Enrollment
1,086
South Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Williamston, SC
Palmetto High
Federal NCES profile for Palmetto High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 450078000076
👥 S:T ratio 25
📚 AP courses 25
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 28
📋 Attendance 26
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Palmetto High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% of South Carolina schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Williamston · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.7:1
- large classes for South Carolina
- 60.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Palmetto High has class sizes larger than 93% of South Carolina schools. Computed live against every South Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Palmetto High ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Williamston, SC.
School address
District: Anderson 01 · South Carolina
NCES ID 450078000076 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
58.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.7:1
vs 14.3:1 South Carolina avg
+31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.7%
vs 74.0% South Carolina avg
-18% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Palmetto High compares with South Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Palmetto High
Palmetto High is a higher-need, large high school in Williamston, South Carolina, enrolling 1,086 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.7:1 is larger than about 93% of South Carolina schools and 31% above the 14.3:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 60.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,086 puts it in the larger third of South Carolina schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,214 scored South Carolina schools.
Among 134 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need South Carolina schools statewide, it ranks #107, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 44/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 5 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 362 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 29.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Anderson 01 spends $10,372 per pupil, 29% below the South Carolina average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 274 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,086 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Anderson 01 also operates Wren High (1,252 students) and Powdersville High (1,024 students) alongside Palmetto 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 Palmetto High compares
Palmetto 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 | 18.7:1 | ▲ 31% | 14.3:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.7% | ▼ 18% | 74.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,086 | top 11% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.7:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,086
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 18% 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
18.7:1
students per teacher
- 31% above state mean
Top 93% in South Carolina - lower ratio than 7% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
29.6%
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
$10,372
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 362 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
183
in-school suspensions + 91 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 16.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 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 72.5%
Hispanic or Latino 16.9%
African American 6.1%
Two or More 4.3%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 72.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.0, Palmetto High is less mixed than the South Carolina school average of 52.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 5
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Anderson 01, which includes Palmetto High.
$10,372
Per student
-29%
vs South Carolina
Avg $14,558
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.0%
State 49.8%
Federal 13.2%
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 Palmetto High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wren High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Powdersville High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wren Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Spearman Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Powdersville Middle | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Palmetto High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,252
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 19.7:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 910
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 804
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 801
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
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 (~1,086 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Palmetto High's federal record.
- Compare Palmetto High against another school. Compare schools
- Anderson 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 Palmetto High
How many students attend Palmetto High?
Palmetto High has 1,086 students enrolled. It is a high school in Williamston, SC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Palmetto High?
The student-teacher ratio at Palmetto High is 18.7:1, which is 31% higher than the South Carolina average of 14.3:1 and 19% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Palmetto High?
60.7% of students at Palmetto High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the South Carolina average of 74.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Palmetto High?
The largest demographic group at Palmetto High is White at 72.5% of enrollment, in Williamston, SC.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Palmetto High?
Palmetto High has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Palmetto High rank among public schools in Williamston?
By Resource Investment Index, Palmetto High ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Williamston, 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 Williamston on the city page.
Is Palmetto High a good school?
Palmetto High earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 93% 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 Anderson 01?
Besides Palmetto High, Anderson 01 also operates Wren High (1,252 students), Powdersville High (1,024 students), and Wren Middle (910 students). See the Anderson 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.