Enrollment
805
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Spartanburg, SC
Fairforest Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Fairforest Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450363001025
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fairforest Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of South Carolina schools.
- #13 of 19
- schools in Spartanburg · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.8:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 72.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Fairforest Elementary has class sizes larger than 74% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fairforest Elementary ranks #13 of 19 schools in Spartanburg, SC.
School address
District: Spartanburg 06 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450363001025 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.8:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.8%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fairforest Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fairforest Elementary
Fairforest Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, enrolling 805 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.8:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 72.8% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 805 puts it in the larger 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 135 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #32.
Its student body is led by White (44%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 403 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
15.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Spartanburg's public schools, it stands alongside High Point Academy (1,208 students): Fairforest Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.8:1 vs 12.9:1).
Spartanburg 06 also operates Dorman High (3,920 students) and Fairforest Middle (1,007 students) alongside Fairforest Elementary.
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 Fairforest Elementary compares
Fairforest Elementary 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 | 15.8:1 | ▲ 10% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.8% | ▼ 2% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 805 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.8:1
Leaner classes than 40% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
805
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.8%
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
15.8:1
students per teacher
- 10% above state mean
Top 74% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,908
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 403 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 54 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.8 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 44.3%
Hispanic or Latino 24.5%
African American 19.3%
Two or More 7.8%
Asian 4.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 44.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.9, Fairforest Elementary is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Spartanburg 06, which includes Fairforest Elementary.
$12,908
Per student
-11%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.8%
State 49.3%
Federal 12.0%
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 Fairforest Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorman High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fairforest Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Roebuck Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| R. P. Dawkins Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| L. E. Gable Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fairforest Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,920
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,007
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 853
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 800
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 760
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Spartanburg
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
High Point Academy
Standard public school
1,208 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Drayton Mills Elementary
Standard public school
810 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
West View Elementary
Standard public school
644 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
E. P. Todd School
Standard public school
559 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Jesse Boyd Elementary
Standard public school
549 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
The Cleveland Academy of Leadership
Standard public school
521 students 13.7:1 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 (~805 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fairforest Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Fairforest Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Spartanburg 06'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 Fairforest Elementary
How many students attend Fairforest Elementary?
Fairforest Elementary has 805 students enrolled. It is a public school in Spartanburg, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fairforest Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Fairforest Elementary is 15.8:1, which is 10% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 1% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fairforest Elementary?
72.8% of students at Fairforest Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fairforest Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Fairforest Elementary is White at 44.3% of enrollment, in Spartanburg, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fairforest Elementary?
Fairforest Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Fairforest Elementary rank among schools in Spartanburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Fairforest Elementary ranks #13 of 19 schools in Spartanburg, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Spartanburg on the city page.
Is Fairforest Elementary a good school?
Fairforest Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% 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 Spartanburg 06?
Besides Fairforest Elementary, Spartanburg 06 also operates Dorman High (3,920 students), Fairforest Middle (1,007 students), and Roebuck Elementary (853 students). See the Spartanburg 06 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.