Enrollment
442
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Union, SC
Monarch Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Monarch Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 62/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450375001088
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 68
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Monarch Elementary earns 62/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Union · Resource Index
- 62
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Monarch Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Monarch Elementary ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Union, SC.
School address
District: Union 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450375001088 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
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 Monarch Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Monarch Elementary
Monarch Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Union, South Carolina, enrolling 442 students.
At 13.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the South Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 14.3:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
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 442 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 1,214 South Carolina schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 355 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 50/100).
12.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 24.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Union's public schools, it stands alongside Foster Park Elementary (430 students): Monarch Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.4:1 vs 13:1).
Union 01 also operates Union County High (1,024 students) and Sims Middle (606 students) alongside Monarch 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 Monarch Elementary compares
Monarch 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 442 | top 64% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
442
Bigger than 54% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 41% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
12.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,834
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
Counselors0.1 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.8 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 63.3%
African American 32.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Two or More 1.1%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 63.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.6, Monarch 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 Union 01, which includes Monarch Elementary.
$11,834
Per student
-19%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.7%
State 53.3%
Federal 24.0%
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 Monarch Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union County High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sims Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jonesville Elementary Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Buffalo Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Foster Park Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Monarch Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 606
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 557
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 483
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 430
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar other schools in Union
1 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 (~442 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Monarch Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Monarch Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Union 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 Monarch Elementary
How many students attend Monarch Elementary?
Monarch Elementary has 442 students enrolled. It is a public school in Union, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Monarch Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Monarch Elementary is 13.4:1, which is 6% lower than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 15% 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 Monarch Elementary?
100.0% of students at Monarch Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Monarch Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Monarch Elementary is White at 63.3% of enrollment, in Union, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Monarch Elementary?
Monarch Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 62/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Monarch Elementary rank among public schools in Union?
By Resource Investment Index, Monarch Elementary ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Union, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Union on the city page.
Is Monarch Elementary a good school?
Monarch Elementary earns 62/100 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 Union 01?
Besides Monarch Elementary, Union 01 also operates Union County High (1,024 students), Sims Middle (606 students), and Jonesville Elementary Middle (557 students). See the Union 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.