Enrollment
851
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Gaffney, SC
Gaffney Middle
Federal NCES profile for Gaffney Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450150000549
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gaffney Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of South Carolina schools.
- #6 of 11
- public schools in Gaffney · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.7:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Gaffney Middle has class sizes smaller than 70% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gaffney Middle ranks #6 of 11 public schools in Gaffney, SC.
School address
District: Cherokee 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450150000549 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
67.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gaffney Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gaffney Middle
Gaffney Middle is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in Gaffney, South Carolina, enrolling 851 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.7:1 puts it in the smaller 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 851 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 211 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #94.
Its student body is led by White (43%) and African American (38%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 284 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 885 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 851 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 7 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gaffney's middle schools, it stands alongside John E. Ewing Middle (380 students): Gaffney Middle is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.7:1 vs 12.7:1).
Cherokee 01 also operates Gaffney High (1,827 students) and B. D. Lee Elementary (603 students) alongside Gaffney 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 Gaffney Middle compares
Gaffney 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 | 12.7:1 | ▼ 11% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 851 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.7:1
Leaner classes than 69% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
851
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
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
12.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 30% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
54.3%
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
$14,030
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 284 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
311
in-school suspensions + 574 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 36.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 104.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 7 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
White 43.4%
African American 37.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 43.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.9, Gaffney Middle is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cherokee 01, which includes Gaffney Middle.
$14,030
Per student
-4%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.3%
State 45.1%
Federal 16.6%
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 Gaffney Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaffney High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| B. D. Lee Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Grassy Pond Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blacksburg High | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Limestone-Central Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gaffney Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,827
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 603
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
Similar middle schools in Gaffney
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
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 (~851 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gaffney Middle's federal record.
- Compare Gaffney Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Cherokee 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 Gaffney Middle
How many students attend Gaffney Middle?
Gaffney Middle has 851 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Gaffney, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaffney Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Gaffney Middle is 12.7:1, which is 11% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 19% 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 Gaffney Middle?
100.0% of students at Gaffney Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gaffney Middle?
The largest demographic group at Gaffney Middle is White at 43.4% of enrollment, in Gaffney, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gaffney Middle?
Gaffney Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Gaffney Middle rank among public schools in Gaffney?
By Resource Investment Index, Gaffney Middle ranks #6 of 11 public 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 public schools in Gaffney on the city page.
Is Gaffney Middle a good school?
Gaffney Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% 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 Cherokee 01?
Besides Gaffney Middle, Cherokee 01 also operates Gaffney High (1,827 students), B. D. Lee Elementary (603 students), and Grassy Pond Elementary (519 students). See the Cherokee 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.