Enrollment
569
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · North Charleston, SC
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Matilda F. Dunston Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450144000224
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools.
- #18 of 18
- schools in North Charleston · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.7:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Matilda F. Dunston Elementary ranks #18 of 18 schools in North Charleston, SC.
School address
District: Charleston 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450144000224 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Matilda F. Dunston Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in North Charleston, South Carolina, enrolling 569 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 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.
With 569 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 367 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #337, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (64%) and African American (26%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 569 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among North Charleston's public schools, it stands alongside Meeting Street Elementary (1,133 students): Matilda F. Dunston Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.7:1 vs 8.1:1).
Charleston 01 also operates Wando High (2,588 students) and Rb Stall High (2,135 students) alongside Matilda F. Dunston 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 Matilda F. Dunston Elementary compares
Matilda F. Dunston 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 569 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
569
Bigger than 70% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.4%
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 569 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 21 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 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
Hispanic or Latino 63.6%
African American 25.8%
White 6.3%
Two or More 3.9%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 63.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.3, Matilda F. Dunston Elementary is about as mixed as the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Charleston 01, which includes Matilda F. Dunston 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 Matilda F. Dunston Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wando High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rb Stall High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar 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 | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Matilda F. Dunston 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 North Charleston
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Meeting Street Elementary
Standard public school
1,133 students 8.1:1 students per teacher
Charleston School of the Arts
Standard public school
1,102 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
A. C. Corcoran Elementary
Standard public school
743 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Eagle Nest Elementary
Standard public school
653 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Windsor Hill Arts Infused Elementary
Standard public school
622 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Lambs Elementary
Standard public school
580 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~569 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Matilda F. Dunston Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Matilda F. Dunston 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 Matilda F. Dunston Elementary
How many students attend Matilda F. Dunston Elementary?
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary has 569 students enrolled. It is a public school in North Charleston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary is 16.7:1, which is 17% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary?
100.0% of students at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Matilda F. Dunston Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Matilda F. Dunston Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 63.6% of enrollment, in North Charleston, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Matilda F. Dunston Elementary?
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Matilda F. Dunston Elementary rank among schools in North Charleston?
By Resource Investment Index, Matilda F. Dunston Elementary ranks #18 of 18 schools in North Charleston, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in North Charleston on the city page.
Is Matilda F. Dunston Elementary a good school?
Matilda F. Dunston Elementary earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Charleston 01?
Besides Matilda F. Dunston 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.