Enrollment
846
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bluffton, SC
H. E. Mccracken Middle
Federal NCES profile for H. E. Mccracken Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450111000420
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
H. E. Mccracken Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #8 of 10
- public schools in Bluffton · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 29.1%
- free-lunch eligible
H. E. Mccracken Middle has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, H. E. Mccracken Middle ranks #8 of 10 public schools in Bluffton, SC.
School address
District: Beaufort 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450111000420 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.1%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How H. E. Mccracken Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at H. E. Mccracken Middle
H. E. Mccracken Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Bluffton, South Carolina, enrolling 846 students.
At 13.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 29.1% free-meal eligibility runs 61% below the South Carolina average.
Enrollment of 846 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.
Among 119 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #105, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (34%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 282 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 50.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 249 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 846 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Bluffton's middle schools, it stands alongside Bluffton Middle (921 students): H. E. Mccracken Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.6:1 vs 15.3:1).
Beaufort 01 also operates May River High (1,731 students) and Bluffton High (1,375 students) alongside H. E. Mccracken 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 H. E. Mccracken Middle compares
H. E. Mccracken 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 | 13.6:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.1% | ▼ 61% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 846 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
846
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% below the South Carolina average of 74.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 43% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 57% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
50.2%
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
$16,066
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 282 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
131
in-school suspensions + 118 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.4 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 48.2%
Hispanic or Latino 34.3%
African American 9.3%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 48.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.7, H. E. Mccracken 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 Beaufort 01, which includes H. E. Mccracken Middle.
$16,066
Per student
+10%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.5%
State 30.2%
Federal 13.4%
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 H. E. Mccracken Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| May River High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bluffton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hilton Head Island High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| River Ridge Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beaufort High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to H. E. Mccracken Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,731
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 1,104
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar middle schools in Bluffton
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 (~846 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on H. E. Mccracken Middle's federal record.
- Compare H. E. Mccracken Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Beaufort 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 H. E. Mccracken Middle
How many students attend H. E. Mccracken Middle?
H. E. Mccracken Middle has 846 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bluffton, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at H. E. Mccracken Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at H. E. Mccracken Middle is 13.6:1, which is 5% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 13% 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 H. E. Mccracken Middle?
29.1% of students at H. E. Mccracken Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of H. E. Mccracken Middle?
The largest demographic group at H. E. Mccracken Middle is White at 48.2% of enrollment, in Bluffton, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for H. E. Mccracken Middle?
H. E. Mccracken Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (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 H. E. Mccracken Middle rank among public schools in Bluffton?
By Resource Investment Index, H. E. Mccracken Middle ranks #8 of 10 public schools in Bluffton, 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 Bluffton on the city page.
Is H. E. Mccracken Middle a good school?
H. E. Mccracken Middle earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. 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 Beaufort 01?
Besides H. E. Mccracken Middle, Beaufort 01 also operates May River High (1,731 students), Bluffton High (1,375 students), and Hilton Head Island High (1,265 students). See the Beaufort 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.