- Enrollment
- 6,152
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gaffney, SC
Cherokee Charter School
Federal NCES profile for Cherokee Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390901755Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 48
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cherokee Charter School earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #8 of 8
- schools in Gaffney · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.9:1
- students per teacher
- 72.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Cherokee Charter School has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cherokee Charter School ranks #8 of 8 schools in Gaffney, SC.
School address
District: Charter Institute at Erskine · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390901755 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+36 students YoY
Cherokee Charter School grew from 480 students in 2022-23 to 516 in 2023-24 (+7.5%).
Teacher FTE lost 49.5 → 44.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+36 students YoY 450390901755 · Gaffney, SC Other · MID · CHARTER
633 enr · 12.9:1 · 72.5% lunch · RII 28
Nearest enrollment peer: Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students)
Cherokee Charter School grew from 480 students in 2022-23 to 516 in 2023-24 (+7.5%). Teacher FTE lost 49.5 → 44.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · South Carolina schools → · Find another →
Cherokee Charter School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Sc Connections
Sc Connections Academy
6,152 students
- Cyber Academy
Cyber Academy of South Carolina
3,280 students
- South Carolina 2,180
South Carolina Virtual Charter School
2,180 students
- Gray Collegiat 935
Gray Collegiate Academy
935 students
- Mevers School 772
Mevers School of Excellence
772 students
- This school 633
Cherokee Charter School
633 students
What this shows Cherokee Charter School reports 633 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cherokee Charter School compares
Cherokee Charter School is a growing campus on CCD: 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 | 12.9:1 | ▼ 10% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.5% | ▼ 2% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 633 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
633
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
72.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 33% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 67% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.1%
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
$20,062
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $15,911
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 633 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 68.4%
African American 18.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.8%
Two or More 3.2%
Asian 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 68.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.0, Cherokee Charter School is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
District finance for Charter Institute at Erskine reports $20,062 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cherokee Charter School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sc Connections Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cyber Academy of South Carolina | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Carolina Virtual Charter School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gray Collegiate Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mevers School of Excellence | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cherokee Charter School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,280
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,180
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 935
- Students per teacher
- 24:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 772
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Gaffney
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
B. D. Lee Elementary
Standard public school
603 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Grassy Pond Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Limestone-Central Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Northwest Elementary
Standard public school
423 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Luther L. Vaughan Elementary
Standard public school
399 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Corinth Elementary
Standard public school
292 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other 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 (~633 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cherokee Charter School
How many students attend Cherokee Charter School?
Cherokee Charter School has 633 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gaffney, SC. CCD year-over-year: 480 (2022-23) → 516 (2023-24), up 36.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cherokee Charter School is 12.9:1, which is 10% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 18% 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 Cherokee Charter School?
72.5% of students at Cherokee Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cherokee Charter School?
The largest demographic group at Cherokee Charter School is White at 68.4% of enrollment, in Gaffney, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cherokee Charter School?
Cherokee Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Cherokee Charter School rank among schools in Gaffney?
By Resource Investment Index, Cherokee Charter School ranks #8 of 8 schools in Gaffney, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gaffney on the city page.
What other schools are in Charter Institute at Erskine?
Besides Cherokee Charter School, Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students), Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students), and South Carolina Virtual Charter School (2,180 students). See the Charter Institute at Erskine district page for the complete list.