Enrollment
709
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bluffton, SC
Bluffton Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Bluffton Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450111000418
👥 S:T ratio 56
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 29
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bluffton Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Bluffton · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.1:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 26.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Bluffton Elementary has class sizes smaller than 87% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bluffton Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Bluffton, SC.
School address
District: Beaufort 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450111000418 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
26.1%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-65% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bluffton Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bluffton Elementary
Bluffton Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bluffton, South Carolina, enrolling 709 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.1:1, Bluffton Elementary is leaner than roughly 87% of South Carolina schools and 22% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 26.1% free-meal eligibility runs 65% below the South Carolina average.
Enrollment of 709 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 102 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #31.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (38%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 355 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Bluffton's public schools, it stands alongside River Ridge Academy (1,134 students): Bluffton Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.1:1 vs 14.5:1).
Beaufort 01 also operates May River High (1,731 students) and Bluffton High (1,375 students) alongside Bluffton Elementary.
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 Bluffton Elementary compares
Bluffton Elementary 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 | 11.1:1 | ▼ 22% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 26.1% | ▼ 65% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 709 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.1:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
709
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
26.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 65% 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
11.1:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 13% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
18.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$16,066
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 355 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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
Hispanic or Latino 43.7%
White 38.1%
African American 9.7%
Two or More 5.5%
Asian 2.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, Bluffton Elementary is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Beaufort 01, which includes Bluffton Elementary.
$16,066
Per student
+10%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.5%
State 30.2%
Federal 13.4%
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 Bluffton Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| May River High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bluffton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hilton Head Island High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| River Ridge Academy | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beaufort High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bluffton Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,731
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 1,104
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Bluffton
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
River Ridge Academy
Standard public school
1,134 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Pritchardville Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Michael C. Riley Elementary
Standard public school
704 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
Okatie Elementary
Standard public school
648 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Red Cedar Elementary
Standard public school
636 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~709 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bluffton Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Bluffton Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Beaufort 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 Bluffton Elementary
How many students attend Bluffton Elementary?
Bluffton Elementary has 709 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bluffton, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bluffton Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Bluffton Elementary is 11.1:1, which is 22% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bluffton Elementary?
26.1% of students at Bluffton Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bluffton Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Bluffton Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 43.7% of enrollment, in Bluffton, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bluffton Elementary?
Bluffton Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher 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 Bluffton Elementary rank among schools in Bluffton?
By Resource Investment Index, Bluffton Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Bluffton, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bluffton on the city page.
Is Bluffton Elementary a good school?
Bluffton Elementary earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 Beaufort 01?
Besides Bluffton Elementary, Beaufort 01 also operates May River High (1,731 students), Bluffton High (1,375 students), and Hilton Head Island High (1,265 students). See the Beaufort 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.