- Enrollment
- 2,588
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Charleston, SC
Buist Academy
Federal NCES profile for Buist Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450144001382
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Buist Academy earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Charleston · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 21.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Buist Academy has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Buist Academy ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Charleston 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450144001382 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
Buist Academy held near 537 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 36.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-11 students YoY 450144001382 · Charleston, SC Elementary · MID · TRAD
521 enr · 14.5:1 · 21.5% lunch · RII 61
Nearest enrollment peer: Wando High (2,588 students)
Buist Academy held near 537 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 36.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Carolina schools → · Find another →
Buist Academy in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Wando High
Wando High
2,588 students
- Rb Stall High
Rb Stall High
2,135 students
- West Ashley Hi
West Ashley High
2,069 students
- Lucy Garrett B
Lucy Garrett Beckham High
1,757 students
- James Island C
James Island Charter High
1,612 students
- This school 521
Buist Academy
521 students
What this shows Buist Academy reports 521 students on the CCD universe file.
How Buist Academy compares
Buist Academy held steady on CCD headcount: 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 | 14.5:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.5% | ▼ 71% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 521 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
521
Bigger than 64% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
21.5%
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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 57% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 43% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
6.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$16,635
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 261 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 75.8%
African American 9.6%
Asian 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Two or More 4.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 75.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.9, Buist Academy is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Charleston 01 reports $16,635 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Buist Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wando High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rb Stall High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Ashley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lucy Garrett Beckham High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James Island Charter High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Buist Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,135
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,069
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,757
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,612
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar elementary schools in Charleston
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary 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 (~521 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.5:1)
Frequently asked questions about Buist Academy
How many students attend Buist Academy?
Buist Academy has 521 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Charleston, SC. CCD year-over-year: 548 (2022-23) → 537 (2023-24), nearly flat (-11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Buist Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Buist Academy is 14.5:1, which is 1% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 8% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Buist Academy?
21.5% of students at Buist Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Buist Academy?
The largest demographic group at Buist Academy is White at 75.8% of enrollment, in Charleston, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Buist Academy?
Buist Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher 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).
How does Buist Academy rank among elementary schools in Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, Buist Academy ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Charleston, 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 Charleston on the city page.
What other schools are in Charleston 01?
Besides Buist Academy, Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students), Rb Stall High (2,135 students), and West Ashley High (2,069 students). See the Charleston 01 district page for the complete list.