Enrollment
583
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Rock Hill, SC
Independence Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Independence Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450387001144
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 39
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Independence Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #12 of 14
- schools in Rock Hill · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Independence Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Elementary ranks #12 of 14 schools in Rock Hill, SC.
School address
District: York 03 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450387001144 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Independence Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Independence Elementary
Independence Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Rock Hill, South Carolina, enrolling 583 students.
At 13.9:1, 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.
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.
With 583 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 365 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #229.
Its student body is led by African American (42%) and White (27%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 583 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Rock Hill's public schools, it stands alongside York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students): Independence Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 14.8:1).
York 03 also operates Rock Hill High (1,980 students) and Northwestern High (1,822 students) alongside Independence 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 Independence Elementary compares
Independence 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 583 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
583
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 48% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 52% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
24.4%
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
$13,531
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 583 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 51 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.3 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 42.2%
White 27.3%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%
Two or More 9.8%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.5%
Largest group: African American at 42.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.8, Independence 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 York 03, which includes Independence Elementary.
$13,531
Per student
-7%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 47.3%
Federal 13.0%
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 Independence Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Hill High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwestern High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Pointe High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Dutchman Creek Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| W. C. Sullivan Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Independence Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,980
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,822
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,128
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 856
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 827
- Students per teacher
- 12:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar other schools in Rock Hill
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
York Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
1,672 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Riverwalk Academy
Standard public school
755 students 12:1 students per teacher
Old Pointe Elementary
Standard public school
565 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Mount Holly Elementary
Standard public school
514 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Oakdale Elementary
Standard public school
487 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Richmond Drive Elementary
Standard public school
467 students 12.6:1 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 (~583 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Independence Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Independence Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- York 03'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 Independence Elementary
How many students attend Independence Elementary?
Independence Elementary has 583 students enrolled. It is a public school in Rock Hill, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Independence Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Independence Elementary is 13.9:1, which is 3% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 11% 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 Independence Elementary?
100.0% of students at Independence Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Independence Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Independence Elementary is African American at 42.2% of enrollment, in Rock Hill, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Independence Elementary?
Independence Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Independence Elementary rank among schools in Rock Hill?
By Resource Investment Index, Independence Elementary ranks #12 of 14 schools in Rock Hill, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Rock Hill on the city page.
Is Independence Elementary a good school?
Independence Elementary earns 38/100 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 York 03?
Besides Independence Elementary, York 03 also operates Rock Hill High (1,980 students), Northwestern High (1,822 students), and South Pointe High (1,128 students). See the York 03 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.