Enrollment
449
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Belton, SC
Belton Preparatory Academy
Federal NCES profile for Belton Preparatory Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450390901700Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 91
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Belton Preparatory Academy earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of South Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Belton · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 34.5:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 21.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Belton Preparatory Academy has class sizes larger than 99% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Belton Preparatory Academy ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Belton, SC.
School address
District: Charter Institute at Erskine · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390901700 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
13.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
34.5:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+141% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.2%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-71% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Belton Preparatory Academy compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Belton Preparatory Academy
Belton Preparatory Academy is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Belton, South Carolina, enrolling 449 students.
Class loads run heavy: 34.5:1 is larger than about 99% of South Carolina schools and 141% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.2% free-meal eligibility runs 71% below the South Carolina average.
With 449 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 35 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #10.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and African American (11%) (diversity index 37/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Charter Institute at Erskine spends $6,927 per pupil, 52% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Belton's elementary schools, it stands alongside Belton Elementary (379 students): Belton Preparatory Academy is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (34.5:1 vs 14:1).
Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students) and Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students) alongside Belton Preparatory Academy.
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 Belton Preparatory Academy compares
Belton Preparatory Academy 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 | 34.5:1 | ▲ 141% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.2% | ▼ 71% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 449 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
34.5:1
Leaner classes than 1% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
449
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 71% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
34.5:1
students per teacher
- 141% above state mean
Top 99% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
3.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$6,927
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
White 78.6%
African American 10.9%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 78.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.6, Belton Preparatory Academy is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charter Institute at Erskine, which includes Belton Preparatory Academy.
$6,927
Per student
-52%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-58%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 85.8%
Federal 11.5%
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 Belton Preparatory Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sc Connections Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cyber Academy of South Carolina | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Carolina Virtual Charter School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray Collegiate Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Mevers School of Excellence | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Belton Preparatory Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,152
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 3,280
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,180
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 772
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar elementary schools in Belton
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~449 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Belton Preparatory Academy's federal record.
- Compare Belton Preparatory Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Charter Institute at Erskine'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 Belton Preparatory Academy
How many students attend Belton Preparatory Academy?
Belton Preparatory Academy has 449 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Belton, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Belton Preparatory Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Belton Preparatory Academy is 34.5:1, which is 141% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 120% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Belton Preparatory Academy?
21.2% of students at Belton Preparatory Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Belton Preparatory Academy?
The largest demographic group at Belton Preparatory Academy is White at 78.6% of enrollment, in Belton, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Belton Preparatory Academy?
Belton Preparatory Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Belton Preparatory Academy rank among elementary schools in Belton?
By Resource Investment Index, Belton Preparatory Academy ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Belton, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Belton on the city page.
Is Belton Preparatory Academy a good school?
Belton Preparatory Academy earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of South Carolina schools. 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 Charter Institute at Erskine?
Besides Belton Preparatory Academy, Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students), Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students), and South Carolina Virtual Charter School (2,180 students). See the Charter Institute at Erskine 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.