Enrollment
907
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ladson, SC
Ladson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Ladson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450144000207
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ladson Elementary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #4 of 4
- schools in Ladson · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Ladson Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ladson Elementary ranks #4 of 4 schools in Ladson, SC.
School address
District: Charleston 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450144000207 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
60.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ladson Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ladson Elementary
Ladson Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Ladson, South Carolina, enrolling 907 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger 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.
Enrollment of 907 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
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 181 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #156, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 756 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Ladson's public schools, it stands alongside Joseph R. Pye Elementary (775 students): Ladson Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.1:1 vs 14.9:1).
Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students) and Rb Stall High (2,135 students) alongside Ladson 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 Ladson Elementary compares
Ladson 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 907 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
907
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 65% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$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
Counselors1.2 FTE
Per 756 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 32 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.6 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 47.1%
Hispanic or Latino 31.2%
White 15.3%
Two or More 5.8%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.4, Ladson 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 Charleston 01, which includes Ladson Elementary.
$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 Ladson Elementary 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West Ashley High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lucy Garrett Beckham High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James Island Charter High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ladson Elementary'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
- 1,612
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~907 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ladson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Ladson Elementary 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 Ladson Elementary
How many students attend Ladson Elementary?
Ladson Elementary has 907 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ladson, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ladson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Ladson Elementary is 15.1:1, which is 6% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 4% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ladson Elementary?
100.0% of students at Ladson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ladson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Ladson Elementary is African American at 47.1% of enrollment, in Ladson, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ladson Elementary?
Ladson 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 Ladson Elementary rank among schools in Ladson?
By Resource Investment Index, Ladson Elementary ranks #4 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 Ladson Elementary a good school?
Ladson Elementary earns 32/100 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 Charleston 01?
Besides Ladson Elementary, 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.