Enrollment
801
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Myrtle Beach, SC
Ocean Bay Middle
Federal NCES profile for Ocean Bay Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 450249001458
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 20
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ocean Bay Middle earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools.
- #6 of 6
- middle schools in Myrtle Beach · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 41.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ocean Bay Middle has class sizes larger than 82% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ocean Bay Middle ranks #6 of 6 middle schools in Myrtle Beach, SC.
School address
District: Horry 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450249001458 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.8%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ocean Bay Middle compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ocean Bay Middle
Ocean Bay Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, enrolling 801 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 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 41.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 801 puts it in the larger 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 147 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #59.
Its student body is led by White (70%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 48/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 401 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
12.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 16.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 173 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 801 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Myrtle Beach's middle schools, it stands alongside Ten Oaks Middle (1,264 students): Ocean Bay Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 18.1:1).
Horry 01 also operates Carolina Forest High (3,176 students) and St. James High (1,826 students) alongside Ocean Bay Middle.
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 Ocean Bay Middle compares
Ocean Bay Middle 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 17% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.8% | ▼ 44% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 801 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
801
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 82% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
12.0%
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
$12,785
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 401 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
105
in-school suspensions + 68 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.6 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 69.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.5%
African American 8.7%
Two or More 5.9%
Asian 2.2%
Largest group: White at 69.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.4, Ocean Bay Middle is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Horry 01, which includes Ocean Bay Middle.
$12,785
Per student
-12%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 47.9%
State 36.1%
Federal 16.0%
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 Ocean Bay Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Forest High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| St. James High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Conway High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Socastee High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Myrtle Beach High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ocean Bay Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,176
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,826
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,724
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,720
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,673
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar middle schools in Myrtle Beach
5 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Ten Oaks Middle
Standard public school
1,264 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Myrtle Beach Middle
Standard public school
1,146 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
St. James Middle
Standard public school
913 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Forestbrook Middle
Standard public school
816 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Socastee Middle
Standard public school
527 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~801 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ocean Bay Middle's federal record.
- Compare Ocean Bay Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Horry 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 Ocean Bay Middle
How many students attend Ocean Bay Middle?
Ocean Bay Middle has 801 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Myrtle Beach, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ocean Bay Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Ocean Bay Middle is 16.7:1, which is 17% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ocean Bay Middle?
41.8% of students at Ocean Bay Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ocean Bay Middle?
The largest demographic group at Ocean Bay Middle is White at 69.7% of enrollment, in Myrtle Beach, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ocean Bay Middle?
Ocean Bay Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (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 Ocean Bay Middle rank among middle schools in Myrtle Beach?
By Resource Investment Index, Ocean Bay Middle ranks #6 of 6 middle schools in Myrtle Beach, SC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Myrtle Beach on the city page.
Is Ocean Bay Middle a good school?
Ocean Bay Middle earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% 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 Horry 01?
Besides Ocean Bay Middle, Horry 01 also operates Carolina Forest High (3,176 students), St. James High (1,826 students), and Conway High (1,724 students). See the Horry 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.