Enrollment
1,299
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Charleston, SC
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art
Federal NCES profile for C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450144000249
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 35
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Charleston · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 68.7%
- free-lunch eligible
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Charleston 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450144000249 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
87.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
68.7%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-7% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art is a higher-need, large middle school in Charleston, South Carolina, enrolling 1,299 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 68.7% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,299 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 87 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #61.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and African American (37%) (diversity index 67/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 325 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 673 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,299 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 17 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Charleston's middle schools, it stands alongside Camp Road Middle (901 students): C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 18:1).
Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students) and Rb Stall High (2,135 students) alongside C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art.
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 C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art compares
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 4% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 68.7% | ▼ 7% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,299 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,299
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
68.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 7% below 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 63% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
37.4%
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
$15,213
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 325 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
358
in-school suspensions + 315 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 27.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 51.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 17 expulsions.
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 42.5%
African American 36.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.9%
Two or More 6.9%
Asian 2.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 42.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.7, C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charleston 01, which includes C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art.
$15,213
Per student
+4%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.0%
State 27.7%
Federal 13.3%
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 C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wando High | Larger | Lower 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 | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James Island Charter High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,588
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- 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 middle schools in Charleston
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~1,299 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art's federal record.
- Compare C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art against another school. Compare schools
- Charleston 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 C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art
How many students attend C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art?
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art has 1,299 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Charleston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art?
The student-teacher ratio at C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art is 14.9:1, which is 4% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art?
68.7% of students at C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art?
The largest demographic group at C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art is White at 42.5% of enrollment, in Charleston, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art?
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art rank among middle schools in Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art ranks #3 of 3 middle 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 middle schools in Charleston on the city page.
Is C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art a good school?
C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. 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 Charleston 01?
Besides C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art, 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.
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.