Enrollment
166
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbia, SC
Midlands Arts Conservatory
Federal NCES profile for Midlands Arts Conservatory, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450390101703Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 68
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 67
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Midlands Arts Conservatory earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of South Carolina schools.
- #16 of 43
- schools in Columbia · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 7.9:1
- small classes for South Carolina
- 9.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Midlands Arts Conservatory has class sizes smaller than 97% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Midlands Arts Conservatory ranks #16 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC.
School address
District: Sc Public Charter School District · South Carolina
NCES ID 450390101703 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.9:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
-45% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
9.6%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-87% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Midlands Arts Conservatory compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Midlands Arts Conservatory
Midlands Arts Conservatory is a lower-poverty, small charter combined-grade school in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling 166 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.9:1, Midlands Arts Conservatory is leaner than roughly 97% of South Carolina schools and 45% under the state's 14.3:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 9.6% free-meal eligibility runs 87% below the South Carolina average.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 94% of South Carolina schools, with 166 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 166 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Sc Public Charter School District spends $22,523 per pupil, 55% above the South Carolina average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Columbia's public schools, it stands alongside Sc Connections Academy (6,152 students): Midlands Arts Conservatory is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.9:1 vs 27.8:1).
Sc Public Charter School District also operates York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students) and Legacy Early College (1,592 students) alongside Midlands Arts Conservatory.
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 Midlands Arts Conservatory compares
Midlands Arts Conservatory 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 | 7.9:1 | ▼ 45% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 9.6% | ▼ 87% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 166 | top 94% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.9:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
166
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
9.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 87% 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
7.9:1
students per teacher
- 45% below state mean
Top 3% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
31.9%
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
$22,523
per pupil, district-wide
- above South Carolina avg of $14,558
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 166 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Sc Public Charter School District, which includes Midlands Arts Conservatory.
$22,523
Per student
+55%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
+36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 5.8%
State 80.6%
Federal 13.6%
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 Midlands Arts Conservatory Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| York Preparatory Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Legacy Early College | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bridges Preparatory School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| High Point Academy | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Green Charter School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Midlands Arts Conservatory's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,672
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,592
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,208
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 998
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Columbia
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Sc Connections Academy
Standard public school
6,152 students 27.8:1 students per teacher
Brennen Elementary
Standard public school
805 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Rice Creek Elementary
Standard public school
718 students 13.3:1 students per teacher
Caughman Road Elementary
Standard public school
715 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Killian Elementary
Standard public school
699 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Sandlapper Elementary
Standard public school
671 students 14.3:1 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 (~166 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~7.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Midlands Arts Conservatory's federal record.
- Compare Midlands Arts Conservatory against another school. Compare schools
- Sc Public Charter School District'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 Midlands Arts Conservatory
How many students attend Midlands Arts Conservatory?
Midlands Arts Conservatory has 166 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbia, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Midlands Arts Conservatory?
The student-teacher ratio at Midlands Arts Conservatory is 7.9:1, which is 45% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 50% 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 Midlands Arts Conservatory?
9.6% of students at Midlands Arts Conservatory are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Midlands Arts Conservatory?
Midlands Arts Conservatory has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Midlands Arts Conservatory rank among schools in Columbia?
By Resource Investment Index, Midlands Arts Conservatory ranks #16 of 43 schools in Columbia, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbia on the city page.
Is Midlands Arts Conservatory a good school?
Midlands Arts Conservatory earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% 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 Sc Public Charter School District?
Besides Midlands Arts Conservatory, Sc Public Charter School District also operates York Preparatory Academy (1,672 students), Legacy Early College (1,592 students), and Bridges Preparatory School (1,472 students). See the Sc Public Charter School District district page for the complete list.
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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.