Enrollment
792
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Duncan, SC
James Byrnes Freshman Academy
Federal NCES profile for James Byrnes Freshman Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450360001476
👥 S:T ratio 30
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Byrnes Freshman Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of South Carolina schools.
- #7 of 7
- public schools in Duncan · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 52.7%
- free-lunch eligible
James Byrnes Freshman Academy has class sizes larger than 89% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Byrnes Freshman Academy ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Duncan, SC.
School address
District: Spartanburg 05 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450360001476 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
45.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
52.7%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Byrnes Freshman Academy compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Byrnes Freshman Academy
James Byrnes Freshman Academy is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Duncan, South Carolina, enrolling 792 students.
Class loads run heavy: 17.6:1 is larger than about 89% of South Carolina schools and 23% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 52.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 792 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 172 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #133, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 2 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 396 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Spartanburg 05 spends $11,544 per pupil, 21% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 278 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 792 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 15 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Duncan's high schools, it stands alongside James F. Byrnes High (2,391 students): James Byrnes Freshman Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.6:1 vs 20.4:1).
Spartanburg 05 also operates James F. Byrnes High (2,391 students) and Berry Shoals Intermediate (902 students) alongside James Byrnes Freshman Academy.
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 James Byrnes Freshman Academy compares
James Byrnes Freshman Academy 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 23% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 52.7% | ▼ 29% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 792 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
792
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
52.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 89% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.9%
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
$11,544
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 396 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
137
in-school suspensions + 141 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 17.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 35.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 15 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 52.3%
African American 20.5%
Hispanic or Latino 16.2%
Two or More 8.2%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 52.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, James Byrnes Freshman Academy is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 2
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Spartanburg 05, which includes James Byrnes Freshman Academy.
$11,544
Per student
-21%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 49.7%
State 41.9%
Federal 8.4%
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 James Byrnes Freshman Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| James F. Byrnes High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Berry Shoals Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Abner Creek Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Florence Chapel Middle | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| River Ridge Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Byrnes Freshman Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,391
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 902
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 807
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 781
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 770
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Duncan
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~792 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Byrnes Freshman Academy's federal record.
- Compare James Byrnes Freshman Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Spartanburg 05'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 James Byrnes Freshman Academy
How many students attend James Byrnes Freshman Academy?
James Byrnes Freshman Academy has 792 students enrolled. It is a high school in Duncan, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Byrnes Freshman Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at James Byrnes Freshman Academy is 17.6:1, which is 23% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Byrnes Freshman Academy?
52.7% of students at James Byrnes Freshman Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Byrnes Freshman Academy?
The largest demographic group at James Byrnes Freshman Academy is White at 52.3% of enrollment, in Duncan, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Byrnes Freshman Academy?
James Byrnes Freshman Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does James Byrnes Freshman Academy rank among public schools in Duncan?
By Resource Investment Index, James Byrnes Freshman Academy ranks #7 of 7 public schools in Duncan, 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 Duncan on the city page.
Is James Byrnes Freshman Academy a good school?
James Byrnes Freshman Academy earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 05?
Besides James Byrnes Freshman Academy, Spartanburg 05 also operates James F. Byrnes High (2,391 students), Berry Shoals Intermediate (902 students), and Abner Creek Academy (807 students). See the Spartanburg 05 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.