Enrollment
481
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sumter, SC
Bates Middle
Federal NCES profile for Bates Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450390201064
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 68
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bates Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #1 of 5
- middle schools in Sumter · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bates Middle has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bates Middle ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Sumter, SC.
School address
District: Sumter 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390201064 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bates Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bates Middle
Bates Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Sumter, South Carolina, enrolling 481 students.
At 14.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 481 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 375 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #140.
Its student body is led by African American (69%) and White (20%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 160 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 42.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Sumter 01 spends $11,507 per pupil, 21% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 274 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 481 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 21 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Sumter's middle schools, it stands alongside Alice Drive Middle (783 students): Bates Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 16.3:1).
Sumter 01 also operates Sumter High School (2,122 students) and Crestwood High (1,105 students) alongside Bates Middle.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Bates Middle compares
Bates Middle on the metrics families compare, against South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 2% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 481 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
481
Bigger than 59% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 58% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 42% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
42.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,507
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 160 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
115
in-school suspensions + 159 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 23.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 57.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 21 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 69.4%
White 20.2%
Two or More 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%
Asian 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 69.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.3, Bates Middle is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sumter 01, which includes Bates Middle.
$11,507
Per student
-21%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 53.3%
Federal 19.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Bates Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Crestwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alice Drive Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Furman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bates Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,105
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 783
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Sumter
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Alice Drive Middle
Standard public school
783 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Furman Middle
Standard public school
700 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Ebenezer Middle
Standard public school
352 students 16:1 students per teacher
Chestnut Oaks Middle
Standard public school
339 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of South Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~481 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bates Middle's federal record.
- Compare Bates Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Sumter 01's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Bates Middle
How many students attend Bates Middle?
Bates Middle has 481 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sumter, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bates Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Bates Middle is 14.6:1, which is 2% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bates Middle?
100.0% of students at Bates Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bates Middle?
The largest demographic group at Bates Middle is African American at 69.4% of enrollment, in Sumter, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bates Middle?
Bates Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Bates Middle rank among middle schools in Sumter?
By Resource Investment Index, Bates Middle ranks #1 of 5 middle schools in Sumter, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Sumter on the city page.
Is Bates Middle a good school?
Bates Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Sumter 01?
Besides Bates Middle, Sumter 01 also operates Sumter High School (2,122 students), Crestwood High (1,105 students), and Lakewood High (1,013 students). See the Sumter 01 district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.