Enrollment
146
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lancaster, SC
Discovery Charter of Lancaster
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Charter of Lancaster, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 450258000556Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Charter of Lancaster earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in South Carolina.
- #3 of 14
- public schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.9:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 51.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Charter of Lancaster has class sizes larger than 98% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Charter of Lancaster ranks #3 of 14 public schools in Lancaster, SC.
School address
District: Lancaster 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450258000556 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
51.8%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery Charter of Lancaster compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery Charter of Lancaster
Discovery Charter of Lancaster is a higher-need, small charter elementary school in Lancaster, South Carolina, enrolling 146 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.9:1 is larger than about 98% of South Carolina schools and 46% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 51.8% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 95% of South Carolina schools, with 146 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 66/100).
16.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lancaster's elementary schools, it stands alongside Mcdonald Green Elementary (337 students): Discovery Charter of Lancaster is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.9:1 vs 14.7:1).
Lancaster 01 also operates Indian Land High (1,905 students) and Lancaster High (1,390 students) alongside Discovery Charter of Lancaster.
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 Discovery Charter of Lancaster compares
Discovery Charter of Lancaster 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 | 20.9:1 | ▲ 46% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.8% | ▼ 30% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 146 | top 95% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.9:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
146
Bigger than 14% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
51.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
20.9:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 98% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
16.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,853
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.5 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 43.8%
African American 32.2%
Hispanic or Latino 19.9%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 43.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Discovery Charter of Lancaster is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lancaster 01, which includes Discovery Charter of Lancaster.
$11,853
Per student
-19%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.3%
State 46.8%
Federal 16.9%
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 Discovery Charter of Lancaster Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Land High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lancaster High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indian Land Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Harrisburg Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Indian Land Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery Charter of Lancaster's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,905
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,390
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,181
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,102
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar elementary schools in Lancaster
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Similar elementary 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 (~146 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery Charter of Lancaster's federal record.
- Compare Discovery Charter of Lancaster against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster 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 Discovery Charter of Lancaster
How many students attend Discovery Charter of Lancaster?
Discovery Charter of Lancaster has 146 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lancaster, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Charter of Lancaster?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Charter of Lancaster is 20.9:1, which is 46% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 33% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Charter of Lancaster?
51.8% of students at Discovery Charter of Lancaster are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Charter of Lancaster?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Charter of Lancaster is White at 43.8% of enrollment, in Lancaster, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Charter of Lancaster?
Discovery Charter of Lancaster has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Discovery Charter of Lancaster rank among public schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Charter of Lancaster ranks #3 of 14 public schools in Lancaster, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Lancaster on the city page.
Is Discovery Charter of Lancaster a good school?
Discovery Charter of Lancaster earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of South Carolina schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in South Carolina. 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 Lancaster 01?
Besides Discovery Charter of Lancaster, Lancaster 01 also operates Indian Land High (1,905 students), Lancaster High (1,390 students), and Indian Land Intermediate (1,181 students). See the Lancaster 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.