- Enrollment
- 992
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Rowesville, SC
Bethune-Bowman Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bethune-Bowman Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450391000849
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bethune-Bowman Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most South Carolina schools.
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
- 259
- students enrolled
Bethune-Bowman Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Orangeburg · South Carolina
NCES ID 450391000849 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-17 students YoY
Bethune-Bowman Elementary shrank from 288 students in 2022-23 to 271 in 2023-24 (-5.9%).
Teacher FTE added 17.0 → 20.1 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-17 students YoY 450391000849 · Rowesville, SC Other · SMALL · TRAD
259 enr · 15.2:1 · 100.0% lunch · RII 48
Nearest enrollment peer: Orangeburg Wilkinson High (992 students)
Bethune-Bowman Elementary shrank from 288 students in 2022-23 to 271 in 2023-24 (-5.9%). Teacher FTE added 17.0 → 20.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Carolina schools → · Find another →
Bethune-Bowman Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Orangeburg Wil
Orangeburg Wilkinson High
992 students
- Lake Marion Hi
Lake Marion High School
692 students
- Edisto Primary
Edisto Primary
635 students
- Marshall Eleme
Marshall Elementary
625 students
- Edisto High
Edisto High
614 students
- This school 259
Bethune-Bowman Elementary
259 students
What this shows Bethune-Bowman Elementary reports 259 students on the CCD universe file.
How Bethune-Bowman Elementary compares
Bethune-Bowman Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs South Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs South Carolina | South Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.2:1 | ▲ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 259 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
259
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 66% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.3%
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
$16,571
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $15,911
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 259 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
33
in-school suspensions + 42 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 12.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
African American 84.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%
Two or More 2.3%
White 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 84.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 26.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 26.4, Bethune-Bowman Elementary is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Orangeburg reports $16,571 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Bethune-Bowman Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg Wilkinson High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake Marion High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Edisto Primary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Marshall Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Edisto High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bethune-Bowman Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 692
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 635
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 625
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 614
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Rowesville
1 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~259 students)
Frequently asked questions about Bethune-Bowman Elementary
How many students attend Bethune-Bowman Elementary?
Bethune-Bowman Elementary has 259 students enrolled. It is a public school in Rowesville, SC. CCD year-over-year: 288 (2022-23) → 271 (2023-24), down 17.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bethune-Bowman Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bethune-Bowman Elementary is 15.2:1, which is 6% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bethune-Bowman Elementary?
100.0% of students at Bethune-Bowman Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bethune-Bowman Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bethune-Bowman Elementary is African American at 84.9% of enrollment, in Rowesville, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bethune-Bowman Elementary?
Bethune-Bowman Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Orangeburg?
Besides Bethune-Bowman Elementary, Orangeburg also operates Orangeburg Wilkinson High (992 students), Lake Marion High School (692 students), and Edisto Primary (635 students). See the Orangeburg district page for the complete list.