Enrollment
474
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Clear Dot Charter School
Federal NCES profile for Clear Dot Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390901717Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 5
📋 Attendance 45
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clear Dot Charter School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of South Carolina schools.
- #42 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 84.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Clear Dot Charter School has class sizes larger than 94% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clear Dot Charter School ranks #42 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Charter Institute at Erskine · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390901717 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
25.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+33% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clear Dot Charter School compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clear Dot Charter School
Clear Dot Charter School is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 474 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19:1 is larger than about 94% of South Carolina schools and 33% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 84.3% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 474 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 98% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 64 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #63, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 474 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Charter Institute at Erskine spends $6,927 per pupil, 52% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Clear Dot Charter School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (19:1 vs 27.8:1).
Charter Institute at Erskine also operates Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students) and Cyber Academy of South Carolina (3,280 students) alongside Clear Dot Charter School.
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 Clear Dot Charter School compares
Clear Dot Charter School 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 | 19:1 | ▲ 33% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.3% | ▲ 14% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 474 | top 60% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19:1
Leaner classes than 20% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
474
Bigger than 58% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
19:1
students per teacher
- 33% above state mean
Top 94% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
21.9%
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
$6,927
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 474 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 6 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 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
African American 80.8%
White 11.6%
Two or More 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 80.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.1, Clear Dot Charter School is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charter Institute at Erskine, which includes Clear Dot Charter School.
$6,927
Per student
-52%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-58%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.7%
State 85.8%
Federal 11.5%
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 Clear Dot 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 | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Carolina Virtual Charter School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gray Collegiate Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mevers School of Excellence | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clear Dot Charter School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 6,152
- Students per teacher
- 27.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- 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 Columbia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sc Connections Academy
Standard public school
6,152 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Brennen Elementary
Standard public school
805 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Rice Creek Elementary
Standard public school
718 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Caughman Road Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Killian Elementary
Standard public school
699 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Sandlapper Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 14.3:1 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 (~474 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clear Dot Charter School's federal record.
- Compare Clear Dot Charter School against another school. Compare schools
- Charter Institute at Erskine'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 Clear Dot Charter School
How many students attend Clear Dot Charter School?
Clear Dot Charter School has 474 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clear Dot Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clear Dot Charter School is 19:1, which is 33% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 21% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Clear Dot Charter School?
84.3% of students at Clear Dot Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clear Dot Charter School?
The largest demographic group at Clear Dot Charter School is African American at 80.8% of enrollment, in Columbia, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clear Dot Charter School?
Clear Dot Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Clear Dot Charter School rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Clear Dot Charter School ranks #42 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Clear Dot Charter School a good school?
Clear Dot Charter School earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% 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 Charter Institute at Erskine?
Besides Clear Dot 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.
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.