Sumter is home to the third largest school in the state, Sumter High School, whose current student population is approximately 2,700. Sumter High is currently operated by the smallest school district in the state (Sumter District 17). The current building has been in use since 1983 and has undergone additions in 1987 and 2003; the 2003 additions opened to students in fall 2005 for the Class of 2006. Current feeder middle schools to Sumter High are Chestnut Oaks Middle, Alice Drive Middle and Bates Middle Schools. The SHS mascot is the Gamecock, a reference to the city and county’s namesake, General Thomas Sumter. The school colors are royal blue and gold.

In 1935 it was named Edmunds High School in memory of Superintendent Samuel Henry Edmunds. The colors were purple and white. This color combination represented the merging of the two Junior High schools; McLaurin Junior High whose colors were red and white, and Alice Drive Middle with colors blue and white. In 1971, the name was again changed to Sumter High School and the colors became the current blue and gold.

In 1990, the Sumter High School Marching Band performed in the New York City Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.