Enrollment
645
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lancaster, SC
North Elementary
Federal NCES profile for North Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450258001262
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 66
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Lancaster · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 100.0%
- free-lunch eligible
North Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Lancaster, SC.
School address
District: Lancaster 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450258001262 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
100.0%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Elementary
North Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Lancaster, South Carolina, enrolling 645 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.4:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
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 645 students, its enrollment sits close to the South Carolina median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 329 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #22, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and White (30%) (diversity index 68/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 323 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Lancaster's public schools, it stands alongside Van Wyck Elementary (820 students): North Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 16.7:1).
Lancaster 01 also operates Indian Land High (1,905 students) and Lancaster High (1,390 students) alongside North 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 Elementary compares
North 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 | 15.4:1 | ▲ 8% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 100.0% | ▲ 35% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 645 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
645
Bigger than 76% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 8% above state mean
Top 69% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.5%
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
$11,853
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 323 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
30
in-school suspensions + 46 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.8 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
African American 43.2%
White 29.7%
Hispanic or Latino 18.8%
Two or More 7.6%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 43.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.4, North Elementary is more mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lancaster 01, which includes North Elementary.
$11,853
Per student
-19%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.3%
State 46.8%
Federal 16.9%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Land High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lancaster High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian Land Intermediate | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Harrisburg Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Indian Land Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,905
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,390
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,181
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,161
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,102
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 57/100
Similar other schools in Lancaster
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Van Wyck Elementary
Standard public school
820 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Buford Elementary
Standard public school
792 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Erwin Elementary
Standard public school
418 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Clinton Elementary
Standard public school
412 students 12.5:1 students per teacher
Brooklyn Springs Elementary
Standard public school
398 students 13.7:1 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 (~645 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Elementary's federal record.
- Compare North Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lancaster 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 Elementary
How many students attend North Elementary?
North Elementary has 645 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lancaster, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at North Elementary is 15.4:1, which is 8% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Elementary?
100.0% of students at North Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Elementary?
The largest demographic group at North Elementary is African American at 43.2% of enrollment, in Lancaster, SC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Elementary?
North Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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 Elementary rank among schools in Lancaster?
By Resource Investment Index, North Elementary ranks #2 of 6 schools in Lancaster, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Lancaster on the city page.
Is North Elementary a good school?
North Elementary earns 53/100 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 Lancaster 01?
Besides North Elementary, Lancaster 01 also operates Indian Land High (1,905 students), Lancaster High (1,390 students), and Indian Land Intermediate (1,181 students). See the Lancaster 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.