Academic Magnet High School 2025–2026 Annual Report Narrative
Academic Magnet High School continued its proud tradition of academic excellence during the 2025–2026 school year. Our faculty delivered rigorous, engaging instruction, and our students once again achieved nationally recognized academic outcomes. The school's reputation for excellence in Honors and Advanced Placement coursework remains firmly intact, with our rigorous curriculum continuing to lead both the state and region.
Academic Magnet High School exemplifies the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by producing exceptionally prepared college- and career-ready students. Our graduates matriculate to some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and universities, United States military service academies, state and regional institutions, and directly into the workforce. Throughout the year, we strengthened partnerships with families, expanded communication channels between school leadership and the community, and fostered greater connectivity through collaboration with parent organizations and community stakeholders. We also enhanced social, emotional, academic, and college readiness supports, ensuring that students at every grade level are prepared to meet future challenges and opportunities.
Academic rigor and an emphasis on Honors and Advanced Placement coursework remain the hallmark of an Academic Magnet education. We continue to offer an extensive array of Advanced Placement courses while cultivating a culture of academic excellence beginning in the ninth grade. During the 2025–2026 school year, more than 690 students took over 1,850 AP examinations, establishing a new school record. Additionally, 100 percent of graduating seniors earned a score of 3 or higher on at least one AP examination during their tenure at Academic Magnet High School. Nearly every graduate qualified for either the South Carolina Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or the LIFE Scholarship.
Our efforts to increase student diversity and better reflect the broader community continued through strategic outreach and relationship-building with middle schools throughout our district-wide feeder pattern. With support and ideas from the School Improvement Council, we continued implementing access initiatives for low-income middle school students and families preparing for admission to Academic Magnet High School. Grant funding also provided transformative opportunities for current students, including college tours across the southeastern United States. These experiences have helped increase access to higher education and contributed to the enrollment of underrepresented students at some of the region’s most prestigious universities.
Partnerships with parent support organizations remain essential to student success at Academic Magnet High School. Partners in Education (PIE), the Academic Magnet High School Foundation, and the School Improvement Council are all integral to fulfilling our mission. Through collaborative efforts, these organizations supported initiatives that extended beyond the school’s operational budget. Together, they enhanced college readiness programming, restored a comprehensive ninth-grade orientation experience, sponsored a monthly lecture series featuring educational experts, and expanded signature cultural events such as the International Dinner.
The Class of 2026 achieved remarkable success. This extraordinary graduating class of 179 students included 172 potential AP Capstone Diploma Scholars, 29 National Merit Finalists, and more than $15 million in scholarship offers. Additionally, 123 graduates qualified as Palmetto Fellows Scholars, while 56 earned the South Carolina LIFE Scholarship. Academic Magnet High School’s excellence continues to be recognized at both the state and national levels, where we consistently rank among the top public high schools in the nation.
The accomplishments of Academic Magnet High School would not be possible without the dedication and support of our faculty, staff, students, families, alumni, and community partners. We extend our sincere gratitude to all who contribute to our mission of academic excellence and student success. Together, we continue to uphold the traditions and values that make Academic Magnet High School one of the premier educational institutions in South Carolina and the nation.
Go Raptors!
Jacob Perlmutter, Principal
David Northrup, SIC Chairperson
