Enrollment
533
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Darlington, SC
J. L. Cain Elementary
Federal NCES profile for J. L. Cain Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450186001749
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 7
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
J. L. Cain Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of South Carolina schools.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Darlington · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
J. L. Cain Elementary has class sizes smaller than 74% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, J. L. Cain Elementary ranks #2 of 3 schools in Darlington, SC.
School address
District: Darlington 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450186001749 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
43.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How J. L. Cain Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at J. L. Cain Elementary
J. L. Cain Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Darlington, South Carolina, enrolling 533 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 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.
With 533 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 383 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #331, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (72%) and White (17%) (diversity index 45/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 533 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.4% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 152 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 533 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Darlington's public schools, it stands alongside St. John's Elementary (596 students): J. L. Cain Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.4:1 vs 14.2:1).
Darlington 01 also operates Hartsville High (1,129 students) and Darlington High (965 students) alongside J. L. Cain 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 J. L. Cain Elementary compares
J. L. Cain 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 13% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 533 | top 52% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
533
Bigger than 66% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 26% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.1%
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
$16,032
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 533 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 152 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.5 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
African American 71.9%
White 16.5%
Two or More 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 71.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.8, J. L. Cain Elementary is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Darlington 01, which includes J. L. Cain Elementary.
$16,032
Per student
+10%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.6%
State 40.1%
Federal 21.4%
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 J. L. Cain Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartsville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Darlington High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Darlington Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hartsville Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| St. John's Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to J. L. Cain Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,129
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 965
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 888
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 11.3:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 596
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Darlington
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~533 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on J. L. Cain Elementary's federal record.
- Compare J. L. Cain Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Darlington 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 J. L. Cain Elementary
How many students attend J. L. Cain Elementary?
J. L. Cain Elementary has 533 students enrolled. It is a public school in Darlington, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J. L. Cain Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at J. L. Cain Elementary is 12.4:1, which is 13% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 21% 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 J. L. Cain Elementary?
100.0% of students at J. L. Cain Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of J. L. Cain Elementary?
The largest demographic group at J. L. Cain Elementary is African American at 71.9% of enrollment, in Darlington, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for J. L. Cain Elementary?
J. L. Cain Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 J. L. Cain Elementary rank among schools in Darlington?
By Resource Investment Index, J. L. Cain Elementary ranks #2 of 3 schools in Darlington, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Darlington on the city page.
Is J. L. Cain Elementary a good school?
J. L. Cain Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller 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 Darlington 01?
Besides J. L. Cain Elementary, Darlington 01 also operates Hartsville High (1,129 students), Darlington High (965 students), and Darlington Middle (888 students). See the Darlington 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.