Enrollment
775
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ladson, SC
Joseph R. Pye Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Joseph R. Pye Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450201001568
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 23
📋 Attendance 61
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph R. Pye Elementary earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Ladson · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 45.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph R. Pye Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph R. Pye Elementary ranks #1 of 4 schools in Ladson, SC.
School address
District: Dorchester 02 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450201001568 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
52.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
45.2%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph R. Pye Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph R. Pye Elementary
Joseph R. Pye Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Ladson, South Carolina, enrolling 775 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 45.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 775 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 149 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #56.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 388 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
15.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Dorchester 02 spends $11,173 per pupil, 23% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Ladson's public schools, it stands alongside Ladson Elementary (907 students): Joseph R. Pye Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.9:1 vs 15.1:1).
Dorchester 02 also operates Summerville High (3,361 students) and Ashley Ridge High (2,599 students) alongside Joseph R. Pye 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 Joseph R. Pye Elementary compares
Joseph R. Pye 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 | 14.9:1 | ▲ 4% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.2% | ▼ 39% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 775 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
775
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
45.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% 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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 63% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 37% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
15.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,173
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 388 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.1 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 41.2%
African American 28.6%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
Two or More 11.9%
Asian 4.0%
Largest group: White at 41.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.2, Joseph R. Pye 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 Dorchester 02, which includes Joseph R. Pye Elementary.
$11,173
Per student
-23%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 32.4%
State 53.8%
Federal 13.8%
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 Joseph R. Pye Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summerville High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ashley Ridge High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Fort Dorchester High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sand Hill Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beech Hill Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph R. Pye Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,361
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 2,599
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,344
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,169
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,079
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Ladson
3 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 (~775 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph R. Pye Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Joseph R. Pye Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Dorchester 02'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 Joseph R. Pye Elementary
How many students attend Joseph R. Pye Elementary?
Joseph R. Pye Elementary has 775 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ladson, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph R. Pye Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph R. Pye Elementary is 14.9:1, which is 4% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joseph R. Pye Elementary?
45.2% of students at Joseph R. Pye Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph R. Pye Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Joseph R. Pye Elementary is White at 41.2% of enrollment, in Ladson, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph R. Pye Elementary?
Joseph R. Pye Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Joseph R. Pye Elementary rank among schools in Ladson?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph R. Pye Elementary ranks #1 of 4 schools in Ladson, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Ladson on the city page.
Is Joseph R. Pye Elementary a good school?
Joseph R. Pye Elementary earns 48/100 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 Dorchester 02?
Besides Joseph R. Pye Elementary, Dorchester 02 also operates Summerville High (3,361 students), Ashley Ridge High (2,599 students), and Fort Dorchester High (2,344 students). See the Dorchester 02 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.