Enrollment
1,612
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Charleston, SC
James Island Charter High
Federal NCES profile for James Island Charter High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450144001168Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 39
📚 AP courses 75
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 60
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Island Charter High earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in South Carolina.
- #1 of 5
- high schools in Charleston · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 33.2%
- free-lunch eligible
James Island Charter High has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Island Charter High ranks #1 of 5 high schools in Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Charleston 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450144001168 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
106.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
33.2%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Island Charter High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Island Charter High
James Island Charter High is a large charter high school in Charleston, South Carolina, enrolling 1,612 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.2:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 33.2% free-meal eligibility runs 55% below the South Carolina average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in South Carolina, bigger than 95% of state schools at 1,612 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 54 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and African American (17%) (diversity index 44/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 15 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 202 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Charleston's high schools, it stands alongside West Ashley High (2,069 students): James Island Charter High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 18.6:1).
Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students) and Rb Stall High (2,135 students) alongside James Island Charter High.
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 Island Charter High compares
James Island Charter High 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 | 15.2:1 | ▲ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.2% | ▼ 55% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,612 | top 5% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,612
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
33.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 66% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 34% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$15,213
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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
Counselors8.0 FTE
Per 202 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
118
in-school suspensions + 153 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.8 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 72.9%
African American 17.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.7%
Two or More 2.9%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 72.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.5, James Island Charter High is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 15
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charleston 01, which includes James Island Charter High.
$15,213
Per student
+4%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 59.0%
State 27.7%
Federal 13.3%
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 Island Charter High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wando High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Rb Stall High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Ashley High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lucy Garrett Beckham High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| C. E. Williams Middle School for Creative and Scientific Art | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Island Charter High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,588
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 2,135
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 2,069
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,757
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,299
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar high schools in Charleston
4 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
West Ashley High
Standard public school
2,069 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Philip Simmons High
Standard public school
797 students 15:1 students per teacher
Charleston Advancement Academy High School
Standard public school
424 students 38.5:1 students per teacher
Burke High
Standard public school
342 students 5.8:1 students per teacher
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 (~1,612 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Island Charter High's federal record.
- Compare James Island Charter High against another school. Compare schools
- Charleston 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 James Island Charter High
How many students attend James Island Charter High?
James Island Charter High has 1,612 students enrolled. It is a high school in Charleston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Island Charter High?
The student-teacher ratio at James Island Charter High is 15.2:1, which is 6% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 3% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Island Charter High?
33.2% of students at James Island Charter High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Island Charter High?
The largest demographic group at James Island Charter High is White at 72.9% of enrollment, in Charleston, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Island Charter High?
James Island Charter High has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher 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 Island Charter High rank among high schools in Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, James Island Charter High ranks #1 of 5 high schools in Charleston, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Charleston on the city page.
Is James Island Charter High a good school?
James Island Charter High earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in South Carolina. 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 Charleston 01?
Besides James Island Charter High, Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students), Rb Stall High (2,135 students), and West Ashley High (2,069 students). See the Charleston 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.