 SAT percent participation data from South Carolina Department of Education, using 2024 SAT percent college ready data from South Carolina Department of Education, using 2024 4-year high school graduation rate data from South Carolina Department of Education, using 2024 Average SAT score data from South Carolina Department of Education, using 2024 Average ACT score data from South Carolina Department of Education, using 2024 ACT percent college ready data from South Carolina Department of Education, and using 2023 demographic data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Student Growth	4/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2024 Student Growth - Elementary Level data from South Carolina Department of Education, and using 2024 Student Growth - Middle Level data from South Carolina Department of Education.

Posted: June 5, 2026

Horse Creek Academy is truly an exceptional school community. What stands out most is the strong partnership between students, teachers, staff, parents, and administration. Everyone works together with a shared commitment to student success, creating a positive and supportive environment where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

The teachers are dedicated, caring, and passionate about helping students reach their full potential. The support staff goes above and beyond to ensure that students and families feel welcomed and valued. Parents are encouraged to be active partners in their children's education, which helps foster a strong sense of community and trust.

One of Horse Creek Academy's greatest strengths is its commitment to collective leadership. Administrators, teachers, and staff collaborate to make decisions, solve challenges, and continuously improve the school experience for students. This culture of shared leadership empowers everyone to contribute their ideas and expertise, creating a school that is innovative, responsive, and focused on excellence.

Most importantly, the students are at the heart of everything the school does. The positive school culture encourages students to grow as learners, leaders, and responsible citizens.

Horse Creek Academy is a place where people genuinely care about one another, and it shows in every aspect of the school. I highly recommend Horse Creek Academy to families seeking a high-quality educational experience built on collaboration, leadership, and a strong sense of community

Posted: June 5, 2026

Posted: January 26, 2026

Horse Creek Academy supports teachers, parents, and students! They offer numerous types of sports and clubs for students to participate in and are always adding more to engage their students!

Posted: January 26, 2026

Posted: January 25, 2026

Great school that focuses on creating young adults both in and out of the classroom. Safe, understanding, and instruction tailored to each child. Lots of room for students to be involved snd successful.

Posted: January 25, 2026

Posted: January 22, 2026

Ive had the opportunity to be in Horse Creek Academys orbit for over a decade, and it is a school I genuinely love and respect.

One of HCAs greatest strengths is how seriously it values student behavior and expectations. The behavior matrix is toughbut it works. Students are well-behaved, understand boundaries, and know what is expected of them. Those clear expectations create a school culture that feels calm, structured, and focused on learning.

The teachers at Horse Creek Academy care about their work and their craft more than anywhere else Ive been. There is a strong sense of professionalism and pride in teaching, and it shows in the classrooms every day. Expectations are clear and consistent, which creates a safe environment where students feel supported and appropriately challenged.

The high school is also growing in exciting ways, with more opportunities being added each year. Programs like nail technology, sports medicine, and agriculture give students meaningful, real-world pathways and exposure to careers beyond the traditional classroom.

Horse Creek Academy is a school with high standards, strong systems, and people who truly care. Its a place where students are held accountable, teachers are deeply invested, and the community continues to grow with purpose.

Posted: January 22, 2026

Posted: January 21, 2026

As a parent, I am incredibly grateful for the education and community my children are receiving at Horse Creek Academy. From the moment we joined, we felt welcomed, supported, and truly known. This is not a school where students are just numbers teachers and administrators build real relationships with children and families, and that makes a powerful difference.

What truly sets HCA apart is its culture. The school has strong communication, family involvement, service opportunities, and a genuine sense of connection. The leadership team is visible and accessible, and its clear that decisions are made with students best interests at heart.

As a parent, nothing matters more than knowing your child is safe, supported, and excited to learn. Horse Creek Academy has provided that for our family, and we are thankful to be a part of it.

Posted: January 21, 2026

Posted: February 20, 2025

I loved the teachers I worked with at HCA. I made forever friends with several women, but any teacher will tell you, the administration of a school makes or breaks your teaching experience. If I could give the admin team 0 stars, I would. Onboarding was a joke. Communication was abysmal. When I advocated for my students, changes were made that were passive aggressive and deeply vindictive. I heard one of the lead admin speak derisively about the intellectual capacity of a child and his mother in a Multi Tiered Support System meeting with several other teachers present. This is a meeting held to discuss how to help children. This was by far the worst teaching experience of my career. I'm so happy every day that I left the school and found a place that treats their employees with respect and kindness, and holds the well-being of the student as sacred.

Posted: February 20, 2025

Posted: July 12, 2024

The school needs more experience in handling students with disabilities.

Posted: July 12, 2024

Posted: August 28, 2023

I have 3 children who attended this school. We tried for 3 years to give it a fair chance but once I put my youngest into Kindergarten and my oldest into high school it became apparent in a couple months we couldn't keep them in there any longer. There were too many issues and the administration and teachers didn't want to address the problems. My kindergartener spent his days watching nearly every episode of a TV show, which we didn't learn until we took him out of the school, drawing whatever he wanted and having 2 recesses. Everything he knew before starting there, he ended up forgetting. He did learn a song for counting by 10s, that's literally all he learned in 5 months. This was also supposed to be a Montessori program but he brought home worksheets that were mostly coloring pages and when he asked the teacher if he could do certain activities he was told he couldn't, and when I talked to the teacher about it she let me know that they didn't have all the materials. I have experience teaching Montessori myself and if you don't have the materials you make them. The teacher also really had no experience with Montessori and really had never taught at a school before. My high schooler also had a number of inexperienced teachers, a teacher who was replaced twice without the school telling us about it in which one of the teachers had long covid and the other got arrested. Again, the school didn't tell us any of this. There were so many issues I can't possibly list them all. I also know other parents who had issues with the school and received a similar approach of not being able to get in touch with anyone who could help them and when finally having a conversation with someone (teacher, admin, etc) their concerns were brushed aside and they were treated as if they weren't supposed to ask questions or want to know what was going on with their child. Discipline in particular is very lax. There are safety concerns that are not being handled or addressed at all. When I withdrew my youngest from Horse Creek he'd only worked on 4 letters of the alphabet, my high schooler hadn't done any real writing. The school was too easy and she had a rude awakening when she went to a regular public school, but she also felt happy that she was actually learning something. She is now in her second year of high school and making As in everything except math, but last year was a struggle due to the huge difference between Horse Creek and a real school with standards.

Posted: August 28, 2023

Posted: May 27, 2023

My two children attended this school for 3 years.HCA is on a down hill slide. It is becoming an alternative school. Very accommodating to LGBT+\alternative lifestyles. No guidance office to help high school students prepare for college. Will not have your kids ready for college!!!!! Its Charter is a joke(limestone college). Former Charter tried to shut them down because they were lying about their grades/ test scores. Administration is a joke. Lots of smoke and mirrors here. Please attend a few board meetings before you send your child here. Do your homework people. No discipline, although they tell you there is a very strict discipline policy. Would not recommend. Walked right into the back door of this school more than once. Was not locked. Never is

Posted: September 26, 2022

My kids love this school. It has a great atmosphere. Walking in to school where staff are smiling and dancing to music sets the precedent for the day. Being in a sport or an activity makes it so the children create bonds with other students and coaches/teachers. I'm happy to have my children grow here.

Posted: September 26, 2022

Posted: November 30, 2020

My son has severe learning disabilities but has incredible mechanical skills and a true love for the outdoors. After my very first meeting with Dr. Taylor (the principal) she said we obviously need to change the way we are teaching, and maybe even what we are teaching if we are going to really help your son achieve his future goals. She promised to try to add in a mechanics class and provide My son with a more tailored IEP and she made both happen. This year not only is there a mechanics class but an agriculture class as well. You want to know why this school doesnt rank higher in state testing its because they arent spending entire class sessions teaching our kids just how to pass the state tests they are actually teaching our kids the knowledge they need to succeed in life at their careers and at their higher learning facilities, whether it be college or a trade school. If you want a school that cares, and stands so far above the rest they shouldnt even be compared to them this is the school for you!

Posted: November 30, 2020

Posted: July 25, 2020

10/10. This school is making a difference for children.

Posted: July 25, 2020

Posted: March 10, 2020

Great overall great leadership and positive experience overall

Posted: September 10, 2017

Administration is absolutely inept. Very concerned that my child is falling behind where they should be compared to peers in public school.

Posted: September 10, 2017

Posted: May 3, 2017

Please be ready for your child not to be prepared for any other public school this school is not teaching the proper academic for the kids to be prepared, some teachers were not even certified to be teaching the grade they were in, the substitutes they use are just glorified babysitters, administration was a joke could never get anyone on the phone, parent hours are also a joke if your friends with administrators your good and don't have to worry about your hours, they always wanted money for everything and they could never tell you where the money was going when they collected it

Posted: April 13, 2016

This school is more of a gossip session for adults. They have no organization and they are extremely rude. You can never get a hold of admin when you need to speak to them the teachers do what they want and the kids really aren't learning. We moved this year and at the school my kids now go to said that they are way behind in the curriculum. The teachers leave left and right the turn over rate is horrible they allow kids to bring weapons to school I e child sells energy shots at lunch.they don't have certified teachers teaching the kids and their executive director got fired and is still bring paid. I made a mistake sending my child here and I want to spread the word so that other families don't make the same. They also charge you a few if you don't donate or volunteer at the school. They are always asking for parents to donate supplies office and school stuff for their canteen ar rewards teacher appreciation and they e Ben want patent to get the property ready for a play ground. They have no gun and their car line is nothing but gravel. They allow certain parents to do what they want and others they tell you that it's not allowed. There is a
Favoritism with the students and teachers. It is a school that needs to be wiped out and start from scratch.

Posted: January 19, 2016

Horse creek Academy one of the best school my kids went in Aiken. All the staff and even every teacher's are ready to help you anytime. My kids really enjoying the school. They can share their ideas and really like the smaller class room.

Posted: January 19, 2016

Posted: April 16, 2015

Horse Creek Academy is an amazing school filled with wonderful caring teachers. From the principals and office staff to the teachers, everyone is always willing to help and shows that they care for each child as an individual. Horse Creek has small class sizes in k-8th grade. They have very few discipline problems and what they do have is all typical stuff try to get away with. The teachers are very open and communicate with the parents often. If you want your child to attend a school where he/she is thought of as a person and not as a test score, then this is the school for you!

Reviews provided by GreatSchools^™

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1	Barnett Crossing	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Augusta	GA	25.1 mi
2	Magnolia Valley Plantation	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Evans	GA	31.1 mi
3	Pamir Place	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Grovetown	GA	33.1 mi

#	Name	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance

Base	Distance
Fort Gordon	28.9 mi.

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Horse Creek Academy

Aiken, SC 29803

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