Enrollment
509
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kershaw, SC
North Central Elementary
Federal NCES profile for North Central Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450255001763
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Central Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #6 of 6
- public schools in Kershaw · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15:1
- students per teacher
- 84.3%
- free-lunch eligible
North Central Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Central Elementary ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Kershaw, SC.
School address
District: Kershaw 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450255001763 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
84.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Central Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Central Elementary
North Central Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Kershaw, South Carolina, enrolling 509 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 84.3% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 509 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 69 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #62, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and African American (14%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 509 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Kershaw's public schools, it stands alongside Kershaw Elementary (512 students): North Central Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15:1 vs 15.5:1).
Kershaw 01 also operates Lugoff-Elgin High (1,759 students) and Camden High (1,136 students) alongside North Central 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 North Central Elementary compares
North Central 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 | ▲ 5% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 84.3% | ▲ 14% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 509 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15:1
Leaner classes than 47% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
509
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
84.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% 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
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 64% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.3%
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
$11,827
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 509 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.5 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 70.5%
African American 14.3%
Two or More 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 6.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 70.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 47.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 47.2, North Central 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 Kershaw 01, which includes North Central Elementary.
$11,827
Per student
-19%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.3%
State 48.1%
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 North Central Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lugoff-Elgin High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Camden High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Camden Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blaney Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wateree Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Central Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,759
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,136
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 844
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 750
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 688
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Kershaw
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 (~509 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Central Elementary's federal record.
- Compare North Central Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Kershaw 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 North Central Elementary
How many students attend North Central Elementary?
North Central Elementary has 509 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kershaw, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Central Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at North Central Elementary is 15:1, which is 5% 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 North Central Elementary?
84.3% of students at North Central Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Central Elementary?
The largest demographic group at North Central Elementary is White at 70.5% of enrollment, in Kershaw, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Central Elementary?
North Central Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 North Central Elementary rank among public schools in Kershaw?
By Resource Investment Index, North Central Elementary ranks #6 of 6 public schools in Kershaw, 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 Kershaw on the city page.
Is North Central Elementary a good school?
North Central Elementary earns 35/100 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 Kershaw 01?
Besides North Central Elementary, Kershaw 01 also operates Lugoff-Elgin High (1,759 students), Camden High (1,136 students), and Camden Middle (844 students). See the Kershaw 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.