Enrollment
563
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Kershaw, SC
North Central High
Federal NCES profile for North Central High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450255001259
👥 S:T ratio 32
📚 AP courses 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Central High earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of South Carolina schools.
- #3 of 6
- public schools in Kershaw · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 71.8%
- free-lunch eligible
North Central High has class sizes larger than 85% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Central High ranks #3 of 6 public schools in Kershaw, SC.
School address
District: Kershaw 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450255001259 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+20% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.8%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Central High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Central High
North Central High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Kershaw, South Carolina, enrolling 563 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 71.8% lands close to the South Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 563 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 128 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #98, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (62%) and African American (20%) (diversity index 55/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 4 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 282 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Kershaw's high schools, it stands alongside Andrew Jackson High (557 students): North Central High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.1:1 vs 12.7:1).
Kershaw 01 also operates Lugoff-Elgin High (1,759 students) and Camden High (1,136 students) alongside North Central High.
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 High compares
North Central High 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 | 17.1:1 | ▲ 20% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.8% | ▼ 3% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 563 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
563
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% below 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
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 20% above state mean
Top 85% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.4%
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
$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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 282 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
42
in-school suspensions + 70 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 19.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
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 62.2%
African American 20.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.6%
Two or More 5.2%
Largest group: White at 62.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.4, North Central High is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 4
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Kershaw 01, which includes North Central High.
$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 High 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 | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Camden Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Blaney Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wateree Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Central High'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 high schools in Kershaw
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~563 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Central High's federal record.
- Compare North Central High 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 High
How many students attend North Central High?
North Central High has 563 students enrolled. It is a high school in Kershaw, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Central High?
The student-teacher ratio at North Central High is 17.1:1, which is 20% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Central High?
71.8% of students at North Central High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Central High?
The largest demographic group at North Central High is White at 62.2% of enrollment, in Kershaw, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Central High?
North Central High has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North Central High rank among public schools in Kershaw?
By Resource Investment Index, North Central High ranks #3 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 High a good school?
North Central High earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% 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 Kershaw 01?
Besides North Central High, 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.