Enrollment
339
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Sumter, SC
Chestnut Oaks Middle
Federal NCES profile for Chestnut Oaks Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450390200511
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 66
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chestnut Oaks Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of South Carolina schools.
- #2 of 5
- middle schools in Sumter · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Chestnut Oaks Middle has class sizes larger than 83% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chestnut Oaks Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Sumter, SC.
School address
District: Sumter 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390200511 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chestnut Oaks Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chestnut Oaks Middle
Chestnut Oaks Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Sumter, South Carolina, enrolling 339 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 100.0% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 339 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 278 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #162.
Its student body is predominantly African American (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 32/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 170 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 77.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Sumter 01 spends $11,507 per pupil, 21% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 180 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 339 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 24 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Sumter's middle schools, it stands alongside Alice Drive Middle (783 students): Chestnut Oaks Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 16.3:1).
Sumter 01 also operates Sumter High School (2,122 students) and Crestwood High (1,105 students) alongside Chestnut Oaks Middle.
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 Chestnut Oaks Middle compares
Chestnut Oaks Middle 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 18% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 339 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
339
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
100.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above 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
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 83% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
77.3%
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
$11,507
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 170 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
71
in-school suspensions + 109 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 53.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 24 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
African American 81.4%
Hispanic or Latino 9.7%
White 5.0%
Two or More 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 81.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.4, Chestnut Oaks Middle is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sumter 01, which includes Chestnut Oaks Middle.
$11,507
Per student
-21%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 53.3%
Federal 19.7%
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 Chestnut Oaks Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Crestwood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lakewood High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alice Drive Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Furman Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chestnut Oaks Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,122
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,105
- Students per teacher
- 21.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,013
- Students per teacher
- 19.1:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 783
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 700
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar middle schools in Sumter
4 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Alice Drive Middle
Standard public school
783 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Furman Middle
Standard public school
700 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Bates Middle
Standard public school
481 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Ebenezer Middle
Standard public school
352 students 16:1 students per teacher
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 (~339 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chestnut Oaks Middle's federal record.
- Compare Chestnut Oaks Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Sumter 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 Chestnut Oaks Middle
How many students attend Chestnut Oaks Middle?
Chestnut Oaks Middle has 339 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Sumter, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chestnut Oaks Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Chestnut Oaks Middle is 16.9:1, which is 18% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chestnut Oaks Middle?
100.0% of students at Chestnut Oaks Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chestnut Oaks Middle?
The largest demographic group at Chestnut Oaks Middle is African American at 81.4% of enrollment, in Sumter, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chestnut Oaks Middle?
Chestnut Oaks Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Chestnut Oaks Middle rank among middle schools in Sumter?
By Resource Investment Index, Chestnut Oaks Middle ranks #2 of 5 middle schools in Sumter, 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 Sumter on the city page.
Is Chestnut Oaks Middle a good school?
Chestnut Oaks Middle earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Sumter 01?
Besides Chestnut Oaks Middle, Sumter 01 also operates Sumter High School (2,122 students), Crestwood High (1,105 students), and Lakewood High (1,013 students). See the Sumter 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.