Enrollment
1,102
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Charleston, SC
Charleston School of the Arts
Federal NCES profile for Charleston School of the Arts, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450144000083
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 45
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Charleston School of the Arts earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of South Carolina schools.
- #3 of 18
- schools in North Charleston · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.5:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 20.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Charleston School of the Arts has class sizes larger than 70% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Charleston School of the Arts ranks #3 of 18 schools in North Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Charleston 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450144000083 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
71.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.6%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-72% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Charleston School of the Arts compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Charleston School of the Arts
Charleston School of the Arts is a large combined-grade school in North Charleston, South Carolina, enrolling 1,102 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.5:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 20.6% free-meal eligibility runs 72% below the South Carolina average.
Enrollment of 1,102 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 85 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #24.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and African American (12%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 276 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
14.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among North Charleston's public schools, it stands alongside Meeting Street Elementary (1,133 students): Charleston School of the Arts is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.5:1 vs 8.1:1).
Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students) and Rb Stall High (2,135 students) alongside Charleston School of the Arts.
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 Charleston School of the Arts compares
Charleston School of the Arts 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 | 15.5:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.6% | ▼ 72% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,102 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,102
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 72% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 70% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
14.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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 276 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 40 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 70.0%
African American 11.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 70.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.4, Charleston School of the Arts is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charleston 01, which includes Charleston School of the Arts.
$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 Charleston School of the Arts 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 Charleston School of the Arts'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 other schools in North Charleston
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Meeting Street Elementary
Standard public school
1,133 students 8.1:1 students per teacher
A. C. Corcoran Elementary
Standard public school
743 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Eagle Nest Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary
Standard public school
622 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Lambs Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary
Standard public school
569 students 16.7:1 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 (~1,102 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Charleston School of the Arts's federal record.
- Compare Charleston School of the Arts 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 Charleston School of the Arts
How many students attend Charleston School of the Arts?
Charleston School of the Arts has 1,102 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Charleston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Charleston School of the Arts?
The student-teacher ratio at Charleston School of the Arts is 15.5:1, which is 8% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Charleston School of the Arts?
20.6% of students at Charleston School of the Arts are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Charleston School of the Arts?
The largest demographic group at Charleston School of the Arts is White at 70.0% of enrollment, in North Charleston, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Charleston School of the Arts?
Charleston School of the Arts has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Charleston School of the Arts rank among schools in North Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, Charleston School of the Arts ranks #3 of 18 schools in North Charleston, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in North Charleston on the city page.
Is Charleston School of the Arts a good school?
Charleston School of the Arts earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% 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 Charleston 01?
Besides Charleston School of the Arts, 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.