Enrollment
1,472
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Beaufort, SC
Bridges Preparatory School
Federal NCES profile for Bridges Preparatory School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390101617Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 2
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bridges Preparatory School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of South Carolina schools.
- #7 of 9
- schools in Beaufort · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 12.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Bridges Preparatory School has class sizes larger than 83% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bridges Preparatory School ranks #7 of 9 schools in Beaufort, SC.
School address
District: Sc Public Charter School District · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390101617 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
12.7%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bridges Preparatory School compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bridges Preparatory School
Bridges Preparatory School is a lower-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Beaufort, South Carolina, enrolling 1,472 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 12.7% free-meal eligibility runs 83% below the South Carolina average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,472 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 33 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #25, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and African American (13%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 491 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Sc Public Charter School District spends $22,523 per pupil, 55% above the South Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Beaufort's public schools, it stands alongside Robert Smalls International Academy (785 students): Bridges Preparatory School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 12.5:1).
Sc Public Charter School District also operates York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students) and Legacy Early College (1,592 students) alongside Bridges Preparatory School.
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 Bridges Preparatory School compares
Bridges Preparatory School 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 18% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 12.7% | ▼ 83% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,472 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,472
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
12.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 83% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
15.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$22,523
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 491 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
85
in-school suspensions + 66 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.3 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 66.2%
African American 13.1%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%
Two or More 6.1%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 66.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.6, Bridges Preparatory School is about as mixed as the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sc Public Charter School District, which includes Bridges Preparatory School.
$22,523
Per student
+55%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.8%
State 80.6%
Federal 13.6%
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 Bridges Preparatory School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| York Preparatory Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Legacy Early College | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| High Point Academy | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Green Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Riverwalk Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bridges Preparatory School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,672
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,592
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,208
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 998
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar other schools in Beaufort
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Robert Smalls International Academy
Standard public school
785 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Broad River Elementary
Standard public school
467 students 10.2:1 students per teacher
Coosa Elementary
Standard public school
467 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Joseph S. Shanklin Elementary
Standard public school
416 students 10.1:1 students per teacher
Lowcountry Montessori School
Standard public school
408 students 17:1 students per teacher
Beaufort Elementary
Standard public school
375 students 8:1 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 (~1,472 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bridges Preparatory School's federal record.
- Compare Bridges Preparatory School against another school. Compare schools
- Sc Public Charter School District'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 Bridges Preparatory School
How many students attend Bridges Preparatory School?
Bridges Preparatory School has 1,472 students enrolled. It is a public school in Beaufort, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bridges Preparatory School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bridges Preparatory School is 16.9:1, which is 18% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bridges Preparatory School?
12.7% of students at Bridges Preparatory School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bridges Preparatory School?
The largest demographic group at Bridges Preparatory School is White at 66.2% of enrollment, in Beaufort, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.6/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bridges Preparatory School?
Bridges Preparatory School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Bridges Preparatory School rank among schools in Beaufort?
By Resource Investment Index, Bridges Preparatory School ranks #7 of 9 schools in Beaufort, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Beaufort on the city page.
Is Bridges Preparatory School a good school?
Bridges Preparatory School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Sc Public Charter School District?
Besides Bridges Preparatory School, Sc Public Charter School District also operates York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students), Legacy Early College (1,592 students), and High Point Academy (1,208 students). See the Sc Public Charter School District district page for the complete list.
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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.