Enrollment
423
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gaffney, SC
Northwest Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northwest Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 450150000297
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northwest Elementary earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the South Carolina median.
- #3 of 8
- schools in Gaffney · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.1:1
- students per teacher
- 67.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Northwest Elementary has class sizes near the South Carolina median. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Elementary ranks #3 of 8 schools in Gaffney, SC.
School address
District: Cherokee 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450150000297 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.1:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.3%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-9% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northwest Elementary compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northwest Elementary
Northwest Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Gaffney, South Carolina, enrolling 423 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 15.1:1 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 67.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 423 puts it in the smaller third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Against 96 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #62.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 423 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.1% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Gaffney's public schools, it stands alongside Cherokee Charter School (633 students): Northwest Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (15.1:1 vs 12.9:1).
Cherokee 01 also operates Gaffney High (1,827 students) and Gaffney Middle (851 students) alongside Northwest 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 Northwest Elementary compares
Northwest 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 | 15.1:1 | ▲ 6% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.3% | ▼ 9% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 423 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.1:1
Leaner classes than 46% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
423
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
15.1:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 65% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.1%
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
$14,030
per pupil, district-wide
- below South Carolina avg of $14,558
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 423 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 80.1%
African American 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%
Two or More 1.9%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 80.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.4, Northwest 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 Cherokee 01, which includes Northwest Elementary.
$14,030
Per student
-4%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.3%
State 45.1%
Federal 16.6%
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 Northwest Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gaffney High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gaffney Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| B. D. Lee Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Grassy Pond Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Blacksburg High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northwest Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,827
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 603
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 482
- Students per teacher
- 13:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools in Gaffney
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cherokee Charter School
Standard public school
633 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
B. D. Lee Elementary
Standard public school
603 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Grassy Pond Elementary
Standard public school
519 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Limestone-Central Elementary
Standard public school
436 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Luther L. Vaughan Elementary
Standard public school
399 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
Corinth Elementary
Standard public school
292 students 10.8:1 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 (~423 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northwest Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northwest Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Cherokee 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 Northwest Elementary
How many students attend Northwest Elementary?
Northwest Elementary has 423 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gaffney, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northwest Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northwest Elementary is 15.1:1, which is 6% 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 Northwest Elementary?
67.3% of students at Northwest Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northwest Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northwest Elementary is White at 80.1% of enrollment, in Gaffney, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northwest Elementary?
Northwest Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Northwest Elementary rank among schools in Gaffney?
By Resource Investment Index, Northwest Elementary ranks #3 of 8 schools in Gaffney, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gaffney on the city page.
Is Northwest Elementary a good school?
Northwest Elementary earns 44/100 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 Cherokee 01?
Besides Northwest Elementary, Cherokee 01 also operates Gaffney High (1,827 students), Gaffney Middle (851 students), and B. D. Lee Elementary (603 students). See the Cherokee 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.