Enrollment
704
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Bluffton, SC
Michael C. Riley Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Michael C. Riley Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450111000143
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Michael C. Riley Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% of South Carolina schools.
- #5 of 6
- schools in Bluffton · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.1:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 36.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Michael C. Riley Elementary has class sizes smaller than 91% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Michael C. Riley Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Bluffton, SC.
School address
District: Beaufort 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450111000143 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
70.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.8%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Michael C. Riley Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Michael C. Riley Elementary
Michael C. Riley Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Bluffton, South Carolina, enrolling 704 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.1:1, Michael C. Riley Elementary is leaner than roughly 91% of South Carolina schools and 29% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 704 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 122 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #80.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (66%) and White (24%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 352 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Bluffton's public schools, it stands alongside River Ridge Academy (1,134 students): Michael C. Riley Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.1:1 vs 14.5:1).
Beaufort 01 also operates May River High (1,731 students) and Bluffton High (1,375 students) alongside Michael C. Riley 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 Michael C. Riley Elementary compares
Michael C. Riley 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 | 10.1:1 | ▼ 29% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.8% | ▼ 50% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 704 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.1:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
704
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
10.1:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 9% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.5%
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
$16,066
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 352 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 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 65.5%
White 23.9%
African American 7.7%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 0.6%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 65.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.7, Michael C. Riley Elementary is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Beaufort 01, which includes Michael C. Riley Elementary.
$16,066
Per student
+10%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-3%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.5%
State 30.2%
Federal 13.4%
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 Michael C. Riley Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| May River High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bluffton High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hilton Head Island High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| River Ridge Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Beaufort High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Michael C. Riley Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,731
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 1,375
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,265
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,134
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 1,104
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Bluffton
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
River Ridge Academy
Standard public school
1,134 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Pritchardville Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Bluffton Elementary
Standard public school
709 students 11.1:1 students per teacher
Okatie Elementary
Standard public school
648 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
Red Cedar Elementary
Standard public school
636 students 11.4:1 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 (~704 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Michael C. Riley Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Michael C. Riley Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Beaufort 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 Michael C. Riley Elementary
How many students attend Michael C. Riley Elementary?
Michael C. Riley Elementary has 704 students enrolled. It is a public school in Bluffton, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Michael C. Riley Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Michael C. Riley Elementary is 10.1:1, which is 29% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 36% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Michael C. Riley Elementary?
36.8% of students at Michael C. Riley Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Michael C. Riley Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Michael C. Riley Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 65.5% of enrollment, in Bluffton, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Michael C. Riley Elementary?
Michael C. Riley Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Michael C. Riley Elementary rank among schools in Bluffton?
By Resource Investment Index, Michael C. Riley Elementary ranks #5 of 6 schools in Bluffton, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Bluffton on the city page.
Is Michael C. Riley Elementary a good school?
Michael C. Riley Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 91% 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 Beaufort 01?
Besides Michael C. Riley Elementary, Beaufort 01 also operates May River High (1,731 students), Bluffton High (1,375 students), and Hilton Head Island High (1,265 students). See the Beaufort 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.