Enrollment
438
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lexington, SC
Carolina Springs Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Carolina Springs Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450270001484
👥 S:T ratio 71
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 65
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Carolina Springs Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of South Carolina schools.
- #6 of 10
- schools in Lexington · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 7.3:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 37.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Carolina Springs Elementary has class sizes smaller than 98% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Carolina Springs Elementary ranks #6 of 10 schools in Lexington, SC.
School address
District: Lexington 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450270001484 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.3:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Carolina Springs Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Carolina Springs Elementary
Carolina Springs Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Lexington, South Carolina, enrolling 438 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.3:1, Carolina Springs Elementary is leaner than roughly 98% of South Carolina schools and 49% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 37.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 438 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 48 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #13.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and African American (27%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 175 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 55.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Lexington's public schools, it stands alongside Midway Elementary (856 students): Carolina Springs Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.3:1 vs 12.8:1).
Lexington 01 also operates Lexington High (2,536 students) and River Bluff High (2,117 students) alongside Carolina Springs 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 Carolina Springs Elementary compares
Carolina Springs 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 | 7.3:1 | ▼ 49% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.3% | ▼ 50% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.3:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
7.3:1
students per teacher
- 49% below state mean
Top 2% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
55.9%
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
$13,017
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.5 FTE
Per 175 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 15 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.5 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 54.3%
African American 27.2%
Two or More 9.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 54.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.5, Carolina Springs 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 Lexington 01, which includes Carolina Springs Elementary.
$13,017
Per student
-11%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.8%
State 51.0%
Federal 8.2%
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 Carolina Springs Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| River Bluff High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| White Knoll High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gilbert High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beechwood Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Carolina Springs Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,536
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 2,117
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 2,025
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,138
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,033
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Lexington
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Midway Elementary
Standard public school
856 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Pleasant Hill Elementary
Standard public school
846 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Lake Murray Elementary
Standard public school
813 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Rocky Creek Elementary
Standard public school
805 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Deerfield Elementary
Standard public school
753 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Oak Grove Elementary
Standard public school
691 students 12.3:1 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 (~438 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Carolina Springs Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Carolina Springs Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lexington 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 Carolina Springs Elementary
How many students attend Carolina Springs Elementary?
Carolina Springs Elementary has 438 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lexington, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Carolina Springs Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Carolina Springs Elementary is 7.3:1, which is 49% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 54% 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 Carolina Springs Elementary?
37.3% of students at Carolina Springs Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Carolina Springs Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Carolina Springs Elementary is White at 54.3% of enrollment, in Lexington, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Carolina Springs Elementary?
Carolina Springs Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (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 Carolina Springs Elementary rank among schools in Lexington?
By Resource Investment Index, Carolina Springs Elementary ranks #6 of 10 schools in Lexington, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lexington on the city page.
Is Carolina Springs Elementary a good school?
Carolina Springs Elementary earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% 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 Lexington 01?
Besides Carolina Springs Elementary, Lexington 01 also operates Lexington High (2,536 students), River Bluff High (2,117 students), and White Knoll High (2,025 students). See the Lexington 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.